Facing the World, a classic collection of adventures, narrates the story of a boy who flees away from a cruel guardian and is fortunate enough to find a loyal friend. Together they journey by sea far and wide. Alger has beautifully captured life, and its various aspects like strife, success in the face of adversity and poverty. Captivating! There are at least two editions of Facing the World. This may be the second or third edition. The different editions vary significantly in content. Horatio Alger, Jr. (January 13, 1832 – July 18, 1899) was a prolific 19th-century American author, best known for his many formulaic 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. His writings were characterized by the "rags-to-riches" narrative, which had a formative effect on America during the Gilded Age.