Mark the Match Boy

Horatio Alger Jr. (1832–1899) was a prolific 19th-century American author, most renowned for his rags-to-riches tales of impoverished boys achieving middle-class security through hard work, determination, courage, and honesty. His formulaic stories, with their moral and didactic themes, struck a chord with the American public, making him one of the most popular writers of his time. Alger was born ...