The Four Million

by O. Henri

Overview

The Four Million is the second published collection of short stories by O. Henry originally released in 1906. There are twenty-five stories of various lengths including several of his best known works such as "The Gift of the Magi" and "The Cop and the Anthem". The book's title refers to the then population of New York City where many of the stories are set. O. Henry was responding to a newspaper editorial which opined that there were only four hundred people in New York City worth knowing.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940162674283
Publisher:	Barnes & Noble Press
Publication date:	10/05/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	164 KB

About the Author

William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American short story writer.

Porter was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, and later moved to Texas in 1882. It was there that he met his wife, Athol Estes, with whom he had two children. In 1902, after the death of his wife, Porter moved to New York, where he soon remarried. It was while he was in New York that Porter's most intensive writing period occurred, with Porter writing 381 short stories.

Porter's works include "The Gift of the Magi", "The Duplicity of Hargraves", and "The Ransom of Red Chief". His stories are known for their surprise endings and witty narration. Porter also wrote poetry and non-fiction.

Porter's legacy includes the O. Henry Award, an annual prize awarded to outstanding short stories.