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Alias Jimmy Valentine
37 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1969
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About the author
O. Henry
2,914 books1,871 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 - 3 of 3 reviews
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January 18, 2013Good story. A man who keeps on breaking safes till he finds his love.
Ben price,an eminent detective , is behind him. When jimmy is a totally changed man, unavoidable circumstances come when he unwillingly reveals his true identity. Will he be caught now ? Does he get back his love ? Find it urself.
Ben price,an eminent detective , is behind him. When jimmy is a totally changed man, unavoidable circumstances come when he unwillingly reveals his true identity. Will he be caught now ? Does he get back his love ? Find it urself.
April 2, 2019
One of the best stories ever written by O. Henry it is a feast in itself.
Read to find out!
The 2nd movie from the Bollywood Dhoom Franchise had an ending similar to this story.
Read to find out!
Read to find out!
The 2nd movie from the Bollywood Dhoom Franchise had an ending similar to this story.
Read to find out!
May 1, 2025
Alias Jimmy Valentine has an interesting premise, a safecracker trying to turn his life around but the story didn’t quite live up to the hype for me.
O. Henry’s twist ending, while clever, felt predictable this time, and the character development was too thin to make Jimmy’s transformation fully believable. The romantic subplot was undercooked, and the pacing made the redemption arc feel rushed. It has charm, sure, but not enough emotional depth to make it memorable.
A decent read, but far from O. Henry’s finest. ❌
O. Henry’s twist ending, while clever, felt predictable this time, and the character development was too thin to make Jimmy’s transformation fully believable. The romantic subplot was undercooked, and the pacing made the redemption arc feel rushed. It has charm, sure, but not enough emotional depth to make it memorable.
A decent read, but far from O. Henry’s finest. ❌
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews