Author

Oliver Optic

1822–1897 · United States

The pen name of William Taylor Adams, a Massachusetts schoolmaster who became one of America’s most popular writers of boys’ adventure and travel stories. He wrote well over a hundred books for the young.

81 books · 35 available now

All-Over-the-World Library

5 booksView series →

1Coming soon

A Millionaire at Sixteen; or, The Cruise of the Guardian-Mother

Oliver Optic

10–14

American Boys Afloat; or, Cruising in the Orient

Oliver Optic

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Asiatic Breezes; or, Students on the Wing

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Across India; or, Live Boys in the Far East

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Four Young Explorers; or, Sight-Seeing in the Tropics

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Army and Navy Stories

5 booksView series →

1Coming soon

The Soldier Boy; or, Tom Somers in the Army

Oliver Optic

10–14

2Coming soon

The Sailor Boy; or, Jack Somers in the Navy

Oliver Optic

10–14

3Coming soon

The Young Lieutenant; or, The Adventures of an Army Officer

Oliver Optic

10–14

Fighting Joe; or, The Fortunes of a Staff Officer

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Brave Old Salt; or, Life on the Quarter Deck

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The Blue and the Gray Afloat

6 booksView series →

1Coming soon

Taken by the Enemy

Oliver Optic

10–14

2Coming soon

Within the Enemy’s Lines

Oliver Optic

10–14

3Coming soon

On the Blockade

Oliver Optic

10–14

4Coming soon

Stand by the Union

Oliver Optic

10–14

Fighting for the Right

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6Coming soon

A Victorious Union

Oliver Optic

10–14

The Blue and the Gray on Land

4 booksView series →

Brother Against Brother; or, The War on the Border

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In the Saddle

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3Coming soon

A Lieutenant at Eighteen

Oliver Optic

10–14

6Coming soon

An Undivided Union

Oliver Optic

10–14

The Boat Club

6 booksView series →

The Boat Club; or, The Bunkers of Rippleton

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All Aboard; or, Life on the Lake

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3Coming soon

Now or Never; or, The Adventures of Bobby Bright

Oliver Optic

10–14

4Coming soon

Try Again; or, The Trials and Triumphs of Harry West

Oliver Optic

10–14

5Coming soon

Poor and Proud; or, The Fortunes of Katy Redburn

Oliver Optic

10–14

6Coming soon

Little by Little; or, The Cruise of the Flyaway

Oliver Optic

10–14

The Boat-Builder Series

6 booksView series →

All Adrift; or, The Goldwing Club

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2Coming soon

Snug Harbor; or, The Champlain Mechanics

Oliver Optic

10–14

3Coming soon

Square and Compasses; or, Building the House

Oliver Optic

10–14

4Coming soon

Stem to Stern; or, Building the Boat

Oliver Optic

10–14

All Taut; or, Rigging the Boat

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6Coming soon

Ready About; or, Sailing the Boat

Oliver Optic

10–14

The Great Western Series

3 booksView series →

1Coming soon

Going West; or, The Perils of a Poor Boy

Oliver Optic

10–14

Down South; or, Yacht Adventure in Florida

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6Coming soon

Up the River; or, Yachting on the Mississippi

Oliver Optic

10–14

The Lake Shore Series

5 booksView series →

1Coming soon

Through by Daylight; or, The Young Engineer of the Lake Shore Railroad

Oliver Optic

10–14

2Coming soon

Lightning Express; or, The Rival Academies

Oliver Optic

10–14

3Coming soon

On Time; or, The Young Captain of the Ucayga Steamer

Oliver Optic

10–14

Brake Up; or, The Young Peacemakers

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Bear and Forbear; or, The Young Skipper of Lake Ucayga

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Onward and Upward

4 booksView series →

Field and Forest; or, The Fortunes of a Farmer

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2Coming soon

Plane and Plank; or, The Mishaps of a Mechanic

Oliver Optic

10–14

Desk and Debit; or, The Catastrophes of a Clerk

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Cringle and Cross-Tree; or, The Sea Swashes of a Sailor

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Riverdale Story Books

10 booksView series →

The Birthday Party

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Careless Kate

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The Christmas Gift

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Dolly and I

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The Gold Thimble

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Coming soon

The Little Merchant

Oliver Optic

6–10

Coming soon

The Picnic Party

Oliver Optic

6–10

Coming soon

Proud and Lazy

Oliver Optic

6–10

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Robinson Crusoe, Jr.

Oliver Optic

6–10

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Uncle Ben

Oliver Optic

6–10

The Starry Flag Series

5 booksView series →

Breaking Away; or, The Fortunes of a Student

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3Coming soon

Seek and Find; or, The Adventures of a Smart Boy

Oliver Optic

10–14

Freaks of Fortune; or, Half Round the World

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5Coming soon

Make or Break; or, The Rich Man’s Daughter

Oliver Optic

10–14

Down the River; or, Buck Bradford and His Tyrants

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The Woodville Stories

6 booksView series →

1Coming soon

Rich and Humble; or, The Mission of Bertha Grant

Oliver Optic

10–14

In School and Out; or, The Conquest of Richard Grant

Oliver Optic

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3Coming soon

Watch and Wait; or, The Young Fugitives

Oliver Optic

10–14

4Coming soon

Work and Win; or, Noddy Newman on a Cruise

Oliver Optic

10–14

Hope and Have; or, Fanny Grant Among the Indians

Oliver Optic

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Haste and Waste; or, The Young Pilot of Lake Champlain

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The Yacht Club Series

3 booksView series →

1Coming soon

Little Bobtail; or, The Wreck of the Penobscot

Oliver Optic

10–14

2Coming soon

The Yacht Club; or, The Young Boat-Builder

Oliver Optic

10–14

The Coming Wave; or, The Hidden Treasure of High Rock

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Young America Abroad

7 booksView series →

1Coming soon

Outward Bound; or, Young America Afloat

Oliver Optic

10–14

Dikes and Ditches; or, Young America in Holland and Belgium

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Down the Rhine; or, Young America in Germany

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7Coming soon

Up the Baltic; or, Young America in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark

Oliver Optic

10–14

8Coming soon

Northern Lands; or, Young America in Russia and Prussia

Oliver Optic

10–14

11Coming soon

Vine and Olive; or, Young America in Spain and Portugal

Oliver Optic

10–14

12Coming soon

Isles of the Sea; or, Young America Homeward Bound

Oliver Optic

10–14

More books

Free

Hatchie, the Guardian Slave; or, The Heiress of Bellevue

Oliver Optic

16+ · 9h 40m

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Free

In Doors and Out; or, Views from the Chimney Corner

Oliver Optic

12+ · 8h 1m

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Coming soon

Free

Just His Luck

Oliver Optic

10–14 · 0s

Free

Living Too Fast; or, The Confessions of a Bank Officer

Oliver Optic

16+ · 0s

Free

Our Standard-Bearer; or, The Life of General Ulysses S. Grant

Oliver Optic

12+ · 0s

Free

Three Millions! or, The Way of the World

Oliver Optic

12+ · 0s