Tattered Tom

The Story of a Street Arab

By: Horatio Alger Jr.

Narrated by: Christopher Crennen

Horatio Alger, Jr. (1832-1899) wrote over 100 ‘rags-to-riches’ novels, often about teenage boys forced by circumstances to earn their own living selling newspapers, blacking boots, carrying luggage, or tending store. (Surprisingly, Tom is a girl.)

Alger’s heroes are honest, temperate, generous, and brave, good in a fight and ready to protect a weaker boy from a bully. Alger stresses work, study, and thrift as ways to escape poverty. Alger’s villains, on the other hand, are usually dishonest, sometimes alcoholic or brutal.

Alger’s stories are thrilling, often with cliff-hanger chapter endings. Alger’s books have sold hundred of millions of copies, making him one of the best-selling authors in U.S. and world history.”

AspenLeafMedia.com

Public Domain (P)2024 Christopher Crennen

Can anyone be a narrator? Apparently…

Christopher Crennen made listening to these stories unbearable. I wasn’t aware that a person with zero talent could actually narrate for Audible. He literally reads with no inflection in his voice. Every character, whether British or American, male or female sounds the same. Oh… until he randomly tries to produce an Irish accent which is truly awful. I made the mistake of purchasing all of the Horacio Alger books not realizing some random guy was just looking for a side hustle by reading books in the public domain. Audible… I’m refunding these awfully narrated books. Shame on me for not sampling them first.