Field and Forest; Or, The Fortunes of a Farmer

Field and Forest is a 19th-century juvenile adventure novel that blends themes of self-reliance, moral integrity, and frontier life. The story follows Phil Farringford, a brave and resourceful teenage boy, as he navigates the challenges of life in the American wilderness. When Native Americans steal his horses, Phil, guided by his guardian Matt Rockwood, takes bold action to retrieve them-demonstrating courage, leadership, and a growing sense of responsibility. Through Phil's journey, the novel emphasizes character development through adversity. He confronts not only physical dangers but also moral dilemmas, reinforcing values such as honesty, hard work, and independence-key ideals in post-Civil War American literature for boys. The plot moves quickly, driven by suspense and action, but always circles back to teaching life lessons. As the first book in the Onward and Upward series, it sets the tone for a sequence of coming-of-age tales designed to inspire young readers through moralized adventure and practical virtue. About the Author William Taylor Adams (July 30, 1822 - March 27, 1897), pseudonym Oliver Optic, was an academic, author, and a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Adams first began to write at the age of 28, and his first book, Hatchie, the Guardian Slave (1853), was published under the pseudonym of Warren T. Ashton. It was only a modest success, but Adams was undaunted. In 1854 Adams produced his first real hit, the initial volume in the Boat Club series. Adams continued to write until he died in Dorchester, March 27, 1897. Among his best-known works were the two "Blue & Gray" series, which were set during the Civil War. Adams wrote well over 100 books in total, most of them for a boy audience, and the majority of these in series of four to six volumes published under a pseudonym. Two novels published in his own name, The Way of the World and Living Too Fast, were aimed at adult readers but fell flat. Though "Oliver Optic" was the pseudonym he used most, his work also appeared under the bylines "Irving Brown," "Clingham Hunter, M.D.," and "Old Stager." Like many children's authors of his day, he was additionally an editor, and many of his works first appeared in Oliver Optic's Magazine. Adams' writing was criticized by Louisa May Alcott, among others. Alcott used her story Eight Cousins to deplore Adams' use of slang, his cast of bootblacks and newsboys, and his stories of police courts and saloons. Adams responded in kind, pointing out Alcott's own use of slang and improbable plot twists. (wikipedia.org)