Showing results by author "O'Henry" in All Categories

O. Henry was the pen name of William Sydney Porter (1862-1910), an American writer of outstanding short stories, known for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization, and surprise endings.The Clarion Call tells of the chance encounter between two old childhood friends. One, Kernan, is now a burglar who three weeks ago committed his first murder. The other, Woods, is a New York detective. Woods is faced with a terrible dilemma....

A sumptuous collection of over 60 short stories by some of the world's greatest writers. 'The Hoop' by Fedor Sologub, 'The Last Leaf' by O. Henry, 'The Man Who Hated Aspidistras' by W. F. Harvey, 'The Conjurer' by Richard Middleton, 'The End of a Show' by Barry Pain, 'The Devil of the Marsh' by H. B. Marriott-Watson, 'The First of April' by A. J. Alan, 'The Everlasting Club' by Arthur Gray, 'The Apple Tree' by Katherine Mansfield.

More of the Greatest Mysteries of All Time is the second in a series featuring the finest short story mystery fiction by the most acclaimed writers, past and present. From Thomas Hardy, O. Henry, Jack London, Vincent Starrett and everyone in between, this unique collection, edited by multi-award winning mystery connoisseur Otto Penzler, is a delightful mixture of mystery and suspense.

Here are eight stories from master American writers of the 19th century. They vary from sinister tales by Ambrose Bierce - why is that window boarded up? - and a reflective moment in the life of a woman without children, but forced to look after children, to classic short stories by O. Henry and Stephen Crane. There is even an elegiac description of an eclipse by James Fenimore Cooper, author of The Last of the Mohicans.

Christmas is a special time of the year. It brings so many memories of happiness, childhood mischief, reflection and forgiveness. This selection of Christmas stories brings some of the best tales from around the world to share the magic, wisdom and love of Christmastime.

A vintage collection of some of the greatest short stories ever written

On retrouve tout l'humour de l'auteur, et son empathie pour les êtres humains, pour ces pauvres gens, un peu marlous, et très combinards qui rusent pour survivre dans la Grande Pomme.

A Washington, D.C., socialite, traveling in the western United States, meets an old friend, and finds herself startled to learn that his current occupation is a long way from what it was when he was in D.C.

Two hardened criminals learn their plan is less than perfect when they discover the boy they’ve kidnapped is so bad, the only way his father will take him back is if they pay him a ransom.

A housewife, a tramp, a lawyer, a waitress, an actress – ordinary people living ordinary lives in New York at the beginning of this century. The city has changed greatly since that time, but its people are much the same. Some are rich, some are poor, some are happy, some are sad, some have found love, some are looking for love.O. Henry’s famous short stories – sensitive, funny, sympathetic – give us vivid pictures of the everyday lives of these New Yorkers.

This is a story from the More Classic American Short Stories collection.

Bill Driscoll and Sam (we never learn his last name), a pair of turn-of-the-20th-century con men embark on quite an adventure. The pair need $2,000.00 to pull off a fraudulent town-lot scam in Western Illinois. They decide to kidnap the only son of a prominent Alabama citizen in the small town of Summit. They should've known when they grabbed their target, who was at the time throwing stones at a kitten, that it would be best to leave him alone. Particularly after he beans Bill with a brick. The situation does not improve with time. O Henry, famous for his humor, plays on words, and plot twists makes this a highly amusing short story.

This collection provides over five hours of radio dramatizations of some of the greatest literature ever written, as adapted, produced, and directed by Joe Bevilacqua.

O. Henry was the pen name of William Sydney Porter (1862-1910), an American writer of outstanding short stories known for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization and surprise endings. 'Between Rounds' is the tale of a lost child, the six-year old son of the owner of a boarding house with a colourful and eclectic range of boarders. For a brief period of the child's absence, the inhabitants pause in their regular activities and relationships. The interlude is described in a warm and gently humorous manner.

A thoroughly engaging collection of classic short stories from some of the greatest writers who lived.

>"The Cop and the Anthem" may be the third most widely read O. Henry story in grammar, middle, and high school. "The Ransom of Red Chief" rates number one, "The Gift of the Magi" number two, and "A Retrieved Reformation" number four. Young readers enjoy this story a lot because of the hilarious plot of Soapy, the only named character, trying to get arrested so he can spend the winter in jail. Adults tend to like the ironic approach of Soapy’s potential victims....

"The Ransom of Red Chief" may be the most widely read story in grammar, middle, and high school. Young people can relate to 10-year-old Red Chief, his father, who makes the kidnappers pay him back in order to take Red Chief off their hands....

A humorous parody of “Sherlock Holmes’. This classic storyteller resets the scene to New York where Shamrock Jolnes and his friend Whatsup are optimistic, but a bit bumbling. Deductive reasoning plays a key role in this tale of personal pride in the heart of a slightly forgetful detective.

Two stories from the master of the surprise ending: In "Elsie in New York", Elsie is an innocent young woman who, upon the death of her father, must look for work to make a living. In "The Purple Dress", two young women clerks have been saving money all year to buy new dresses for an annual gala.

Included in this volume: "Watson!" by Captain A. E. Dingle; The Adventure of the Diamond Necklace, by G. F. Forrest; The Stolen Cigar-Case, by Bret Harte; The Adventures of Shamrock Jolnes, by O. Henry; and Mr. Raffles Holmes, by John Kendrick Bangs.