O. Henry - Short Stories

by O. Henry

Overview

William Sydney Porter was a prolific American short-story writer who wrote under the pen-name - O. Henry. He started writing while he was in prison for embezzlement. He was a master of surprise endings. A typical trait of his stories is a twist of plot, which turns into an ironic or coincidental circumstance. The most widely read author of his time, O. Henry died penniless but left behind a wealth of short stories that endure as the classics of the genre. This selection brings together 53 of his most renowned and entertaining short stories that revolve around the lives of ordinary people. Each one offers insight into human nature and the ways it is affected by love, hate, wealth, poverty, gentility, disguise and crime - themes that ran through the author's personal life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789380005560
Publisher:	Maple Press
Publication date:	01/01/2014
Pages:	376
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.84(d)

About the Author

O. Henry was the pen name of William Sydney Porter (1862-1910) was a prolific American short story writer. Initially trained as a pharmacist, Porter began his writing career as a journalist and worked on his stories on the side. After being accused of embezzling money from a bank he worked for, he fled to Honduras. He returned to the US upon the death of his wife and was sentenced to five years in prison. It was during this time that he began to have his first stories published. He later moved to New York and began writing stories in earnest. Some of his most famous stories include "Gift of the Magi" and "The Caballero's Way" which introduced the character, the Cisco Kid.