William Sydney Porter, better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American short story writer. His stories were distinguished for their witty approach, use of words, effects of coincidence on their characters and most often for their surprise endings. His tales often dramatized the commonplace, especially the life of commoners of New York City. O. Henry was also a music enthusiast and a good singer and could play guitar and mandolin. His early life saw him singing at gatherings as a member of ‘Hill City Quartet’ group. In each place, he gathered information on situations, people, and vernacular, and brought this all to his readers. Like many writers, the strange lands he experienced coloured his writer's voice and imagination. O. Henry chose to write as people spoke, with colloquialisms woven into the characters' voices. Gangsters, waitresses, cops, inmates, all of them are channelled through O. Henry's imagination. He uses normal, real-life situations and the key to their impact. Porter's most prolific writing period started in 1902 when he moved to New York City to be near his publishers. While there, he wrote 381 short stories. He wrote a story a week for over a year for the New York World Sunday Magazine. His wit, characterization, and plot twists were adored by his readers but often panned by critics. You can listen online to free English audiobook “Complete Short Stories Collection” by O. Henry on our website.
