O. Henry (William Sydney Porter) wrote short stories of immense appeal, full of the humour of words and the funnier jokes that life plays on those who strive, contrive, or love. Before his death at the age of 47, Porter had published more than 300 short stories-stories which virtually defined that form for many years to come Although dead for more than three-quarters of a century, his writings are still as lively and entertaining as ever. By any measurements one chooses to apply, qualitative or quantitative, William Sidney Porter should always occupy a unique place in American fiction writing. He deserves to be rediscovered by each succeeding generation of publishers, scholars and readers. After '100 Selected Stories', this is a collection of more short stories of O. Henry published by us. This volume contains stories which were not included in the previous collection. All stories are complete & unabridged.
Such 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 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.
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.