Pocket Book of O'Henry Stories: Pocket Book of O'Henry Stories

Do you remember the TWILIGHT ZONE... that Existential, creepy, black and white TV show? Rod Serling would come on against a star studed background with a black suit and burning cigarette and announce the latest doomed or rewarded victim of a capricious universe. This anthology by O'Henry reflects the tragedy in his own life and his compassion for the poor. Like the TWILIGHT ZONE, O'Henry and Serling both seemed to focus on the plight of the marginalized urban poor and the twists of fate which seem to propel us towards what seems to be a random fate on one level and a intended destiny on another. These short tales with ironic twists written by O' Henry seem ahead of their time...meant for the TV age, but written at the dawn of the Twentieth Century. The SKYLIGHT ROOM is the story of a copyist who is forced to live a threadbare existence with the denizens of a brownstone tenement. Work is elusive for Elsie as she looks up to the skylight window above her bed. Night after night she is lit by the faint light of a distant star named Billy Johnson only to find her own light fading fast from hunger and the approaching darkness of death. One day after a fruitless work search, she collapses and the young doctor who rescues her " as if he were bearing his own dead" is named William Johnson...the patient was expected to recover. An editor may want to include footnotes for some of the victorian vocabulary in a future edition. Every story in this anthology follows either the writing or editing policy of Serling. Good ironic stories written with pathos and just a small dash of the macabre.

Do you remember the TWILIGHT ZONE... that Existential, creepy, black and white TV show? Rod Serling would come on TV against a star studed background with a black suit and burning cigarette and announce the latest doomed or rewarded victim of a capricious universe. This anthology by O'Henry reflects the tragedy in his own life and his compassion for the poor. Like the TWILIGHT ZONE, O'Henry and Serling both seemed to focus on the plight of the marginalized urban poor and the twists of fate which seem to propel us towards what seems to be a random fate on one level and a intended destiny on another. These short tales with ironic twists written by O' Henry seem ahead of their time...meant for the TV age, but written at the dawn of the Twentieth Century. The SKYLIGHT ROOM is the story of a copyist who is forced to live a threadbare existence with the denizens of a brownstone tenement. Work is elusive for Elsie as she looks up to the skylight window above her bed. Night after night she is lit by the faint light of a distant star named Billy Johnson only to find her own light fading fast from hunger and the approaching darkness of death. One day after a fruitless work search, she collapses and the young doctor who rescues her " as if he were bearing his own dead" is named William Johnson...the patient was expected to recover. An editor may want to include footnotes for some of the victorian vocabulary in a future edition. Every story in this anthology follows either the writing or editing policy of Serling. Good ironic stories written with pathos and just a small dash of the macabre.

I have long delighted with to the tales of William Sidney Porter, otherwise known as O. Henry. His colorful characters and half-cynical plot-twists have entertained me for years. I was very pleased, therefore, to come into posession of this collection of his works--incomplete as it may be. While I was disappointed that it did not include a couple of my favorite short stories (The Ransom of Red Chief, for example), it more than made up for it by including several stories that I had not yet read. In this review I will list the stories included in this book, along with a brief (one sentence, usually) synopsis. The Gift of the Magi Possibly O. Henry's most famous work. A poor young couple make the ultimate sacrifices in order to buy each other Christmas gifts, and bring an entire new meaning to the phrase "it's the thought that counts". The Skylight Room A young woman meets her prince charming in a most unorthodox way. The Cop and the Anthem A vagrant is consistently frustrated in his attempts to get arrested, and then in his attempt at reform. Memoires of a Yellow Dog The story of a henpecked man, as told from the perspective of his loyal canine pet. Springtime à la Carte A young couple in love find each other with the help of a restaurant menu. The Green Door A man responds to the call of adventure and rescues a damsel in distress. This story ends with a classic O. Henry twist. After Twenty Years The first O. Henry story I ever read. Two friends reunite after twenty years--with unpredictable results. The Furnished Room Two related tragedies in one appartment. The Pimienta Pancakes How not to win the attention of a young lady in the Old West. The Reformation of Calliope A western badman undergoes a complete, thorough, and instantaneous reformation. The Passing of Black Eagle A vagrant is thrust into high adventure, and decides that it is not for him. A Retrieved Reformation The concept of this story has been made into at least one movie. An expert safe-cracker tries to go the straight and narrow, only to be forced to use his skill to save a child trapped in a safe. Whilstling Dick's Christmas Stocking A hobo becomes privy to plans to rob a souther mansion on Christmas. His quick thinking saves the day. Caught An American living in a Banana Republic is embroiled in national intrigue, and not only comes out on top, but gets the girl. The Sleuths A distraught man in search of his lost sister seeks the help of two detectives in New York City. This story proves that the most elaborate methods are not always the most effective. Makes the Whole World Kin A theif discovers he has something in common with his would-be victim. The Whirligig of Life A hillbilly Justice of the Peace administers a divorce, an alimony settlement, and a reconciliation--all for the same couple. A Newspaper Story Sometimes the effect of a newspaper is not at all what the editor had in mind. The Voice of the City A man sets out to find the "voic