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

Two tales from two of the great American humorists. In “A Dog’s Tale”, Mark Twain let’s the dog do the talking, in a heart-wrenching story of her loss of a pup at the hands of her human master. In “Memoirs of a Yellow Dog”, O. Henry lets the dog of the title spin a humorous tale of liberation and freedom from the confines of a drab New York life for himself and his master.

Best Seller de O. Henry es un cuento humorístico que satiriza a la industria editorial. La narrativa se desarrolla cuando un autor, al intentar crear un bestseller, descubre sin darse cuenta la imprevisibilidad del gusto popular. El ingenio y la ironía de O. Henry son evidentes a medida que la historia explora la naturaleza voluble del éxito literario.

In this series we explore the many facets of love through literary talents that span both time and country. Love comes in many forms, many shades and many hues. There is one though that society wants more than any other and it is now part of our culture. Yes, the Happy Ending.

Petty criminals Bill and Sam decide to kidnap 10-year-old Johnny for ransom money from his wealthy father. The plan turns on its head, however, when Johnny “Red Chief” Dorset decides he likes his captors better than his father.

Listeners are invited to sit back and enjoy this collection of classic Yuletide tales....

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. In this story two old friends had promised to meet up exactly 20 years to the day since their last meeting in New York. One of the friends has travelled a thousand miles to be there...and is now waiting for his childhood companion. Will he turn up?

Selección de cuentos cortos clásicos de la literatura universal pensada para todo público.

Americans have vivid, colourful and mesmerising imaginations. On the flip side they are equally adept at Realism. In this volume their famed authors explore short stories that bring us up close and personal to reality.

Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. They can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere. Some you may disagree with but they will get you thinking; about our choices and about those you would have made. If this volume takes you on a path to discover more of these miniature masterpieces then we have all gained something.

Sadness can be about so many things from places to people, from thoughts to actions. Our classic authors including Arnold Bennett, James Joyce, Willa Cather, Joseph Conrad, Ivan Turgenev and many others use their pens and stories to demonstrate the many ways this feeling can take a hold of lives and its consequences.

The American literary tradition has, in a far shorter span of time than others throughout history, achieved a glowing and glittering reputation. From its transatlantic roots it has absorbed the sons and daughters of other cultures, other lands and made them part of her own. Within this melting pot of styles, genres and wordplay one fact stands out: In the American short story, literary tradition has a strong, vibrant and almost inclusive history, if you know where to look.

"The Caballero's Way" is a short story by the American author O. Henry. It was first published in the July 1907 issue of Everybody's Magazine and was collected in the anthology The Heart of the West later the same year. The story introduces the Cisco Kid, a fast-shooting caballero who murders for sport. Lieutenant Sandridge, a ranger who is after the outlaw, goes to see Tonia, the beautiful girlfriend of the Kid. They fall in love, and Tonia begs Sandridge to kill the Kid in order to ensure their safety. Unbeknownst to the lovers, the Kid overhears their plan.

"The Cop and the Anthem" is a December 1904 short story by the United States author O. Henry. It includes several of the classic elements of an O. Henry story, including a setting in New York City, an empathetic look at the state of mind of a member of an underprivileged class, and an ironic ending. "The Cop and the Anthem" has only one character who is given a name, the protagonist "Soapy." It is made clear that Soapy is homeless, one of the underclass men and women who flocked to New York City during the earliest years of the twentieth century.

"The Ransom of Red Chief" is a short story by O. Henry first published in the July 6, 1907 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. It follows two men who kidnap, and demand a ransom for, a wealthy Alabamian's son. Eventually, the men are driven crazy by the boy's spoiled and hyperactive behavior, and they pay the boy's father to take him back. The story and its main idea have become a part of popular culture, with many children's television programs depicting versions of the story as one of their episodes.

Many of O. Henry’s stories describe cultural issues of the day, and many incorporate themes relevant to our modern times. This anthology was specially selected for this purpose. It includes the story performances and introduces the telling of each story by describing its relevance and explaining some of the references that might not be familiar to modern-day audiences.

Cherokee has struck it rich, and he decides to make Christmas extra special for the children of a nearby town. Unfortunately, there ARE no children in the nearby town. When the appreciative townspeople try to round up some kids from the surrounding towns, they inadvertently set the stage for a Christmas miracle for Cherokee.

When two friends reunite after a twenty-year absence, the limits of friendship become evident. Painting two distinct portraits of people who have grown apart, O. Henry explores themes of friendship, loyalty and trust. In Mammon and the Archer, the pursuit of love, and the love of money go head-to-head for dominance in a timely engagement. Famous for his unexpected plot twists, O. Henry was not only a master at the craft of writing the short story, but explored deep themes that still resonate today.

Art and life. Each the mirror of the other. This then is the classic definition of what ‘Realism’ as a writing form really is. Some might call it a fancy term for the mundane day to day pursuits but in the hands of an author it comes alive. We are drawn into characters and landscapes that we can empathize with, we can, metaphorically speaking, help shoulder their burden, be on the long trail with them whatever the landscapes, the hurdles, incidents and other people may place in their literary way.

A compilation of popular short stories from American literature narrated by professional voice actor Jake Phillips.

Christmas may come but once a year but human emotions, the driving force of our characters, are with us every day. Yet, somehow these same emotions when they happen at Christmas seem amplified; we seem more tender to their touch, their words. Whether it’s a long-lost returning soldier wondering how best to return to the arms of his family without too great a risk of shock... Or a prodigal son whose taken path has driven pain into his own and others hearts… These stories reveal much about the human condition.