William Sydney Porter, better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American short story writer. O. Henry's stories frequently have surprise endings. In his day he was called the American answer to Guy de Maupassant. The Gift of the Magi is a short story by O. Henry first published in 1905. The story tells of a young husband and wife and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christ... Read More
O. Henry's work is wide-ranging, and his characters can be found everywhere. The Cop and the Anthem has only one character who is given a name, the protagonist "Soapy." Furthermore, no last name is given. It is made clear that Soapy is homeless, a member of the substantial army of and women who flocked to New York City during the earliest years of the twentieth century. When it's warm, Soapy li... Read More
O. Henry, pseudonym of William Sydney Porter, was American author of hundreds of short stories. His works are well known throughout the world, noted for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization, and surprise endings. O. Henry chose to write as people spoke, with colloquialisms woven into the characters' voices. He uses normal, real-life situations and the key to their impact. Some of his best... Read More
O. Henry, pseudonym of William Sydney Porter, was American author of hundreds of short stories. He was born on September 11, 1862, in Greensboro, North Carolina. As a child, Porter was always reading, everything from classics to dime novels; his favourite works were Lane's translation of One Thousand and One Nights and Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy. In O. Henry’s short story, Man About Town, a... Read More
O. Henry, a former convict, is best known for his witty short stories with unexpected endings. Born William Sydney Porter, this author decided to use a pen name for his writings while he was in prison and afterwards. Now known as O. Henry, it is quite clear that he was inspired by the twists and turns of his own life. In many of his pieces, O. Henry used his own life and wit as inspiration to... Read More