Status Updates From 41 Stories by O. Henry

O Henry really liked the story within a story format doesnt he

Awesome

This is. So difficult. To read.

Con Men and Hoboes
"Shearing the Wolf" 2.75/5. No honour among thieves, but there are ethics!
"Hostages to Momus" 2.75/5. With all that talent, ya shoulda been cooks instead.
"A Retrieved Reformation" 4/5. It’s never too late to turn your life around, Mr “Spencer”.

"The Gift of the Magi" 5/5. They give the best gifts. They are the magi.
"The Green Door" 3/5. True adventurers leave it to chance.
"Transients in Arcadia" 3/5. Who doesn’t want to live like the rich?
"Brickdust Row" 3.5/5. Woe is me - cried the rich.
"The Enchanted Profile" 2.5/5. What’s with the obsession with the lady on the coin?
"The Furnished Room" 4.5/5. Too dark for an O Henry story? Guess again.

Big City (New York)
"The Social Triangle" 4/5. The ironic chains of social aspirations.
"Tobin's Palm" 3.75/5. Who says fortune telling is a sham?
"The Last Leaf" 5/5. The artist’s masterpiece is his own kindness.
"Schools and Schools" 4.5/5. Class is important and all, but the soul is what matters.
"Springtime à la Carte" 4.5/5. True love (with the help of dandelions and eggs) will overcome any circumstances.

I found O Henry's prose to be quite poetic, hence reading it is no simple matter.

The Enchanted Profile: I was confused, again, and had to read twice. On the second time I began to get the meaning a little bit more, but it still wasn't as good as I'd like it to be. 2.75/5

Brickdust Row: 3/5 I was a bit confused because of all the old English vocabulary and 19th century setting.

one recurring theme in most stories: poverty.

Transients in Arcadia: I feel this story is OK. I appreciate the theme of ordinary people, but the ending is quite coincidental. 3/5

Uhmmm no lets make it 3/5

Okay. I had to read this story twice to appreciate it. Its a story about fate and adventure. 3.5/5

Gift of the Magi: 4.75/5 (in my memory when I was in high school and read this in its translated version, it was much more emotional)

The green door: idk why but reading this one is so hard

Best-seller: 3/5

I've officially experienced the O'Henry twists - and I love them!!!!

One thing of note is that even though the stories themselves are short, not all of them are straightforward- some I had to re-read in order to get the twists.

The Social Triangle: 4/5
Tobin's Palm: 4/5
The Last Leaf: 5/5
Schools & Schools: 4.5/5
Springtime a la Carte: 4.5/5

Oh no. 3 stories in and O Henry already been cutting onions in front of me eyes....