No Moss; Or, The Career of a Rolling Stone

"No Moss; Or, The Career of a Rolling Stone" by Harry Castlemon is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story follows the adventures of Tom Newcombe, a young boy marked by his mischievous and rebellious spirit as he navigates his way through various escapades at an academy and his encounters with former friends who present both challenges and opportunities. As Tom becomes more embroiled in schemes involving a secret society of boys, conflict arises with authority figures and old foes. At the start of the book, readers are introduced to Tom and his life at an academy, where he is both a student and a member of the crew aboard the yacht Storm King. His rebellious nature leads him to plot against his rivals and the authority of his instructors, though he often faces retaliation and consequences for his actions. The opening chapters depict Tom's interactions with a group of fellow boys, hinting at a secret society that mirrors themes of camaraderie and conflict. Tom's character is a mix of ambition and recklessness, setting the stage for rising tensions that promise further adventure as he pursues his plans amidst the backdrop of naval life and youthful rebellion. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Charles Austin Fosdick, better known by his nom de plume Harry Castlemon, was a prolific writer of juvenile stories and novels, intended mainly for boys. He was born in Randolph, New York, and received a high school diploma from Central High School in Buffalo, New York. He served in the Union Navy from 1862 to 1865, during the American Civil War, acting as the receiver and superintendent of coal for the Mississippi River Squadron. Fosdick had begun to write as a teenager, and drew on his experiences serving in the Navy in such early novels as Frank on a Gunboat (1864) and Frank on the Lower Mississippi (1867). He soon became the most-read author for boys in the post-Civil War era, the golden age of children's literature.