The Story of a Bad Boy (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Children's Adventure Book: Autobiographical NovelBy Thomas Bailey Aldrich
Length7h 4m
About this audiobook
Published in 1870, The Story of a Bad Boy offers a lively, semi-autobiographical portrait of Tom Bailey's boyhood in the New England seaport town of Rivermouth, a fictionalized Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Its episodic adventures—schoolboy pranks, friendships, family tensions, and encounters with death—are rendered in a clear, ironic, and affectionate prose that rejects the moralizing conventions of much nineteenth-century juvenile fiction. In American literary history, it stands as an important precursor to the realistic boyhood narratives of Mark Twain. Thomas Bailey Aldrich drew deeply on his own childhood for the book's atmosphere and incidents. Born in Portsmouth in 1836 and later associated with Boston's literary culture, Aldrich became a poet, novelist, and influential editor of The Atlantic Monthly. His early years in New Hampshire, followed by broader exposure to urban and literary life, enabled him to recall boyhood with both intimacy and artistic discipline. This book is warmly recommended to readers interested in American realism, childhood studies, and the evolution of juvenile literature. Its charm lies not merely in mischief, but in its humane recognition that childhood is comic, unruly, painful, and morally complex.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 3.9 (331)
Includes Goodreads
GenreChildren's Literature
Length7 hrs 4 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateSep 4, 2019
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
2Introduction
3Synopsis
4Historical Context
5Chapter One—In Which I Introduce Myself
Show all chaptersShow less
6Chapter Two—In Which I Entertain Peculiar Views
7Chapter Three—On Board the Typhoon
8Chapter Four—Rivermouth
9Chapter Five—The Nutter House and the Nutter Family
10Chapter Six—Lights and Shadows
11Chapter Seven—One Memorable Night
12Chapter Eight—The Adventures of a Fourth
13Chapter Nine—I Become an R. M. C.
14Chapter Ten—I Fight Conway
15Chapter Eleven—All About Gypsy
16Chapter Twelve—Winter at Rivermouth
17Chapter Thirteen—The Snow Fort on Slatter's Hill
18Chapter Fourteen—The Cruise of the Dolphin
19Chapter Fifteen—An Old Acquaintance Turns Up
20Chapter Sixteen—In Which Sailor Ben Spins a Yarn
21Chapter Seventeen—How We Astonished the Rivermouthians
22Chapter Eighteen—A Frog He Would A-Wooing Go
23Chapter Nineteen—I Become A Blighted Being
24Chapter Twenty—I Prove Myself To Be the Grandson of My Grandfather
25Chapter Twenty-One—In Which I Leave Rivermouth
26Chapter Twenty-Two—Exeunt Omnes
27Analysis
28Reflection
29Memorable Quotes
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