Jed the Poorhouse Boy

Horatio Alger Jr.(1832–1899), wrote over 100 poems, short stories, and novels during his lifetime, including four adult novels and one adult novella. He gained notoriety when his friendship with ‘William Taylor Adams’, a boys’ author, changed Horatio’s interest to writing for the juvenile market. Alger’s first book for young people, “Ragged Dick, or Street Life in New York,” was a huge success, securing the author’s fame among the youth of America. After this success, Alger devoted his writing to his ‘formula, rags-to-riches’ books for boys.
Jed, the Poorhouse Boy is one of Horatio Alger’s ‘formula, rags-to-riches’ books for boys. At the age of two years, Jed Gilman is left at the ‘poorhouse’ by a mysterious woman. Here, he remains for nearly 14 years, until, under the abuse of new caretakers, Jed decides to run away. A series of various occupations follow, as well as horrendous bad luck. Although Jed is assisted by new friends in his endeavor to make his own way in the world, and to lose the stigma attached to growing up destitute, he is deliberately foiled, upon occasion, by people in his past. In the end, it is his honesty, and kind-hearted nature which will help him to discover his true identity, reclaim his family, and realize his full potential.
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