Up the River: Special Edition

Great Western #6

by Oliver Optic

Up the River is the sixth and last of "The Great Western Series." The events of the story occur on the coast of Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico, and on the Mississippi River. The volume and the series close with the return of the hero, by a route not often taken by tourists, to his home in Michigan. His voyaging on the ocean, the Great Lakes, and the Father of Waters, is finished for the present; but the writer believes that his principal character has grown wiser and better since he was first introduced to the reader. He has made mistakes of judgment, but whatever of example and inspiration he may impart to the reader will be that of a true and noble boy, with no vices to disfigure his character, and no low aims to lead him from "the straight and narrow path" of duty. We are delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive Classic Library collection. Many of the books in our collection have been out of print for decades, and therefore have not been accessible to the general public. The aim of our publishing program is to facilitate rapid access to this vast reservoir of literature, and our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. The contents of the vast majority of titles in the Classic Library have been scanned from the original works. To ensure a high quality product, each title has been meticulously hand curated by our staff. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with a book that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic work, and that for you it becomes an enriching experience.

238 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1881

About the author

Oliver Optic was the pen name of William Taylor Adams, a Massachusetts schoolteacher whose magazines and stories for children reached a very wide audience from the 1850s through the turn of the twentieth century.

Reviews

[Thom Swennes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the sixth volume of a series of books started in 1854 describing a trip from the Great Lakes, through the Northeastern waterways, in the Gulf of Mexico, back up the Mississippi, ending in New York. This particular book only deals with the trip starting in Jacksonville, Florida, going around the Keys and up the Father of All Rivers, the Mississippi. William Taylor Adams (1822-1897) was an extremely prolific and popular writer of adventure stories for boys under the pseudonym of Oliver Optic. He was once both popular and well read but time hasn’t been kind as he now dwells in the realm of obscurity. That is the situation today and this is a real shame as his works have an interesting appeal to readers of all ages and they really should be rejuvenated. I came across this book quite by accident and had no expectations when I started to read. I know that beginning at the tail end of a series isn’t ideal but I think it is better that an almost forgotten writer is rediscovered. I will keep an eye out for works by Oliver Optic as I feel sure reading them is well worth both the time and effort. I think many who read this book will agree; it’s a keeper!