The Gift of the Magi

O. Henry (William Sydney Porter; 1862-1910) was an American writer best known for his short stories. He found his characters on the streets while talking to laborers, tramps, clerks - he listened to everyone he met or passed. One key element of his short stories was surprise an extraordinary plot twist, an improbable ending, the turn of events not unlike ones in fairy tales. Readers adored O. Henry’s writing not only for the magic it contained, but also for his attention to the least remarkable and for the sympathy and warmth with which he wrote about them. The collection includes twelve of the most famous short stories by O. Henry.