Horatio Alger, Jr. was a well-known 19th century American author known for his novels portraying young boys’ struggles and challenges. Most of his stories were like fairytales in which the poor protagonist achieved respectability and a better lifestyle through hard work, courage and honesty. His style of writing influenced various writers and left a profound impact on American culture during the gilded age. Alger was interested in writing from a young age. He attended the Harvard University where he studied under the illustrious Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. There, he developed his own style of writing stories, essay and poetry and won numerous awards. However, success in literary pursuits evaded him for a long time after graduating from college as many of his initial works were rejected by publishers. He found his first big success with his novel ‘Ragged Dick’, which was about a poor boy’s rise to middle class respectability. The book became a bestseller and its success motivated him to write almost entirely for boys. He wrote an entire series based on the Ragged Dick theme which was a smash hit with teenage boys. During his lifetime, he was credited to have written and published more than 100 books, and numerous poems and essays which appeared in countless periodicals.