Product Description

Readers the world over recognize O. Henry as the best short story writer of the early twentieth century. Widely known as a master of irony, O. Henry also displays here dazzling wordplay and a wry combination of pathos and humor.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #222971 in Books
• Published on: 2007-07-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780451530530
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Customer Reviews

Expect the Best; You'll Get It
The thing I always find remarkable about reading O. Henry is that the "surprise" or "twist" at the end of so many of his stories arrive so naturally. You never feel manipulated. They are so simple and logical, like the narrator's tone. It's little wonder that so many consider O. Henry to be one of the founders of the modern short story. And that an annual short story award is given out in his name.

His stories, like Horatio Alger's, give us a unique first-hand account of what New York and other cities were like at the turn of the last century. And for that it is a valuable collection as well.

The great standards are in this collection, like "The Gift of the Magi" and "A Retrieved Reformation". But it's the lesser known, the hidden gems, that make this collection so remarkable. People make much of the fact that so many of these tales were written while O. Henry was in prison for various minor offences and that the stories provided him with bail money. The fact is that the man had a lucid view of human nature and the funny way life infringes upon it. He could have--and did--write so many of these tales outside of the jail cell.

Exellent collection
What an exellent collection ! I fell in love with O'Henry writing about 25 years ago , when I was a kid . First , I read his work in russian . But now , when my english got better , I decided to give it a try , and I am glad , I did . His unique stile of writing is very unpredictable and funny . He is playing with words and frases as ring master . The twists in every story slaping you in your face from the right side , just a moment before you exspected it from the left . But beware : If you start reading this book , you better turn off your range and make shure , that iron is off ! You are going to forget about them after the first pages of this wonderfull book .
Mr. O'Henry ! You and Bulgakov are 2 writers , who inspire me and my writing for over 2 decades ! Thank you ...

Great for O Henry fans; unnecessary for a first O Henry book
O Henry is a sort of "must know." Without the knowledge of O Henry's writing style, and because it's been so influential, you miss out on the transformation of the short-story form since. It's almost a historical mandate for an understanding of the short story from the turn on the centrury onward.

That said, when do you choose to read him and which book? If you haven't read O Henry, O Do. But, I don't think that as many stories that are in this collection are necessary. Once you see what he does, you've got it. Once you see it, you can also then see what's happened since, and along the way - short stories of the 20s, 40s, 50s, etc., and to the present.

Read a few O Henry stories if you've got an interest in reading short stories. If you're short of money or time, you don't need quite as many as are in this book. Unless you are highly interested in O Henry, my sense is you won't read every story in this book anyway.

Buy this book if you can't get enough of him and have that burning desire to see the ones left out of earlier anthologies. Otherwise, pick up any O Henry book - they've got the "important" ones and that's all you need. This book, so many stories, is too repetitious after awhile; once you've read a few, you know how from the first paragraph how every story will end. This book is for fans only.

Interesting little bio at the front, though.