The Gift of the Magi and Other Short Stories

It is unfortunate that William Sydney Porter wasted some of his life in the banking profession and died at the age of 47. The literary world has, no doubt, been deprived of some excellent short stories. In this collection of 16 short stories published under his celebrated pen name; the “O. Henry twists” live up to their reputation, but Mr. Porter’s style of writing is maybe as impressive as his endings. His descriptions and his creative insertions add much to the reader’s appreciation of the stories. In addition to “The Gift of the Magi,” my favorites are “The Last Leaf” and “The Cop and the Anthem.”Today, Mr. Porter’s references to African Americans would not be considered politically correct, but it is apparent that Mr. Porter has respect for them since Uncle Caesar, an unforgettable African-American character, is portrayed as the hero of “A Municipal Report.”Mr. Porter connects with his readers in many ways, including excellent descriptions, such as the dismal assessment of the Nashville drizzle, which concludes that “It is not so fragrant as a moth-ball nor as thick as pea-soup.” Readers will also to be amused by the admonitions he expresses in “Springtime à la Carte” not to use some of his writing techniques. He points out the flaws in his own techniques; but, of course, Mr. Porter makes the techniques work and his self-deprecating criticisms add to the readers’ enjoyment. Most readers will also enjoy the clever ways that he works in references to characters from literary fiction, such as Sidney Carton and Rip Van Winkle, and from the Bible.

I want to thank you for not only a very quick turn around and received my book so quickly, but also for the consideration the addition of the leaflet with information regarding the history of the author of the book, a veritable font of information! A nice addition that bespoke of your consideration for your customers and of course the books and their authors. BRAVO !! I also thank you for my beautiful book, although used and very reasonable in price is almost in perfect condition even at 29 years old. The binder was unbroken; the cover without scratches or gouging; pages although being aged were clean, uncreased, totally undamaged; really a collectors gem !!! I suspect that I am actually at the better end of our deal. So, I HAD to write this review as a testament to your respect for the books you sell, their writers, as well as your customers who desire these gems from the past. I pray that books are never replaced by ebooks, although evooks they have their place and usefulness, but I have definitely become a grateful collector of these books, of whom some are no longer available anywhere else nor being published, and it would be a terrible shame if they end up fading away into obscurity, unable to be appreciated by the new generations to come. Many thanks. C. Grant-Olson

When was the last time you read “The Gift of the Magi”? I needed a review of the story so I bought several of these books as gifts for the people I really care about. The story is very short but gets its point across. There is always a “twist” at the end of O’Henry’s stories.And, I’ll bet you didn’t know that O’Henry wrote these stories while in jail in Austin, Tx (for embezzling a bank)! This info might lead to a little fun resesrch.

We got this book thinking that our son would love the stories of O'Henry as we remembered them. But the idioms contained within the passages were too complicated for my 10 year old to understand. Frankly when I started reading to him I was having a difficult time understanding some of the phrases and made it challenging to explain it to my son. I don't remember O'Henry's works being so hard to understand.

O Henry, of course, is a great writer of short stories. But sometimes I buy a book with the font so small I need better glasses. This volume is easy to read!!

Great book for all who love a classic read

As a senior citizen who grew up watching Rod Serling's literate and thoughtful Twilight Zone, O. Henry stories are a natural to read and appreciate.

Always love reading this. It is a favorite that I reread on a regular basis. A gret feel good collection.

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The stories are hilarious, but the paper quality terrible. Letters are too small and blurry. I advise to purchase some other book.

Prodotto richiesto e giunto in perfettamente nei tempi stabiliti.Tutto ok. come nella descrizione.Lo consiglio a tutti anche se va acquistato con PRIME .

Likes and enjoyed the emotional content of the book

Only read a few but excellent read. Well-packaged, on time and good condition