O. Henry

Roads of Destiny (1909) is a collection of short stories by American writer O. Henry. Inspired by his experiences as a fugitive and in prison, these stories address themes of crime, poverty, and fate. "A Retrieved Reformation," perhaps the most notable of the collection's twenty-two stories, is semi-autobiographical in that it explores the life of a criminal and fugitive who maintains a moral identity while struggling to adjust to life outside of...

Heart of the West is a collection of 19 short stories highlighting the complicated relationship between men and women, law and order, honor and obligation. These compelling tales are filled with memorable characters and fascinating conflicts. In Heart of the West, O. Henry explores the illustrious region featuring cowboys, outlaws, rangers and sheepherders. It consists of 19 short stories celebrating the unique culture and happenings in the Old West....

Cabbages and Kings (1904) is a novel by American writer O. Henry. Inspired by his experiences as a fugitive in Honduras, the interconnected stories that make up Cabbages and Kings-the title refers to a line from Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass-address themes of revolution, imperialism, exploitation, and greed. The novel is significant not only for launching O. Henry's career as a successful professional writer, but for coining the term "banana...

Whirligigs (1910) is a collection of short stories by American writer O. Henry. Inspired by his experiences as a fugitive and in prison, these stories address themes of poverty and provincial life with humor and abundant empathy. "The Ransom of Red Chief," the most notable of the collection's twenty-four stories, is considered one of Henry's finest works and has been adapted numerous times for television and film. "The Ransom of Red Chief" follows...

Here are sixteen of the best stories by one of America's most popular storytellers. For nearly a century, the work of O. Henry has delighted readers with its humor, irony and colorful, real-life settings. The writer's own life had more than a touch of color and irony. Born William Sidney Porter in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1862, he worked on a Texas ranch, then as a bank teller in Austin, then as a reporter for the Houston "Post." Adversity struck,...

Rolling Stones is a vast selection of O. Henry's later works covering a variety of topics such as fear, heartache, friendship, love and even murder. It's a worthy addition to his legacy of memorable characters and unpredictable plots. Rolling Stones was originally published in 1912, just two years after O. Henry's untimely, death. This collection consists of complete and incomplete stories that were revised prior to their release. For example, "The...

It is not very often that we get to read a story told by a dog. However O. Henry's "Memoirs of a Yellow Dog" gives us a peek through the dog Lovey's mind. Lovey feels a strong despise for his mistress - a fat lady who does nothing but eat and gossip. At the same time he is determined to save his owner who is constantly working and trying to provide for his unthankful wife. This comic tale about the love and loyalty between a pet and his owner is turned...

Seven Odds and Ends, Poetry and Short Stories. Excerpt: The scene was one of supernatural weirdness. Tall, fantastic mountains reared their seamed peaks over a dreary waste of igneous rock and burned-out lava beds. Deep lakes of black water stood motionless as glass under frowning, honeycombed crags, from which ever and anon dropped crumbled masses with a sullen plunge. Vegetation there was none. Bitter cold reigned and ridges of black and shapeless...

This ebook contains O. Henry's complete works. This edition has been professionally formatted and contains several tables of contents. The first table of contents (at the very beginning of the ebook) lists the titles of all novels included in this volume. By clicking on one of those titles you will be redirected to the beginning of that work, where you'll find a new TOC that lists all the chapters and sub-chapters of that specific work.

The Voice of the City (1908) is a collection of twenty-five short stories by American writer O. Henry. Inspired by his experiences as a fugitive and prisoner, these stories address themes of poverty and city life with humor and abundant empathy. Its focus on the regular, working class people of New York City makes The Voice of the City a sequel of sorts to Henry's The Four Million (1906), perhaps his most important collection. In "The Voice of the...