Oliver Optic: Poor and Proud; Or, The Fortunes of Katy Redburn, Kartoniert / Broschiert

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Poor and Proud follows the inspiring story of Katy Redburn, a brave and determined young girl living in poverty in 19th-century Boston. When her mother falls ill and becomes unable to work, Katy takes it upon herself to support the family. Despite her limited means and young age, Katy refuses to beg or rely on charity. Instead, she sets out to earn an honest living-selling newspapers, running errands, and doing odd jobs around the city.

Katy's integrity, perseverance, and pride in honest labor set her apart. Along the way, she encounters various characters who either help or hinder her journey. Her good nature, cleverness, and moral strength ultimately bring her respect and improved circumstances. By the end of the novel, Katy's hard work pays off, and her family's situation improves.

The book is both a moral tale and a social commentary, promoting the values of independence, honesty, and perseverance. Aimed at young readers, it encourages self-reliance and pride in hard work, regardless of social class.

About the Author

William Taylor Adams (July 30, 1822 - March 27, 1897), pseudonym Oliver Optic, was an academic, author, and a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Adams first began to write at the age of 28, and his first book, Hatchie, the Guardian Slave (1853), was published under the pseudonym of Warren T. Ashton. It was only a modest success, but Adams was undaunted. In 1854 Adams produced his first real hit, the initial volume in the Boat Club series. Adams continued to write until he died in Dorchester, March 27, 1897. Among his best-known works were the two "Blue & Gray" series, which were set during the Civil War.

Adams wrote well over 100 books in total, most of them for a boy audience, and the majority of these in series of four to six volumes published under a pseudonym. Two novels published in his own name, The Way of the World and Living Too Fast, were aimed at adult readers but fell flat. Though "Oliver Optic" was the pseudonym he used most, his work also appeared under the bylines "Irving Brown," "Clingham Hunter, M. D.," and "Old Stager." Like many children's authors of his day, he was additionally an editor, and many of his works first appeared in Oliver Optic's Magazine.

Adams' writing was criticized by Louisa May Alcott, among others. Alcott used her story Eight Cousins to deplore Adams' use of slang, his cast of bootblacks and newsboys, and his stories of police courts and saloons. Adams responded in kind, pointing out Alcott's own use of slang and improbable plot twists. (wikipedia. org)