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Graphic Classics #11
Graphic Classics, Volume 11: O. Henry
Graphic Classics: O. Henry is a great collection of stories from the master of the surprise ending. This eleventh volume in the Graphic Classics series features "The Ransom of Red Chief," the precursor to "Home Alone." Plus "The Cabollero's Way," the original tale of The Cisco Kid, and O. Henry's Christmas classic "The Gift of the Magi," along with seven more stories, including a new O. Henry "sequel" by Mort Castle.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 2005
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About the author
O. Henry
2,922 books1,879 followersSuch volumes as
Cabbages and Kings
(1904) and
The Four Million
(1906) collect short stories, noted for their often surprising endings, of American writer William Sydney Porter, who used the pen name O. Henry.
His biography shows where he found inspiration for his characters. His era produced their voices and his language.
Mother of three-year-old Porter died from tuberculosis. He left school at fifteen years of age and worked for five years in drugstore of his uncle and then for two years at a Texas sheep ranch.
In 1884, he went to Austin, where he worked in a real estate office and a church choir and spent four years as a draftsman in the general land office. His wife and firstborn died, but daughter Margaret survived him.
He failed to establish a small humorous weekly and afterward worked in poorly-run bank. When its accounts balanced not, people blamed and fired him.
In Houston, he worked for a few years until, ordered to stand trial for embezzlement, he fled to New Orleans and thence Honduras.
Two years later, he returned on account of illness of his wife. Apprehended, Porter served a few months more than three years in a penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio. During his incarceration, he composed ten short stories, including A Blackjack Bargainer , The Enchanted Kiss , and The Duplicity of Hargraves .
In 1899, McClure's published Whistling Dick's Christmas Story and Georgia's Ruling .
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he sent manuscripts to New York editors. In the spring of 1902, Ainslee's Magazine offered him a regular income if he moved to New York.
In less than eight years, he became a bestselling author of collections of short stories. Cabbages and Kings came first in 1904 The Four Million, and The Trimmed Lamp and Heart of the West followed in 1907, and The Voice of the City in 1908, Roads of Destiny and Options in 1909, Strictly Business and Whirligigs in 1910 followed.
Posthumously published collections include The Gentle Grafter about the swindler, Jeff Peters; Rolling Stones , Waifs and Strays , and in 1936, unsigned stories, followed.
People rewarded other persons financially more. A Retrieved Reformation about the safe-cracker Jimmy Valentine got $250; six years later, $500 for dramatic rights, which gave over $100,000 royalties for playwright Paul Armstrong. Many stories have been made into films.
His biography shows where he found inspiration for his characters. His era produced their voices and his language.
Mother of three-year-old Porter died from tuberculosis. He left school at fifteen years of age and worked for five years in drugstore of his uncle and then for two years at a Texas sheep ranch.
In 1884, he went to Austin, where he worked in a real estate office and a church choir and spent four years as a draftsman in the general land office. His wife and firstborn died, but daughter Margaret survived him.
He failed to establish a small humorous weekly and afterward worked in poorly-run bank. When its accounts balanced not, people blamed and fired him.
In Houston, he worked for a few years until, ordered to stand trial for embezzlement, he fled to New Orleans and thence Honduras.
Two years later, he returned on account of illness of his wife. Apprehended, Porter served a few months more than three years in a penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio. During his incarceration, he composed ten short stories, including A Blackjack Bargainer , The Enchanted Kiss , and The Duplicity of Hargraves .
In 1899, McClure's published Whistling Dick's Christmas Story and Georgia's Ruling .
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he sent manuscripts to New York editors. In the spring of 1902, Ainslee's Magazine offered him a regular income if he moved to New York.
In less than eight years, he became a bestselling author of collections of short stories. Cabbages and Kings came first in 1904 The Four Million, and The Trimmed Lamp and Heart of the West followed in 1907, and The Voice of the City in 1908, Roads of Destiny and Options in 1909, Strictly Business and Whirligigs in 1910 followed.
Posthumously published collections include The Gentle Grafter about the swindler, Jeff Peters; Rolling Stones , Waifs and Strays , and in 1936, unsigned stories, followed.
People rewarded other persons financially more. A Retrieved Reformation about the safe-cracker Jimmy Valentine got $250; six years later, $500 for dramatic rights, which gave over $100,000 royalties for playwright Paul Armstrong. Many stories have been made into films.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 5, 2013
One of the best volumes in this series (and I've almost read them all)! First of all, I just love O.Henry, the master of the twist ending and this collection brings together his two most famous stories "The Ransom of Red Chief" and "The Gift of the Magi" with a wonderful assortment of others from all sorts of different genres such as westerns, comedies and mysteries. I absolutely enjoyed every single tale whether it be new or an old favourite to me. Seeing them renditioned in the graphic format is a delight. The collection of illustrations brings together a fine company of artists. One thing I love about the early books in this series is that one can expect to find Rick Geary (a favourite of mine) more often than not making a contribution. Here he deftly handles the masterpiece "The Marionette" of two equally criminal thieves but one a scoundrel, the other with a heart. Other fantastic artwork I enjoyed was by Michael Slack, Lisa K. Weber and the comic style of Johnny Ryan. The rest of the art varied in my appreciation but nothing disappointed me; everything was a good match for the stories they highlighted. If you've never read O.Henry (gasp!) this should only whet your appetite to read the real thing and if you are already a fan like me it is a joy to read a wonderful graphic homage to his work such as this. When all things are considered, the author specific volumes of Graphic Classics series are my favourite volumes as opposed to the thematic ones of which there are two types: genre specific such as horror, Gothic, western, fantasy and generic themes such as Halloween, Christmas, African-American, Adventure and the upcoming Canine/Feline.
March 19, 2021
This is an entertaining collection of short stories in a graphic novel format and is part of the Graphic Classics series.
Of course I was familiar with O. Henry's classic tale, The Gift of the Magi.
But many of these stories were new to me and I really enjoyed them.
Of course I was familiar with O. Henry's classic tale, The Gift of the Magi.
But many of these stories were new to me and I really enjoyed them.
January 11, 2019
This fun anthology has put me in the mood to rediscover these stories in the prose of O. Henry. These Graphic Classics anthologies perform a useful service this way. Recommended.
June 12, 2025
Excellent adaptations of classic tales by the master of short stories later to be used as plots for sitcoms.
August 15, 2009
This is a tricky book to rate because it is a collection of short-story graphic novels, each done by a different artist. Some of them I liked, some I did not. One good thing about this book was that it reminded me how wonderful O.Henry is and inspired me to reread (or read for the first time) his stories. So if this book will do that for young adult readers, then it's a good thing. Anything that might get them interested in reading the classics (or reading anything, really) is good. But I just wasn't overly excited by this collection in general.
February 24, 2015
I love O. Henry and really wanted to love this book. Overall the interpretations were interesting and compelling, however, I tend to gravitate towards particular art styles in graphic novels and many of the artists in this book were not my favorites. That said, it was an opportunity for me to stretch a little beyond my comfort zone and learn about some illustrators that I was not familiar with.
October 8, 2014
A selection of O. Henry's greatest stories in graphic novel form. They tales are wonderfully told and the variety of graphic design will appeal to readers of all ages. A fantastic way to get reluctant readers to experience this master storyteller.
January 18, 2010
I really liked "Roads of Destiny" and the art of "The Gift of the Magi." This series is generally good. 3 1/2 stars.
May 30, 2011
I just barely finished this novel. It was boring, but the art was awesome for the most part and horrible for the rest. The stories were interesting, but none really caught my interest.
May 29, 2013
Too inconsistent, though it has its moments.
May 30, 2019
The o Henry stories are delightfully twisty but the graphic illustrations were often icky or silly looking. They did not enhance the stories at all.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews