Adrift in New York by Horatio Alger, Jr.
19 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 4 years ago - ★★★ - 1 ratingSet in 19th century New York, this is the story of a wealthy old man who adopts his orphaned nephew and niece after his own four year old son mysteriously disappears. However, under a smooth exterior, the nephew is a conniving and avaricious villain who wants to grab all the old man's wealth for himself. This is also the story of a young boy, who doesn't know he's the sole heir to a fabulous fortune, but grows up homeless in the streets of New York. The villainous nephew proposes marriage to his cousin with a view to grabbing the entire inheritance. The story takes several twists and turns before it reaches its unexpected conclusion.
Adrift in New York was published in 1900. It is one of the 135 novels written by Horatio Alger Jr., an extremely prolific writer of young adult literature. Most of his books were centered on boys in poor circumstances who rise above them through hard work, honesty, courage and determination. Another important theme in all his books is how a stroke of luck or a fortuitous meeting with a rich, older philanthropist changes the life of his young hero.
Alger was born in a relatively well to do family with strong roots in the Church. His ancestors were early New England settlers who were among the founding fathers of America. Alger Sr. was a Unitarian minister who hoped that his son would follow him into the ministry, but financial troubles soon compelled young Horatio to abandon these plans. He finished school and went up to Harvard, where he did extremely well academically. By this time he had begun writing and was submitting poems and short pieces to local newspapers and magazines. After college, he returned home with few work prospects. Circumstances forced him to take up an editing job which he hated. In less than a year, he left to begin teaching at a boys' boarding school. He continued writing novels, which were told from a woman's point of view. He drifted between different careers, and finally retired to New York, where he wrote his first bestseller, Ragged Dick. A life of relative ease and wealth began and he adopted several street boys whom he guided into successful careers. He continued to write almost formulaic novels centered round the rags-to-riches theme.
Adrift in New York was extremely popular in its time, like most of Alger's novels. At one time, Alger's fame rivaled that of Mark Twain's in the American imagination. Though hardly known or read now, Alger's novels are interesting and make a very pleasant read.
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Episodes
01 – Chapters One and Two
January 02, 2024 00:00 - 17 minutes - 7.63 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
02 – Chapters Three and Four
January 01, 2024 00:00 - 15 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
03 – Chapters Five and Six
December 31, 2023 00:00 - 16 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
04 – Chapters Seven and Eight
December 30, 2023 00:00 - 16 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
05 – Chapters Nine and Ten
December 29, 2023 00:00 - 16 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
06 – Chapters Eleven and Twelve
December 28, 2023 00:00 - 15 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
07 – Chapters Thirteen and Fourteen
December 27, 2023 00:00 - 15 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
08 – Chapters Fifteen and Sixteen
December 26, 2023 00:00 - 15 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
09 – Chapters Seventeen and Eighteen
December 25, 2023 00:00 - 15 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
10 – Chapters Nineteen and Twenty
December 24, 2023 00:00 - 14 minutes - 5.72 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
11 – Chapters Twenty-One and Twenty-Two
December 23, 2023 00:00 - 15 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
12 – Chapters Twenty-three and Twenty-four
December 22, 2023 00:00 - 14 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
13 – Chapters Twenty-Five and Twenty-Six
December 21, 2023 00:00 - 14 minutes - 5.72 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
14 – Chapters Twenty-Seven and Twenty-Eight
December 20, 2023 00:00 - 15 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
15 – Chapters Twenty-Nine and Thirty
December 19, 2023 00:00 - 14 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
16 – Chapters Thirty-One and Thirty-Two
December 18, 2023 00:00 - 15 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
17 – Chapters Thirty-Three and Thirty-Four
December 17, 2023 00:00 - 15 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
18 – Chapters Thirty-Five and Thirty-Six
December 16, 2023 00:00 - 13 minutes - 5.72 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
19 – Chapters Thirty-Seven and Thirty-Eight
December 15, 2023 00:00 - 15 minutes - 6.68 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com