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O Henry


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O. Henry (1862-1910) was a prolific American short-story writer, a master of surprise endings, who wrote about the life of ordinary people in New York City. A twist of plot, which turns on an ironic or coincidental circumstance, is typical of O. Henry's stories.

William Sydney Porter (O. Henry) was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. His father, Algernon Sidney Porter, was a physician. When William was three, his mother died, and he was raised by his paternal grandmother and aunt. William was an avid reader, but at the age of fifteen he left school, and then worked in a drug store and on a Texas ranch. He moved to Houston, where he had a number of jobs, including that of bank clerk. After moving to Austin, Texas, in 1882, he married.

In 1884 he started a humorous weekly The Rolling Stone. When the weekly failed, he joined the Houston Post as a reporter and columnist. In 1897 he was convicted of embezzling money, although there has been much debate over his actual guilt. In 1898 he entered a penitentiary at Columbus, Ohio.

While in prison O. Henry started to write short stories to earn money to support his daughter Margaret. His first work, "Whistling Dick's Christmas Stocking" (1899), appeared in McClure's Magazine. After doing three years of the five years sentence, Porter emerged from the prison in 1901 and changed his name to O. Henry.

O. Henry moved to New York City in 1902 and from December 1903 to January 1906 he wrote a story a week for the New York World, also publishing in other magazines. Henry's first collection, Cabbages And Kings appeared in 1904. The second, The Four Million, was published two years later and included his well-known stories "The Gift of the Magi" and "The Furnished Room". The Trimmed Lamp (1907) included "The Last Leaf". Henry's best known work is perhaps the much anthologized "The Ransom of Red Chief", included in the collection Whirligigs (1910). The Heart Of The West (1907) presented tales of the Texas range. O. Henry published 10 collections and over 600 short stories during his lifetime.

O. Henry's last years were shadowed by alcoholism, ill health, and financial problems. He married Sara Lindsay Coleman in 1907, but the marriage was not happy, and they separated a year later. O. Henry died of cirrhosis of the liver on June 5, 1910, in New York. Three more collections, Sixes And Sevens (1911), Rolling Stones (1912) and Waifs And Strays (1917), appeared posthumously.

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    Recent Forum Posts on O Henry

    Help-An O.H. Short for Young Kids?

    Greetings! I recently sponsored a Great Books Club for 4th through 6th graders and would love to have them read an O Henry short story that is appropriate for their age, especially one that features a child so they could better relate. I'd prefer saving the great Gift of the Magi for Xmas time. Can someone who really knows their stuff suggest a good one? (I did thumb through an anthology of his works, but didn't find one yet myself.) Thank you very much! :hurray:

    Posted By Mojave19 at Tue 6 Mar 2012, 11:54 PM in Henry, O || 0 Replies

    Need the title of O.Henry Story

    I've been looking for a story about an aging couple that give gifts to each other. IT'S NOT "THE GIFT OF THE MAGI" but is similar in some ways. She gives him a gift to match his blue eyes --they are still blue to her but are clouded now, maybe cataracts. He gives her a gift to match her hair color (red I think) but it has turned gray. In other words, they don't see that the other has grown old, they see each other as they were when they fell in love. I need the reference for a piece I am writing about couples that reconnect after many years, very grateful for help. Sonoma

    Posted By Sonoma at Sat 30 Jan 2010, 4:54 PM in Henry, O || 0 Replies

    Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen

    Ironically, and quite unplanned I happened to read this story during Thanksgiving Week. It was within a collection of short stories I have, and just so happened to be the next story in the collection I came to right around Thanksgiving time. This was my second (technically my first as I read it before Mammon and the Archer) O Henry story, and when I read this story I did not even realize it was one of his, as well I hadn't paid that close attention to the authors name when I started reading. I have to say that thus far I really do like his work though I have only read two stories, I enjoyed both of them a great deal and find that he truly is a master and clever craftsman with his stories. One of the things of which I enjoy in his stories is there is something of an almost charming quality about them, even when the stories themselves are not always what one would call upbeat or completely optimistic. I found there was an underlined humor within the irony of this story. It was a story about two men whom were so sit within their ways, and their routine, that ultimately they both ended up killing themselves when they could have saved each other, if either of them had been willing to speak up instead of feeling it so necessary to fulfill what they saw as their obligation to each other. Much like with Mammon and the Archer, there is something within this story that is endearing and yet disturbing at the same time which really makes one thing. On the one hand it is admirable the way in which the men whom are near strangers to each other, put each other before his own personal comfort, but on the other hand it is almost cowardly the way neither is willing to come forth and tell the other the truth about their current states which would have been the difference between life and death.

    Posted By Dark Muse at Thu 3 Dec 2009, 11:45 PM in Henry, O || 0 Replies

    Mammon and the Archer

    Prior to this forum I have never actually heard of O Henry before, but since being here I have heard bits and pieces about him. I have heard that he does write horror stories and things of that nature so I have been curious to read his works. I it was by chance that I came across one of his stories within one of my short story collections. I was surprised by how expertly written each story I have read so far was, as I did not really recognize any of the authors names included within the collection, until I came across O Henry. Now I am intrigued to look up the other authors included to see if they too are all known writers who are simply not known to me. Mammon and The Archer was quite an amusing and charming tale about the power of money and love and perhaps which truly has more power and which really ends up victorious. The story does leave some rather mixed feelings, though like all of the stories within this collection I think it is a story that is intended to make one think. The story depicts a man whom appears to care about little more than his money, and seems to be quite out of touch with anyone or anything else. His son comes to him with a problem he has regarding a girl whom he has feelings for but he never gets a chance to speak to, and now she is set to be leaving for Europe he will only have a few minutes time for her. While the father as he listens continues to brag about his wealth and they get into a discussion about money's inability to buy time and ends up leaving his father sulky with his problem unresolved. When his aunt goes to the boy and gives him a small gold ring she says for luck in love. He is to pick up the girl in a cab and take her the movies, when he drops the ring and has to stop and pick it up, by the time he returns back to the cab a traffic jam occurs and the boy and girl end up having 2 hours time alone together and in that become engaged. On the one hand it is tempting to want to believe that it is a story of fate working in loves favor but in the end it is revealed that the traffic gridlock was contrived by the father in which he paid off everyone involved to hold up the traffic to give his son more time with the girl. In the way it is almost heart warming to see that he truly does care about his son and was not as out of touch as he appeared, and in spite of his smugly proving his point about money's power, he humbly keeps the truth to himself, and when the aunt boasts the power of love over money to him, he says nothing to despoil he illusion that it was indeed the gift of her ring which caused the event to lead to the boys happiness.

    Posted By Dark Muse at Thu 3 Dec 2009, 11:13 PM in Henry, O || 0 Replies

    Name That Title Please

    I'm looking for the title to an O. Henry short story that involves a married couple. They go about their day either being helpful or nasty to people they encounter then switch roles the next day. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me.

    Posted By glenbo at Wed 23 Sep 2009, 4:00 AM in Henry, O || 1 Reply

    this is sooooo boring!!!!

    sooooo PATHETIC!!!! i just can't understand why writers and poets have to use deep words,when in fact they can just use simple words so as not to give headaches and nosebleed to their readers!! uuugghhh!:flare:

    Posted By walangkwentatoh at Fri 7 Aug 2009, 10:20 PM in Henry, O || 9 Replies

    What makes O'Henry a great story teller?

    O'Henry is one of the born story-tellers of the world. He wrote so naturally and without much difficulty as if it was but to breathe to him. He is a master of tragedy, romance and extravaganza, of tales of mystery or of common life/common people, with especial skill in surprise ending. In fact, when one talks about surprise ending, O'Henry rests on the top of the list. What makes him great in my opinion can be listed as such: *the variety and colorfulness of his characters and the places. *unexpected ending. *tamed, elegant and unexaggerated humor. What would you say about that?

    Posted By beroq at Thu 30 Apr 2009, 10:36 AM in Henry, O || 1 Reply

    I want to find a short stories written by O.Henry

    I am looking for a short stories written by O.Henry, but I only remember the plot of it. It's about a pair of young lover. One is a handsome hunter in the mountain and the other is a pretty young peasant maid. They met in the foot of the Alps and fell in love with each other. But in fact both of them are from the upper class of their society. Because of tiring of the life of luxury and privilege of their class, they went to the Alps to live a rural live. But at last, their love story was put to an end, as they know the status of the other. I really wonder what's the title of this story? Could anybody knew it tell me the title ASAP:brickwall MILLION THANKS!!

    Posted By h_td at Thu 12 Mar 2009, 2:53 AM in Henry, O || 0 Replies

    Question of The ransom of Red Cheif

    If you are kidnappers, how would ensure that you succeed? Summary of the ransom of Red Cheif This story tells of a young boy held for ransom by two money hungry criminals, Bill Driscoll and Sam Howard. The two men are fugitives who have escaped to the Deep South searching for an easy way to get their hands on $2,000 they need in order to launch a land fraud scheme in Illinois. They set their sights on the quiet town of Summit, Alabama because of the philoprogenitiveness - love for one's own children - that they believe is common in rural communities. Bill and Sam decide they will kidnap the son of an important citizen named Ebenezer Dorset, demand a ransom of $2,000, quickly collect the payoff, and be on their way. However, once they actually kidnap the boy and make their way to a hideout in the nearby hills, their plan quickly begins to unravel. Their young captive, a malevolent, redheaded brat who calls himself "Red Chief", actually enjoys his stay with his kidnappers, and thinks he is on a camping trip. Red Chief proceeds to drive his captors to distraction with pranks and demands that they play wearying games with him, such as pretending to be a scout and using Bill as his horse. Bill and Sam are soon desperate to be rid of the little terror; they lower the price to $1,500 but still receive no answer. When they receive a reply to their ransom letter from Red Chief's father offering to take the boy off their hands for $250. But when the men bring Red Chief to his home he doesn't want to leave. He then tries to stay with the two kidnappers but is held back by his father. The two kidnappers run away as quickly as they can.

    Posted By moonlove99 at Thu 8 Jan 2009, 11:35 AM in Henry, O || 0 Replies

    O henry stories..

    there are phrases I do not understand at all in O.Henry's stories well maybe because English is not my first language Yet I have read many English works and I am confident that I have read more English books than ones in my native language.. therefore I have very little problem reading English literature works but boy O henry's works leaves me desperately puzzled there are several phrases and expressions I do not understand at all I wonder if it is same for all you guys.. and if it is why is it so?? Do you guys also have problems with many phrases in O. Henry's works?

    Posted By yessjj at Fri 26 Dec 2008, 1:18 AM in Henry, O || 4 Replies

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