Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, 'The greatest success is to rise from poverty to wealth.' This phrase perfectly describes the life of Horatio ALGER Jr., a famous American writer known for his rags-to-riches stories. ALGER was born in 1832 and wrote over 100 novels, many of which focused on the theme of a young boy rising from poverty to wealth through hard work and determination. His works were immensely popular during the late 19th century and remain popular today.