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The Gift Of The Magi And Other Stories
A young woman makes a drastic decisionand her husband has a Christmas surprise in return. A dying girl attaches her fate to that of a leaf. A writer sobs at the sight of a menu. A detective tracks a thief to an unexpected hideout.
An unforgettable collection from a master of the short storywhere the ending is never what you expect.
An unforgettable collection from a master of the short storywhere the ending is never what you expect.
96 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1904
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2807 people want to read
About the author
O. Henry
2,913 books1,871 followersSuch volumes as
Cabbages and Kings
(1904) and
The Four Million
(1906) collect short stories, noted for their often surprising endings, of American writer William Sydney Porter, who used the pen name O. Henry.
His biography shows where he found inspiration for his characters. His era produced their voices and his language.
Mother of three-year-old Porter died from tuberculosis. He left school at fifteen years of age and worked for five years in drugstore of his uncle and then for two years at a Texas sheep ranch.
In 1884, he went to Austin, where he worked in a real estate office and a church choir and spent four years as a draftsman in the general land office. His wife and firstborn died, but daughter Margaret survived him.
He failed to establish a small humorous weekly and afterward worked in poorly-run bank. When its accounts balanced not, people blamed and fired him.
In Houston, he worked for a few years until, ordered to stand trial for embezzlement, he fled to New Orleans and thence Honduras.
Two years later, he returned on account of illness of his wife. Apprehended, Porter served a few months more than three years in a penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio. During his incarceration, he composed ten short stories, including A Blackjack Bargainer , The Enchanted Kiss , and The Duplicity of Hargraves .
In 1899, McClure's published Whistling Dick's Christmas Story and Georgia's Ruling .
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he sent manuscripts to New York editors. In the spring of 1902, Ainslee's Magazine offered him a regular income if he moved to New York.
In less than eight years, he became a bestselling author of collections of short stories. Cabbages and Kings came first in 1904 The Four Million, and The Trimmed Lamp and Heart of the West followed in 1907, and The Voice of the City in 1908, Roads of Destiny and Options in 1909, Strictly Business and Whirligigs in 1910 followed.
Posthumously published collections include The Gentle Grafter about the swindler, Jeff Peters; Rolling Stones , Waifs and Strays , and in 1936, unsigned stories, followed.
People rewarded other persons financially more. A Retrieved Reformation about the safe-cracker Jimmy Valentine got $250; six years later, $500 for dramatic rights, which gave over $100,000 royalties for playwright Paul Armstrong. Many stories have been made into films.
His biography shows where he found inspiration for his characters. His era produced their voices and his language.
Mother of three-year-old Porter died from tuberculosis. He left school at fifteen years of age and worked for five years in drugstore of his uncle and then for two years at a Texas sheep ranch.
In 1884, he went to Austin, where he worked in a real estate office and a church choir and spent four years as a draftsman in the general land office. His wife and firstborn died, but daughter Margaret survived him.
He failed to establish a small humorous weekly and afterward worked in poorly-run bank. When its accounts balanced not, people blamed and fired him.
In Houston, he worked for a few years until, ordered to stand trial for embezzlement, he fled to New Orleans and thence Honduras.
Two years later, he returned on account of illness of his wife. Apprehended, Porter served a few months more than three years in a penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio. During his incarceration, he composed ten short stories, including A Blackjack Bargainer , The Enchanted Kiss , and The Duplicity of Hargraves .
In 1899, McClure's published Whistling Dick's Christmas Story and Georgia's Ruling .
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he sent manuscripts to New York editors. In the spring of 1902, Ainslee's Magazine offered him a regular income if he moved to New York.
In less than eight years, he became a bestselling author of collections of short stories. Cabbages and Kings came first in 1904 The Four Million, and The Trimmed Lamp and Heart of the West followed in 1907, and The Voice of the City in 1908, Roads of Destiny and Options in 1909, Strictly Business and Whirligigs in 1910 followed.
Posthumously published collections include The Gentle Grafter about the swindler, Jeff Peters; Rolling Stones , Waifs and Strays , and in 1936, unsigned stories, followed.
People rewarded other persons financially more. A Retrieved Reformation about the safe-cracker Jimmy Valentine got $250; six years later, $500 for dramatic rights, which gave over $100,000 royalties for playwright Paul Armstrong. Many stories have been made into films.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 325 reviews
November 11, 2017
This is a collection of 16 short stories by O. Henry, a master of the story with the twist ending. These stories were written in the early 1900's, so you can find them all free online with a little searching. Many of these stories are set in New York City, and it was fun to get a glimpse of New York society a hundred years ago from someone who lived there. O. Henry generally writes light fiction, sometimes sentimental, usually with well-drawn, appealing characters, and typically with a surprise ending.
As a collection, this is a mixed bag. There are several gems in it, but also some mediocre stories, and a few that I thought were complete duds. Given that these stories are all in the public domain, I would recommend picking the best stories and reading them online, or buying a different collection of his stories, rather than this particular set (although it was only 50 cents for the Kindle version).
"The Gift of the Magi" - 5 stars. Della and Jim, a young married couple, poor as church mice. All Della wants is to buy her beloved Jim a wonderful Christmas present ... but all she has is $1.87. Is there anyone who doesn't know this story? I don't know how many times I've read or heard it. But I still found myself sniffing and wiping my eyes as I read the classic words:
"Springtime a la Carte" - 5 stars. This was so cute I can't even. Sarah is alone in New York City, missing her farmer boyfriend who hasn't written, and dripping tears on the menus she's typing up for the restaurant downstairs because the dandelion salad reminds her of Walter putting a dandelion crown on her head...
"The Green Door" - 3 stars. Another story of romance, with fate and an adventurous spirit teaming up. Fine but not really memorable.
"After Twenty Years" - 4 stars. A loitering man tells a passing policeman that he's waiting for his old friend Jimmy, his "best chum." They agreed twenty years ago to meet again at this exact time and place, no matter what. A poignant story of friendship and the changes that can happen over time.
"The Furnished Room" - 1 star. Ugh. Maudlin and infused with bathos.
"The Pimienta Pancakes" - 2.5 stars. Old West tale about a cowboy and a sheep man competing for the same woman ... or are they? Humorous but a little silly.
"The Last Leaf" - 4 stars. A very ill young woman takes it into her head that she'll die when the last leaf falls off the vine outside her window. Sentimental but touching.
"The Voice of the City" - 1.5 stars. I kind of got the impression O. Henry was scraping the bottom of the Inspiration Barrel here.
"While the Auto Waits" - 4 stars. Well played, Mr. Henry! Way to fake me out . A guy and a girl meet in the park and start chatting, and I was all, yeah, I know where this one is going! Well, I was half right.
"A Retrieved Reformation" - 5 stars. Jimmy Valentine, safecracker extraordinaire, gets a pardon from jail and promptly returns to his safecracking ways, until ... I really liked this one; the ending gave me warm fuzzies. Although I have to wonder
"A Municipal Report" - 3.5 stars. After the narrator gets done with some mostly irrelevant drivel at the start about different cities and their personalities, and gets down to the actual plot, it's a pretty good one. A literary magazine sends a man to Nashville to try to sign an exclusive contract with a lady to write articles for them. The situation turns out to be far more complicated than he expected.
"A Newspaper Story" - 2 stars. An exercise in imagining how a newspaper could affect lives in unexpected ways. Not much of a story.
"The Ransom of Red Chief" - 5 stars. The classic humorous tale of a kidnapping for ransom gone bad. The ending totally cracked me up.
"A Ghost of a Chance" - 2.5 stars. A fluffy story about desirable vs. non-desirable ghosts, and men, and lost opportunities. It's more about social standing and the way people treat each other, and judge each other, than ghosts.
"Makes the Whole World Kin" - 2 stars. Rheumatism makes strange bedfellows. Apparently commiserating over shared ailments that have no reliable medical treatment results in instant friendship.
My ratings average out to 3.2 stars, so a 3 star rating it is.
O. Henry, whose real name was William Porter, was a prolific author during his short life, writing 400 or more short stories. He spent some time in jail for embezzlement, which may explain the sympathetic view he often takes of convicts and criminals in his stories. He lived in Texas and Honduras (while he was on the lam) as well as in New York City.
Buddy read with the pantaloons-less group!
As a collection, this is a mixed bag. There are several gems in it, but also some mediocre stories, and a few that I thought were complete duds. Given that these stories are all in the public domain, I would recommend picking the best stories and reading them online, or buying a different collection of his stories, rather than this particular set (although it was only 50 cents for the Kindle version).
"The Gift of the Magi" - 5 stars. Della and Jim, a young married couple, poor as church mice. All Della wants is to buy her beloved Jim a wonderful Christmas present ... but all she has is $1.87. Is there anyone who doesn't know this story? I don't know how many times I've read or heard it. But I still found myself sniffing and wiping my eyes as I read the classic words:
But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest... Everywhere they are the wisest. They are the magi."The Cop and the Anthem" - 4 stars. Soapy the homeless guy just wants to get arrested so he can spend the cold winter months in a nice warm cell on the Island. Why does Fate seem to be conspiring against him?
"Springtime a la Carte" - 5 stars. This was so cute I can't even. Sarah is alone in New York City, missing her farmer boyfriend who hasn't written, and dripping tears on the menus she's typing up for the restaurant downstairs because the dandelion salad reminds her of Walter putting a dandelion crown on her head...
"The Green Door" - 3 stars. Another story of romance, with fate and an adventurous spirit teaming up. Fine but not really memorable.
"After Twenty Years" - 4 stars. A loitering man tells a passing policeman that he's waiting for his old friend Jimmy, his "best chum." They agreed twenty years ago to meet again at this exact time and place, no matter what. A poignant story of friendship and the changes that can happen over time.
"The Furnished Room" - 1 star. Ugh. Maudlin and infused with bathos.
"The Pimienta Pancakes" - 2.5 stars. Old West tale about a cowboy and a sheep man competing for the same woman ... or are they? Humorous but a little silly.
"The Last Leaf" - 4 stars. A very ill young woman takes it into her head that she'll die when the last leaf falls off the vine outside her window. Sentimental but touching.
"The Voice of the City" - 1.5 stars. I kind of got the impression O. Henry was scraping the bottom of the Inspiration Barrel here.
"While the Auto Waits" - 4 stars. Well played, Mr. Henry! Way to fake me out . A guy and a girl meet in the park and start chatting, and I was all, yeah, I know where this one is going! Well, I was half right.
"A Retrieved Reformation" - 5 stars. Jimmy Valentine, safecracker extraordinaire, gets a pardon from jail and promptly returns to his safecracking ways, until ... I really liked this one; the ending gave me warm fuzzies. Although I have to wonder
"A Municipal Report" - 3.5 stars. After the narrator gets done with some mostly irrelevant drivel at the start about different cities and their personalities, and gets down to the actual plot, it's a pretty good one. A literary magazine sends a man to Nashville to try to sign an exclusive contract with a lady to write articles for them. The situation turns out to be far more complicated than he expected.
"A Newspaper Story" - 2 stars. An exercise in imagining how a newspaper could affect lives in unexpected ways. Not much of a story.
"The Ransom of Red Chief" - 5 stars. The classic humorous tale of a kidnapping for ransom gone bad. The ending totally cracked me up.
"A Ghost of a Chance" - 2.5 stars. A fluffy story about desirable vs. non-desirable ghosts, and men, and lost opportunities. It's more about social standing and the way people treat each other, and judge each other, than ghosts.
"Makes the Whole World Kin" - 2 stars. Rheumatism makes strange bedfellows. Apparently commiserating over shared ailments that have no reliable medical treatment results in instant friendship.
My ratings average out to 3.2 stars, so a 3 star rating it is.
O. Henry, whose real name was William Porter, was a prolific author during his short life, writing 400 or more short stories. He spent some time in jail for embezzlement, which may explain the sympathetic view he often takes of convicts and criminals in his stories. He lived in Texas and Honduras (while he was on the lam) as well as in New York City.
Buddy read with the pantaloons-less group!
January 4, 2022
It’s been quite a long time since I’ve read “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Ransom of Red Chief” by O.Henry. I’m pretty sure it was when I was in high school. My mother-in-law was my English teacher and she and her husband were visiting at Christmas. She and I were able to have a lovely conversation about his short stories and it was so much more fun now than when I sat at a desk in her classroom over 30 years ago. I have to say, that I really, really enjoyed O. Henry’s writing style in this 16 story collection. He writes with descriptive clarity and a vividness that draws you into his settings. A southerner born in North Carolina in 1862, he also spent years working and living in Texas. He spent several years in prison in Ohio for embezzlement and moved to New York when he was released. He became one of America’s most entertaining short story writers who drew upon his life spent in the city or on the Texas range. One of the most exciting techniques that he used was his surprise endings, one of the topics my mother-in-law and I talked about when she was visiting. His stories have humor, wit, irony and most of the time leave a smile on your face.
Some of my favorites in this collection:
“The Gift of the Magi” - how can you not enjoy a story about a couple’s generosity and love for each other who express it through sacrifice.
“The Cop and the Anthem” - a story of a homeless man who tries everything he can to get sent to prison for the three winter months explores themes of poverty, homelessness and societal differences.
“The Furnished Room” - a tragic story that has elements of horror (which I don’t usually enjoy) and themes of obsession, desperation and greed. This story highlights how a city (New York) draws people to it and then destroys their dreams.
“The Last Leaf” - such a heartfelt story of a starving artist that sheds light on how life is precious and that faith and hope is alive. There are themes of sacrifice in friendship.
“Ransom of Red Chief” - a hilarious story about two petty criminals who decide to hatch a plot to kidnapp the 10 year old son of a wealthy community member and how that turns sour for them and they wind up with a punishment to fit their crime.
Some of my favorites in this collection:
“The Gift of the Magi” - how can you not enjoy a story about a couple’s generosity and love for each other who express it through sacrifice.
“The Cop and the Anthem” - a story of a homeless man who tries everything he can to get sent to prison for the three winter months explores themes of poverty, homelessness and societal differences.
“The Furnished Room” - a tragic story that has elements of horror (which I don’t usually enjoy) and themes of obsession, desperation and greed. This story highlights how a city (New York) draws people to it and then destroys their dreams.
“The Last Leaf” - such a heartfelt story of a starving artist that sheds light on how life is precious and that faith and hope is alive. There are themes of sacrifice in friendship.
“Ransom of Red Chief” - a hilarious story about two petty criminals who decide to hatch a plot to kidnapp the 10 year old son of a wealthy community member and how that turns sour for them and they wind up with a punishment to fit their crime.
April 18, 2017
Hospitality in the prairie country is not limited. Even if your enemy pass your way you must feed him before you shoot him. You must empty your larder into him before you empty your lead.
- "The Passing of Black Eagle"
I picked this version of the book as my front because this was the version of the book that the Pantsless Group was reading, but this isn't the TRUE book I read.
The true book is the 1962 copy of O. Henry that my mother owned. It contains 35 O. Henry stories and is an excellent book.
O. Henry wrote funny, sad, and sweet stories. Almost all his stories have a twist ending. He died in 1910 - to give you some idea of what time period you are dealing with here, I think he did most of his writing between 1902 and 1910.
I hate short stories but I love O. Henry. This is probably due to the fact that I was raised on it, and probably first read this collection of my mother's when I was 8 or 9. Since it was a huge and constant part of my childhood, I have a certain fondness for it.
But this rating is not based on nostalgia, even my just-finished re-read of it shows that the book holds up excellently. It is not a book that loses its power when you read it again years later.
O. Henry is probably most famous for his two stories "The Ransom of Red Chief" - which is very funny, and "The Gift of the Magi" - which is very sad.
Everyone should read O. Henry, in my opinion. He's an American classic and he's a load of fun. Not boring or dry.
I'm going to put my (mundane, short) thoughts on the stories I read under a spoiler tag (NOT because there's any spoilers, there aren't any, but) because I don't want you to be bored. LOL Here's an example so that you can make sure there's no spoilers under the spoiler tag:
"Mammon and the Archer":
Cute.
That's the extent to which I've reviewed these stories.
Tl;dr - In my opinion, O. Henry is a must-read. I hate short stories. HATE THEM. But I seem to love O. Henry. This is a testament to how good he is. At the very least, read "The Ransom of Red Chief" and "The Gift of the Magi." You can't go wrong with an O. Henry collection. He has an underlying goodness to his stories, even "bad men" usually show they have a good heart underneath in his tales. They are thoughtful without being sappy, and uplifting without being trite. O. Henry's sharp intelligence shines through in every story. I should probably berate him for some of his sexist remarks, but I can't bring myself to. This book (the 35 story one, not this one on GR) has such a special place in my heart.
- "The Passing of Black Eagle"
I picked this version of the book as my front because this was the version of the book that the Pantsless Group was reading, but this isn't the TRUE book I read.
The true book is the 1962 copy of O. Henry that my mother owned. It contains 35 O. Henry stories and is an excellent book.
O. Henry wrote funny, sad, and sweet stories. Almost all his stories have a twist ending. He died in 1910 - to give you some idea of what time period you are dealing with here, I think he did most of his writing between 1902 and 1910.
I hate short stories but I love O. Henry. This is probably due to the fact that I was raised on it, and probably first read this collection of my mother's when I was 8 or 9. Since it was a huge and constant part of my childhood, I have a certain fondness for it.
But this rating is not based on nostalgia, even my just-finished re-read of it shows that the book holds up excellently. It is not a book that loses its power when you read it again years later.
O. Henry is probably most famous for his two stories "The Ransom of Red Chief" - which is very funny, and "The Gift of the Magi" - which is very sad.
Everyone should read O. Henry, in my opinion. He's an American classic and he's a load of fun. Not boring or dry.
I'm going to put my (mundane, short) thoughts on the stories I read under a spoiler tag (NOT because there's any spoilers, there aren't any, but) because I don't want you to be bored. LOL Here's an example so that you can make sure there's no spoilers under the spoiler tag:
"Mammon and the Archer":
Cute.
That's the extent to which I've reviewed these stories.
Tl;dr - In my opinion, O. Henry is a must-read. I hate short stories. HATE THEM. But I seem to love O. Henry. This is a testament to how good he is. At the very least, read "The Ransom of Red Chief" and "The Gift of the Magi." You can't go wrong with an O. Henry collection. He has an underlying goodness to his stories, even "bad men" usually show they have a good heart underneath in his tales. They are thoughtful without being sappy, and uplifting without being trite. O. Henry's sharp intelligence shines through in every story. I should probably berate him for some of his sexist remarks, but I can't bring myself to. This book (the 35 story one, not this one on GR) has such a special place in my heart.
November 26, 2017
If you're looking for some light reading to boost your holiday spirits, you may want to consider this short story collection by O. Henry. Many of the stories are set in New York City, around the turn of the 20th Century. The remarkable diversity of O. Henry's writing style is what stood out for me. He was truly a gifted storyteller with a knack for the twist ending. After a while you do begin to see the pattern and anticipate the twist, but the tales are short enough that it's not much of an issue.
This collection includes sixteen stories, so to keep this review from becoming too lengthy what I've done is simply highlight a relevant quote from each, then follow it with a line to encapsulate the overall message.
The standouts for me were: The Cop and the Anthem, The Ransom of Red Chief, and The Gift of the Magi. There were also a couple of clunkers: The Furnished Room and A Municipal Report, which I didn't care for whatsoever.
Here's the list of stories, presented in the order in which they appear:
The Gift of the Magi: ★★★★★
“Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest.”
--You before me.
The Cop and the Anthem: ★★★★★
“Three months on the Island was what his soul craved.”
--Can't a bum catch a break?
Springtime à la Carte: ★★★☆☆½
“It was a day in March.
Never, never begin a story this way when you write one. No opening could possibly be worse. It is unimaginative, flat, dry and likely to consist of mere wind...DEAREST WALTER, WITH HARD-BOILED EGG.”
--Nessun amore perduto.
The Green Door: ★★★☆☆
“The true adventurer goes forth aimless and uncalculating to meet and greet unknown fate.”
--Life is like a box of chocolates.
After Twenty Years: ★★☆☆☆½
“A man gets in a groove in New York. It takes the West to put a razor-edge on him.”
--Some friend.
The Furnished Room: ★☆☆☆☆
“No. Always no. Five months of ceaseless interrogation and the inevitable negative.”
--I can't go on without you.
The Pimienta Pancakes: ★★★☆☆½
“Somebody's been dealing me pancakes from the bottom of the deck...”
--There's a sucker born every minute.
The Last Leaf: ★★★☆☆
“I want to turn loose my hold on everything, and go sailing down, down, just like one of those poor, tired leaves.”
--Can you hold on for one more day? ♫
The Voice of the City: ★★★☆☆
“Tell me,” I said, stammeringly, for I have no voice of my own, “what does this big - er - enormous - er - whopping city say? It must have a voice of some kind. Does it ever speak to you? How do you interpret its meaning?”
--It's those magical moments of silence at the end of a hectic day.
While the Auto Awaits: ★★★★☆
“I wanted to talk, for once, with a natural man -- one unspoiled by the despicable gloss of wealth and supposed social superiority. Oh! you do not know how weary I am of it -- money, money, money!”
--Oh, what a tangled web we weave...
A Retrieved Reformation: ★★★★☆
“Me?” said Jimmy, in surprise. “Why, I never cracked a safe in my life.”
--A second chance at living right.
A Municipal Report: ★☆☆☆☆
“Of course,” said I platitudinously, “human nature is the same everywhere; but there is more color--er--more drama and movement and--er--romance in some cities than in others.”
--Like a boring Sherlock Holmes mystery. zzzz
A Newspaper Story: ★★☆☆☆
“After this can any one doubt the power of the press?”
--Both literally and figuratively.
The Ransom of Red Chief: ★★★★★
“I've stood by you without batting an eye in earthquakes, fire and flood--in poker games, dynamite outrages, police raids, train robberies and cyclones. I never lost my nerve yet till we kidnapped that two-legged skyrocket of a kid.”
--The best-laid plans of mice and men...
A Ghost of a Chance: ★★★☆☆
“Then why,” said Mrs. Bellmore, looking the young man gravely in the eye, “should that ghost have kissed me, as I’m sure it did?”
--You're too shy shy, hush hush, eye to eye. ♫
Makes the Whole World Kin: ★★☆☆☆
“Don't stand there making faces,” snapped the citizen, bad-humouredly. “If you've come to burgle why don't you do it? There's some stuff lying around.”
--One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.
So there you have it, a bit of a mixed-bag, as they say. My ratings averaged out to 3.2 stars.
Read as part of another Non-Crunchy Cool Classic Buddy Read.
This collection includes sixteen stories, so to keep this review from becoming too lengthy what I've done is simply highlight a relevant quote from each, then follow it with a line to encapsulate the overall message.
The standouts for me were: The Cop and the Anthem, The Ransom of Red Chief, and The Gift of the Magi. There were also a couple of clunkers: The Furnished Room and A Municipal Report, which I didn't care for whatsoever.
Here's the list of stories, presented in the order in which they appear:
The Gift of the Magi: ★★★★★
“Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest.”
--You before me.
The Cop and the Anthem: ★★★★★
“Three months on the Island was what his soul craved.”
--Can't a bum catch a break?
Springtime à la Carte: ★★★☆☆½
“
Never, never begin a story this way when you write one. No opening could possibly be worse. It is unimaginative, flat, dry and likely to consist of mere wind...DEAREST WALTER, WITH HARD-BOILED EGG.”
--Nessun amore perduto.
The Green Door: ★★★☆☆
“The true adventurer goes forth aimless and uncalculating to meet and greet unknown fate.”
--Life is like a box of chocolates.
After Twenty Years: ★★☆☆☆½
“A man gets in a groove in New York. It takes the West to put a razor-edge on him.”
--Some friend.
The Furnished Room: ★☆☆☆☆
“No. Always no. Five months of ceaseless interrogation and the inevitable negative.”
--I can't go on without you.
The Pimienta Pancakes: ★★★☆☆½
“Somebody's been dealing me pancakes from the bottom of the deck...”
--There's a sucker born every minute.
The Last Leaf: ★★★☆☆
“I want to turn loose my hold on everything, and go sailing down, down, just like one of those poor, tired leaves.”
--Can you hold on for one more day? ♫
The Voice of the City: ★★★☆☆
“Tell me,” I said, stammeringly, for I have no voice of my own, “what does this big - er - enormous - er - whopping city say? It must have a voice of some kind. Does it ever speak to you? How do you interpret its meaning?”
--It's those magical moments of silence at the end of a hectic day.
While the Auto Awaits: ★★★★☆
“I wanted to talk, for once, with a natural man -- one unspoiled by the despicable gloss of wealth and supposed social superiority. Oh! you do not know how weary I am of it -- money, money, money!”
--Oh, what a tangled web we weave...
A Retrieved Reformation: ★★★★☆
“Me?” said Jimmy, in surprise. “Why, I never cracked a safe in my life.”
--A second chance at living right.
A Municipal Report: ★☆☆☆☆
“Of course,” said I platitudinously, “human nature is the same everywhere; but there is more color--er--more drama and movement and--er--romance in some cities than in others.”
--Like a boring Sherlock Holmes mystery. zzzz
A Newspaper Story: ★★☆☆☆
“After this can any one doubt the power of the press?”
--Both literally and figuratively.
The Ransom of Red Chief: ★★★★★
“I've stood by you without batting an eye in earthquakes, fire and flood--in poker games, dynamite outrages, police raids, train robberies and cyclones. I never lost my nerve yet till we kidnapped that two-legged skyrocket of a kid.”
--The best-laid plans of mice and men...
A Ghost of a Chance: ★★★☆☆
“Then why,” said Mrs. Bellmore, looking the young man gravely in the eye, “should that ghost have kissed me, as I’m sure it did?”
--You're too shy shy, hush hush, eye to eye. ♫
Makes the Whole World Kin: ★★☆☆☆
“Don't stand there making faces,” snapped the citizen, bad-humouredly. “If you've come to burgle why don't you do it? There's some stuff lying around.”
--One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.
So there you have it, a bit of a mixed-bag, as they say. My ratings averaged out to 3.2 stars.
Read as part of another Non-Crunchy Cool Classic Buddy Read.
August 28, 2017
I spent a month in Austin in 2016. It was good. Thanks for asking. While there my wife and I visited the William Sidney Porter House museum in the downtown area just one block south of the super busy party-central 6th St.
(Kind of odd to come across this little, old house in the middle of bustling downtown Austin)
William Sidney Porter is the real name of O. Henry, who lived only briefly in Austin before moving on to Houston. Nonetheless, it was cool to go into the house and see the old place, as well as his special writing nook.
Porter was a clever guy. His short stories often end with a surprising little twist, a little more subtle than your typical M. Night Shammalammadingdong movie. This collection is...well, it's not the actual collection I read, but it's close enough. There are tons of O. Henry collections listed on GR and I can't find the one I read. But the length is about the same and I believe the stories mostly match up.
Once upon a time when I was a young man, I read "The Gift of the Magi" and really enjoyed it. I promised myself I'd read more of his stuff. Then I let about three decades slip by until deciding I'd let the notion marinate long enough. I'm glad I finally got around to reading more. Although, I was a little confused at the start.
The first story was "The Voice of the City" and I was not prepared for it. His style, language, and pure-and-simple smarts had me befuddled and jogging to catch up. However, after that it was smooth sailing. I believe "The Gift..." was up next, and it was nice to revisit that one. Then the book slides into delight tales like "The Ransom of Red Chief", "The Romance of a Busy Broker", "The Green Door", "The Hiding of Black Bill", and "The Cop and the Anthem".
Not every story is a winner. Sometimes I got a bit bored. But overall this is a good collection and a nice primer for a prolific short story writer.
Rating: 3.5 stars
(Kind of odd to come across this little, old house in the middle of bustling downtown Austin)
William Sidney Porter is the real name of O. Henry, who lived only briefly in Austin before moving on to Houston. Nonetheless, it was cool to go into the house and see the old place, as well as his special writing nook.
Porter was a clever guy. His short stories often end with a surprising little twist, a little more subtle than your typical M. Night Shammalammadingdong movie. This collection is...well, it's not the actual collection I read, but it's close enough. There are tons of O. Henry collections listed on GR and I can't find the one I read. But the length is about the same and I believe the stories mostly match up.
Once upon a time when I was a young man, I read "The Gift of the Magi" and really enjoyed it. I promised myself I'd read more of his stuff. Then I let about three decades slip by until deciding I'd let the notion marinate long enough. I'm glad I finally got around to reading more. Although, I was a little confused at the start.
The first story was "The Voice of the City" and I was not prepared for it. His style, language, and pure-and-simple smarts had me befuddled and jogging to catch up. However, after that it was smooth sailing. I believe "The Gift..." was up next, and it was nice to revisit that one. Then the book slides into delight tales like "The Ransom of Red Chief", "The Romance of a Busy Broker", "The Green Door", "The Hiding of Black Bill", and "The Cop and the Anthem".
Not every story is a winner. Sometimes I got a bit bored. But overall this is a good collection and a nice primer for a prolific short story writer.
Rating: 3.5 stars
October 21, 2019
4.5*
These were the first short stories I’ve read by O. Henry, and I was blown away. They were brilliant. I loved how he built up the story and then ended it with a punch.
My favorites in this collection were “The Gift and the Magi,” “Tobin’s Palm,” “A Cosmopolitan in a Café,” and “Between Rounds.”
These were the first short stories I’ve read by O. Henry, and I was blown away. They were brilliant. I loved how he built up the story and then ended it with a punch.
My favorites in this collection were “The Gift and the Magi,” “Tobin’s Palm,” “A Cosmopolitan in a Café,” and “Between Rounds.”
December 24, 2015
Now THIS I can get behind.
"Gift of the Magi"- sad but also charming and hit me right in the feels.
"Ransom of Red Chief"- this was hilarious!!!! Absolutely loved this story.
"Gift of the Magi"- sad but also charming and hit me right in the feels.
"Ransom of Red Chief"- this was hilarious!!!! Absolutely loved this story.
November 29, 2021
Wonderful stories. Read again this holiday season.
May 11, 2017
I must say, reading these wholesome, old-timey, corny, somewhat boring short stories was strangely comforting and prosaically pleasant immediately following reading a novel wherein the protagonist kills a cow while simultaneously getting sodomized by his boss, engages in explicit sex with another very willing cow, and serves meals consisting solely of his own shit to his deranged, monstrous mother and himself.
Nice job, O. Henry!
Nice job, O. Henry!
January 19, 2016
Smooth Classics buddy read sans the pantaloons!
The Gift of the Magi was the only short story I was familiar with. I saw the play put on by the high school in Emmitt Idaho. Not to imply that a certain celebrity that I have recently found out was from the a area *cough*AaronPaul*cough* may or may not have been in it....
Well a girl can dream about a forgotten possible meeting with someone now famous. Leave me alone.
Anyway.
I remember the play being more interesting than the short story.
A few of the other stories were good as well:
The Cop and the Anthem. Poor Soapy trying to get arrested.
The Furnished Room. A sad story of a gentleman unknowingly following in the footsteps of his beloved.
The Last Leaf. A tragic tale where a woman's life is saved and another is lost.
While the Auto Waits. A story of swapped identities.
The Ransom of Red Chief. The tables are turned!
Most of these stories had a 'surprise' ending. Some of them just fizzled out for me.
The Gift of the Magi was the only short story I was familiar with. I saw the play put on by the high school in Emmitt Idaho. Not to imply that a certain celebrity that I have recently found out was from the a area *cough*AaronPaul*cough* may or may not have been in it....
Well a girl can dream about a forgotten possible meeting with someone now famous. Leave me alone.
Anyway.
I remember the play being more interesting than the short story.
A few of the other stories were good as well:
The Cop and the Anthem. Poor Soapy trying to get arrested.
The Furnished Room. A sad story of a gentleman unknowingly following in the footsteps of his beloved.
The Last Leaf. A tragic tale where a woman's life is saved and another is lost.
While the Auto Waits. A story of swapped identities.
The Ransom of Red Chief. The tables are turned!
Most of these stories had a 'surprise' ending. Some of them just fizzled out for me.
December 11, 2015
O Henry's short stories are known for their frequent surprise endings. If you enjoy that sort of thing, this collection is for you. If you are looking for amazing prose, this probably isn't for you. If you're looking for deep and developed characters, I seriously wonder if you know what short stories are as a concept.
For the most part, these deliver on the premise of "a story/situation is presented and then something unexpected happens or is revealed." The Ransom of Red Chief is a highlight, and if you read only one I would suggest it be that one. As with almost any collection of anything, there are a couple of duds. Feel free to skip The Voice of the City, as well as A Municipal Report.
As an added bonus, and to remove any excuse you really have to not read at least some of these, you can find all of the stories in this collection for free online. Or you can get a Kindle copy for 99 cents.
For the most part, these deliver on the premise of "a story/situation is presented and then something unexpected happens or is revealed." The Ransom of Red Chief is a highlight, and if you read only one I would suggest it be that one. As with almost any collection of anything, there are a couple of duds. Feel free to skip The Voice of the City, as well as A Municipal Report.
As an added bonus, and to remove any excuse you really have to not read at least some of these, you can find all of the stories in this collection for free online. Or you can get a Kindle copy for 99 cents.
December 27, 2025
*3.5 stars
some of these really did NOT age well but some of them really slapped and that is the risk you run with classic short stories 😅 "a retrieved reformation" was my favorite, for sure!
some of these really did NOT age well but some of them really slapped and that is the risk you run with classic short stories 😅 "a retrieved reformation" was my favorite, for sure!
February 9, 2021
A couple uncertain if they will be able to gift something to each other on Christmas, a kidnapping that takes a different turn, a criminal looking to reform his life and other surprising stories appear in this short but wonderful collection of short stories by O. Henry.
I have to start by saying that I was supposed to read this book back in December but multiple distractions and a disrupted schedule, derailed my plan. I am glad of that, though, for I was able to read it slower and truly enjoy it. I mainly picked this book for the title story, The Gift of the Magi (to have as a Christmas-themed story) but I came to love many of the other short stories too. This is simply wonderful storytelling and the surprise ending to these stories vary from witty and funny to thoughtful and profound. I particularly loved The Ramson of Red Chief and The Last Leaf. This is a truly special book and I would certainly recommend.
William Sydney Porter was his name but he chose O. Henry as his pen name. He was a prolific short story writer (over 400 written) as well as a licensed pharmacist, played musical instruments and sang, was in jail briefly for embezzling money (and reformed subsequently after) but he is mostly lauded for his writing today. His trademark was to provide surprising endings to his short stories which the readers loved but not always the critics. These stories are over 100 years old and yet still very popular. Many of his stories were adapted for the screen (one of them starred Marilyn Monroe). The O Henry award is given today to authors of great short stories.
I have to start by saying that I was supposed to read this book back in December but multiple distractions and a disrupted schedule, derailed my plan. I am glad of that, though, for I was able to read it slower and truly enjoy it. I mainly picked this book for the title story, The Gift of the Magi (to have as a Christmas-themed story) but I came to love many of the other short stories too. This is simply wonderful storytelling and the surprise ending to these stories vary from witty and funny to thoughtful and profound. I particularly loved The Ramson of Red Chief and The Last Leaf. This is a truly special book and I would certainly recommend.
William Sydney Porter was his name but he chose O. Henry as his pen name. He was a prolific short story writer (over 400 written) as well as a licensed pharmacist, played musical instruments and sang, was in jail briefly for embezzling money (and reformed subsequently after) but he is mostly lauded for his writing today. His trademark was to provide surprising endings to his short stories which the readers loved but not always the critics. These stories are over 100 years old and yet still very popular. Many of his stories were adapted for the screen (one of them starred Marilyn Monroe). The O Henry award is given today to authors of great short stories.
December 30, 2015
William Sydney Porter, most commonly known as O. Henry, was the most popular short story writer in America in the early twentieth century. His wonderful short stories have stood the test of time. Each story incorporates an unexpected ending which keeps the reader interested and guessing. I’ve read many of these stories before, but still enjoy rereading them—especially the Gift of the Magi which focuses on the true meaning of giving during the Christmas season.
December 12, 2019
This is a classic of course, and The Gift of the Magi is one of my favorite stories. I wasn't familiar with the others, but enjoyed them too, especially The Last Leaf.
May 2, 2019
I picked this up staying in the O. Henry Hotel, and what do you know, it's pretty good? O. Henry stories rarely advance beyond melodrama, but they also rarely outstay their welcome, and they can be quite moving at times, and frequently funny. I especially enjoyed "The Last Leaf", which was one of the best examples of his use of ironic coincidence.
This is a solid collection by a classic author.
This is a solid collection by a classic author.
December 3, 2011
This is one of the most touching stories that you will ever read.
May 18, 2018
This was a quite amusing set of short stories. They almost all had some irony in them. The characters are pretty well shown, though the background places more so in most of the stories. I'll probably be looking for more by Mr.Henry, as his irony is to my taste.
January 25, 2024
Genuinely horrible
May 29, 2013
During the reading this week, I felt that I was really able to see O. Henry’s personality in the stories. One of my favorite parts was the beginning of “Springtime a la Carte” on page 10:
“It was a day in March.
Never, never begin a story this way when you write one. No opening could possibly be worse. It is unimaginative, flat, dry and likely to consist of mere wind. But in this instance it is allowable. For the following paragraph, which should have inaugurated the narrative, is too wildly extravagant and preposterous to be flaunted in the face of the reader without preparation.”
And then he started the story. I almost laughed!!! He totally broke the boundaries that few authors even bend. He was “breaking the 4th wall” (as some may call it) and I loved it. (He did it again on page 12.) His style was different and exciting. His stories were very comical to me, which seems to be what everyone else thinks. Every now and then, he would have a very random sentence like:
“He had a telephone in his cow house, and he could figure up exactly what effect next year’s Canada wheat crop would have on potatoes planted in the dark of the moon.” (“Springtime a la Carte”)
That seemed pretty random (and hilarious) to me. Here’s another one:
“She got out ‘The Cloister and the Hearth,’ the best non-selling book of the month…” (“Springtime a la Carte.” If you can’t tell, that story was one of my favorites! )
It’s no wonder that everyone else seems to like his the best so far. Plus, each of the stories seemed to end with irony. Hawthorne’s style was more formal and eloquent than the others and Poe’s seemed more expressive and thrilling. Then you’ve got O. Henry. He was very conversational in his writing as if saying, “Here’s a story I once heard…” For some reason, I really like that style a lot. However, after a while, it was really simple to see his style and therefore predict the ending. For many of the stories, I felt that they needed a bigger and more exciting (and almost mysterious) ending since they all seemed to have a puzzle-like storyline. For example, I loved the Green Door because of the mysterious feel throughout it. However, the ending was quite disappointing for me. I was really hoping for an amazing (and, for some reason, strange) ending to flow with the enigma theme. However with his ending it was not as exciting anymore and the thrill was gone. Some of them were predictable like “After Twenty Years” and “The Pimienta Pancakes” (which I thought was a strange story). Overall I really liked them, though!!
“It was a day in March.
Never, never begin a story this way when you write one. No opening could possibly be worse. It is unimaginative, flat, dry and likely to consist of mere wind. But in this instance it is allowable. For the following paragraph, which should have inaugurated the narrative, is too wildly extravagant and preposterous to be flaunted in the face of the reader without preparation.”
And then he started the story. I almost laughed!!! He totally broke the boundaries that few authors even bend. He was “breaking the 4th wall” (as some may call it) and I loved it. (He did it again on page 12.) His style was different and exciting. His stories were very comical to me, which seems to be what everyone else thinks. Every now and then, he would have a very random sentence like:
“He had a telephone in his cow house, and he could figure up exactly what effect next year’s Canada wheat crop would have on potatoes planted in the dark of the moon.” (“Springtime a la Carte”)
That seemed pretty random (and hilarious) to me. Here’s another one:
“She got out ‘The Cloister and the Hearth,’ the best non-selling book of the month…” (“Springtime a la Carte.” If you can’t tell, that story was one of my favorites! )
It’s no wonder that everyone else seems to like his the best so far. Plus, each of the stories seemed to end with irony. Hawthorne’s style was more formal and eloquent than the others and Poe’s seemed more expressive and thrilling. Then you’ve got O. Henry. He was very conversational in his writing as if saying, “Here’s a story I once heard…” For some reason, I really like that style a lot. However, after a while, it was really simple to see his style and therefore predict the ending. For many of the stories, I felt that they needed a bigger and more exciting (and almost mysterious) ending since they all seemed to have a puzzle-like storyline. For example, I loved the Green Door because of the mysterious feel throughout it. However, the ending was quite disappointing for me. I was really hoping for an amazing (and, for some reason, strange) ending to flow with the enigma theme. However with his ending it was not as exciting anymore and the thrill was gone. Some of them were predictable like “After Twenty Years” and “The Pimienta Pancakes” (which I thought was a strange story). Overall I really liked them, though!!
December 22, 2020
THE GIFT OF THE MAGI AND OTHER STORIES by O. Henry (William Sydney Porter, September 11, 1862 - June 5, 1910) is a collection of 16 short stories. The Gift of the Magi is a sentimental story with a moral lesson about gift-giving, which has been a popular one for adaption. The story has been adapted to films and has inspired musicals and songs.
O. Henry's writing is very clear, he likes wordplay, and a lot of these short stories had surprise endings. A few I liked quite well, such as The Gift of the Magi, After Twenty Years, and The Last Leaf. All other stories didn't really interest me if I'm being completely honest. A lot of the time it felt like a chore to read these stories and I had to force myself to continue reading (I just CAN'T DNF books, I can't, I don't know why). To me, the stories were either really boring or just so crazy that I couldn't follow the events in them. I couldn't care less about the characters and I don't think there's a lot I can take with me from these stories. Except for The Gift of the Magi, After Twenty Years, and The Last Leaf. Those stories were exceptionally well done and enjoyable, beautiful, heartbreaking, and wonderful. So now I'm conflicted on how to rate this book. 13 / 16 stories I didn't like at all, 3 / 16 I loved.. So I'm going to go with ★★★☆☆
O. Henry's writing is very clear, he likes wordplay, and a lot of these short stories had surprise endings. A few I liked quite well, such as The Gift of the Magi, After Twenty Years, and The Last Leaf. All other stories didn't really interest me if I'm being completely honest. A lot of the time it felt like a chore to read these stories and I had to force myself to continue reading (I just CAN'T DNF books, I can't, I don't know why). To me, the stories were either really boring or just so crazy that I couldn't follow the events in them. I couldn't care less about the characters and I don't think there's a lot I can take with me from these stories. Except for The Gift of the Magi, After Twenty Years, and The Last Leaf. Those stories were exceptionally well done and enjoyable, beautiful, heartbreaking, and wonderful. So now I'm conflicted on how to rate this book. 13 / 16 stories I didn't like at all, 3 / 16 I loved.. So I'm going to go with ★★★☆☆
July 21, 2016
Found this teeny book at a thrift store and I'm happy to add it to my personal collection. There could be a handful of O. Henry stories tucked into "best of" collections throughout my library, but I am proud to make this the first exclusive collection and I shall treasure the thin volume forever. I remember reading the headliner, The Gift of the Magi in school. It's so sweet and wistful and romantically tragic, like a non-fatal Romeo and Juliet. My favorite story was The Last Leaf. I anticipated a Twilight Zone, Bradbury-style ending, so the very human, touching surprise nearly brought me to tears.
I faintly remembered the "O" standing for "Orrin" and knew the name to be a pen name, but I hadn't recalled the author's turbulent, tragic life. I can see how literary wonks view him as a kind of folk anti-hero, a genius uncalibrated for the cruelties of this world, and I am glad his name has been immortalized in the most prestigious short story award of our time. Were I to count, I probably own (and have read) more O. Henry award winning stories than O. Henry stories, a travesty I am delighted to have made a dent in correcting in the consumption of this book.
I faintly remembered the "O" standing for "Orrin" and knew the name to be a pen name, but I hadn't recalled the author's turbulent, tragic life. I can see how literary wonks view him as a kind of folk anti-hero, a genius uncalibrated for the cruelties of this world, and I am glad his name has been immortalized in the most prestigious short story award of our time. Were I to count, I probably own (and have read) more O. Henry award winning stories than O. Henry stories, a travesty I am delighted to have made a dent in correcting in the consumption of this book.
December 3, 2024
A reread, and I still love this collection of short stories. The Last Leaf is my favorite out of the whole collection.
Read
January 20, 2025Some of the stories were quite good and were really touching with a beautiful moral to it. Others didn't really hit home for me. None of the stories were particularly long or had much, if any, of a plot, though there were lots of unexpected twists despite this. Knowing from the note at the beginning of the book that the author sometimes was turning out a many as a story per week, it makes sense though that a lot of the stories were quick and not very developed.
The Gift of the Magi: I forgot I definitely read this one in school. A sweet story. Nice moral.
A young couple each sell their most precious item to buy a gift for the other. The irony is the gifts they bought for the other are now not very useful (she sold her hair, but he bought her a beautiful hair pin; he sold his watch, but she bought him a chain for it).
The Cop and the Anthem: This story was king of depressing. You get all hopeful for the main character and then you get let down. I guess it just reflects how hard it can be to change yourself in real like.
A homeless man named Soapy tries to get arrested on purpose so he can go to jail for the winter where he will at least be warm. He fails numerous time. Finally, when walking by a church he is inspired to change is life and get a job after hearing the music coming from the building. At that moment, a cop walks by and arrests him.
Springtime a la Carte: This one was so improbable that I actually couldn't really enjoy it even though it was a sweet story with a cute ending.
A woman works as a typist. Every night she types up the menus of a nearby restaurant. One night, she starts crying over the thought of her lover who has not written to her in months. A tear hits to menu card. Later, her lover comes to visit her. Not having gotten her letter with her new address, he was trying to track her down her new address in the city. He found her only because he had dinner at the restaurant that she types for and saw the menu card, mistyped: "DEAREST WALTER, WITH HARD-BOILED EGG." And thus, he found her.
The Green Door: I really like the idea in this story that embracing adeventure and being willing to try something different can really change your life and others'!
A man embraces adventure when he has the chance and goes into an apartment building and knocks on a green door after being given a card by a man on the street. It brings a new person in to his life who needed his help. Turns out the card was actually just to advertise a play down the street.
After Twenty Years: Just an okay story. Not much happened. Almost zero background info on these people, but I would've like to know more.
Two friends agree to meet at the same restaurant years later. As one friend is there waiting, he chats with a cop, who then leaves. Turns out the cop was the friend he was waiting for, but recognized him as a wanted man and had another cop come arrest him.
The Furnished Room: Another depressing one. Also, another story that might have actually been pretty good if we were given more background info on the characters. We aren't told anything about them or why they are in the situation there in. Why was he looking for? Why did she kill herself?
A man comes in search of woman. He rents out a room in a boarding house temporarily. While there, he swears he smells her scent. The landlady denies that the woman ever stayed there. He kills himself. Turns out the landlady lied. The woman did stay there and had also killed herself.
The Pimienta Pancakes: A just okay story. Cowboy got what he deserved if you ask me. She was probably too good for him. He did threaten to murder another man for trying to court her.
A cowboy falls in love with a young lady and attempts to court her, but a sheep farmer tries to move in on his girl. When the cowboy threatens to kill the sheep farmer, he convinces the cowboy that he only is trying to discover her secret pancake recipe and enlists the cowboy to help him. This of course isn't true. The girl believes the cowboy has some weird obsession with pancakes and she marries the sheep farmer.
The Last Leaf: One of my favorite stories in the book so far. A very touching story.
A sick girl is dying and becomes convinced that when the last leaf falls on the vine outside her apartment window, she will die. She's given up of hope of living and doctor declares without the will to fight, she probably won't make it. Her elderly artist neighbor, who despite being an artist, never actually paints anything, hears about this and goes out in the rain and cold to paint a leaf onto the wall the vine clings to. The girl gains hope and manages to recover. The old man gets sick and dies.
The Voice of the City: I didn't like this story at all.
A guy walks around this city asking people what the voice of the city is. No one has an answer. Turns out the voice of the city is not saying anything? I don't know. I didn't get it, but I'm also not someone who's into poetry so maybe that's why.
While the Auto Waits: This one was weird. Not much to say about it. It is what it is. Maybe the moral is that everyone lies? Don't judge a book by its cover?
A girl sits in a park and a young man comes up and starts flirting with her. She tells him she is rich but won't tell him which family she is from. He tells her he's a humble cashier. He follows her - turns out she works in a restaurant and he's the rich one.
A Retrieved Reformation: I like this one. I belive I may have also read this one in school before. It's too bad the thief couldn't live happily ever after, but I guess that once again shows how if you don't live an upstanding life, it's not so easy to change, even if you want to. Almost as if there's nefarious forces working against it.
An infamous burglar with a talent for cracking any safe is realeased from jail. He visits a small town and while there ends up falling in love with a girl. He commits to living a clean life, gets engaged to the girl, and starts a successful business in town. The girl's father, a banker, proudly gives the family a tour of the banks new safe where one of the children get locked in by accident. Everyone freaks out and the thief steps in and cracks the safe to save the child. The cop who was huting down the thief witnesses the incident. When the thief sees the cop, he offers himself for arrest, but the cop gives him a chance to leave.
A Municipal Report:
A Newspaper Story:
The Ransom of Red Chief:
A Ghost of a Chance:
Makes the Whole World Kin:
The Gift of the Magi: I forgot I definitely read this one in school. A sweet story. Nice moral.
A young couple each sell their most precious item to buy a gift for the other. The irony is the gifts they bought for the other are now not very useful (she sold her hair, but he bought her a beautiful hair pin; he sold his watch, but she bought him a chain for it).
The Cop and the Anthem: This story was king of depressing. You get all hopeful for the main character and then you get let down. I guess it just reflects how hard it can be to change yourself in real like.
A homeless man named Soapy tries to get arrested on purpose so he can go to jail for the winter where he will at least be warm. He fails numerous time. Finally, when walking by a church he is inspired to change is life and get a job after hearing the music coming from the building. At that moment, a cop walks by and arrests him.
Springtime a la Carte: This one was so improbable that I actually couldn't really enjoy it even though it was a sweet story with a cute ending.
A woman works as a typist. Every night she types up the menus of a nearby restaurant. One night, she starts crying over the thought of her lover who has not written to her in months. A tear hits to menu card. Later, her lover comes to visit her. Not having gotten her letter with her new address, he was trying to track her down her new address in the city. He found her only because he had dinner at the restaurant that she types for and saw the menu card, mistyped: "DEAREST WALTER, WITH HARD-BOILED EGG." And thus, he found her.
The Green Door: I really like the idea in this story that embracing adeventure and being willing to try something different can really change your life and others'!
A man embraces adventure when he has the chance and goes into an apartment building and knocks on a green door after being given a card by a man on the street. It brings a new person in to his life who needed his help. Turns out the card was actually just to advertise a play down the street.
After Twenty Years: Just an okay story. Not much happened. Almost zero background info on these people, but I would've like to know more.
Two friends agree to meet at the same restaurant years later. As one friend is there waiting, he chats with a cop, who then leaves. Turns out the cop was the friend he was waiting for, but recognized him as a wanted man and had another cop come arrest him.
The Furnished Room: Another depressing one. Also, another story that might have actually been pretty good if we were given more background info on the characters. We aren't told anything about them or why they are in the situation there in. Why was he looking for? Why did she kill herself?
A man comes in search of woman. He rents out a room in a boarding house temporarily. While there, he swears he smells her scent. The landlady denies that the woman ever stayed there. He kills himself. Turns out the landlady lied. The woman did stay there and had also killed herself.
The Pimienta Pancakes: A just okay story. Cowboy got what he deserved if you ask me. She was probably too good for him. He did threaten to murder another man for trying to court her.
A cowboy falls in love with a young lady and attempts to court her, but a sheep farmer tries to move in on his girl. When the cowboy threatens to kill the sheep farmer, he convinces the cowboy that he only is trying to discover her secret pancake recipe and enlists the cowboy to help him. This of course isn't true. The girl believes the cowboy has some weird obsession with pancakes and she marries the sheep farmer.
The Last Leaf: One of my favorite stories in the book so far. A very touching story.
A sick girl is dying and becomes convinced that when the last leaf falls on the vine outside her apartment window, she will die. She's given up of hope of living and doctor declares without the will to fight, she probably won't make it. Her elderly artist neighbor, who despite being an artist, never actually paints anything, hears about this and goes out in the rain and cold to paint a leaf onto the wall the vine clings to. The girl gains hope and manages to recover. The old man gets sick and dies.
The Voice of the City: I didn't like this story at all.
A guy walks around this city asking people what the voice of the city is. No one has an answer. Turns out the voice of the city is not saying anything? I don't know. I didn't get it, but I'm also not someone who's into poetry so maybe that's why.
While the Auto Waits: This one was weird. Not much to say about it. It is what it is. Maybe the moral is that everyone lies? Don't judge a book by its cover?
A girl sits in a park and a young man comes up and starts flirting with her. She tells him she is rich but won't tell him which family she is from. He tells her he's a humble cashier. He follows her - turns out she works in a restaurant and he's the rich one.
A Retrieved Reformation: I like this one. I belive I may have also read this one in school before. It's too bad the thief couldn't live happily ever after, but I guess that once again shows how if you don't live an upstanding life, it's not so easy to change, even if you want to. Almost as if there's nefarious forces working against it.
An infamous burglar with a talent for cracking any safe is realeased from jail. He visits a small town and while there ends up falling in love with a girl. He commits to living a clean life, gets engaged to the girl, and starts a successful business in town. The girl's father, a banker, proudly gives the family a tour of the banks new safe where one of the children get locked in by accident. Everyone freaks out and the thief steps in and cracks the safe to save the child. The cop who was huting down the thief witnesses the incident. When the thief sees the cop, he offers himself for arrest, but the cop gives him a chance to leave.
A Municipal Report:
A Newspaper Story:
The Ransom of Red Chief:
A Ghost of a Chance:
Makes the Whole World Kin:
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2025
When thinking of extraordinary short stories, like Diane Oliver's Neighbours, I was reminded of O. Henry, who was so beloved for short stories that he has a prize named after him. I found this collection including A Retrieved Reformation, The Cop and the Anthem, The Gift of the Magi, and the Ransom of Red Chief at my library and listened to it on audio. The last two I've definitely seen adapted and might have even read, but my favourite was A Retrieved Redemption. Though I don't imagine any are going to have great staying power, should I read more or is his more distant but humourous style not really one that delights me.
November 27, 2022
Short Stories collection are hard to rate because there are some stories which I didn't enjoy in this book. That include "One thousand dollar, Transient in Arcadia and Springtime A la Carte.
O. Henry, one of the greatest writer, focuses on the emotion of the characters and I can clearly have sympathy characters in most of short stories in this collection. Well, overcall it was a great read as I was brewing my Christmas Spirit and 'the gift of Magi' was a bittersweet with Christmas vibe.
O. Henry, one of the greatest writer, focuses on the emotion of the characters and I can clearly have sympathy characters in most of short stories in this collection. Well, overcall it was a great read as I was brewing my Christmas Spirit and 'the gift of Magi' was a bittersweet with Christmas vibe.
February 22, 2018
So this is a collection of classic American stories, written over 100 years ago. They are very aged. It is often difficult to read and contains odd portrayals and other issues. For a book under 100 pages long, it took a lot of time to read. But I still enjoyed it. I think it would be great if someone made the effort to update/translate all these stories. I think children should be reading this in school with their teacher guiding and helping. They're ironic and funny stories. Almost all of them involve working class people and a twist of fate. They're funny.
Don't go into this expecting a short, fun read, but I recommend reading it. Read a story every night before bed. Whatever... it's good.
Don't go into this expecting a short, fun read, but I recommend reading it. Read a story every night before bed. Whatever... it's good.
December 26, 2021
Collection of short stories. Not a lot (now that I think of it, if any) are Christmas related which was like the main reason I read this. Some stories were better than others but the end of the day, my feelings are eh.
December 6, 2022
The Gift of the Magi 5
The Last leaf 5
Springtime ala Carte 3.5
The Purple dress 3
One Thousand Dollars 4
Transients in Arcadia 4
A Chaparral Prince 3.5
The Clarion Call 3
The Hiding of Black Bill 4
A Retrieved Reformation 3
May 29, 2018
The stories vary between four and five stars so the rating should be 4 and a half, but you just can't go wrong with a great read by this author. This collection has several not to be missed.
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