21 - In Which I Leave Rivermouth

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21 - In Which I Leave Rivermouth

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Thomas Bailey Aldrich’s journey begins in the vibrant streets of New Orleans, where his father relocated from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. After a decade, Aldrich returned to Portsmouth to prepare for college, a formative chapter of his life vividly captured in his semi-autobiographical novel, *The Story of a Bad Boy* (1870). In this groundbreaking work, young Tom Bailey emerges as a relatable hero, heralded by critics as one of the first realistic portrayals of childhood in American literature—laying the groundwork for future classics like *Adventures of Huckleberry Finn*. Aldrichs literary journey continued as he mingled with the intellectual elite in New York City, eventually becoming the editor of the esteemed Atlantic Monthly in the 1880s. The personal tragedy of losing his son to tuberculosis in Saranac Lake, NY, adds a poignant layer to his story. Today, the Aldrich family home in Saranac Lake operates as a charming Bed and Breakfast, while the Aldrich house in Portsmouth is a treasured part of the Strawberry Banke Museum. (Summary by Samanem)

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