Andy Grant's Pluck

Horatio Alger, Jr. (1832 – 1899) was a prolific American author of the 19-th century. His writings were characterized by the "rags-to-riches" narrative, which had a formative effect on America during the Gilded Age. Alger best known for his many juvenile novels about impoverished boys and their rise from humble backgrounds to lives of middle-class security and comfort through hard work, determination, courage, and honesty.

Alger made quite a name for himself, back around the turn of the twentieth century, writing uplifting stories about young boys from unfortunate backgrounds. Invariably, as here, their hard work and innate niceness eventually lead them to great success.  The storyline focuses on the advantaged and snobby schoolmate, eager to sabotage our main character, so that only he would win at whatever, hoist on his own petard. Another jealous co-worker conniving against him, ditto. A mortgage about to foreclose, saved by Andy's business acumen, thrifty ways. Somehow, he manages to come out of each scrape even further ahead while his detractors even further behind.