The Four Million [Hardcover]

O. Henry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 18, 2008

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 172 pages
• Publisher: BiblioLife (August 18, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0554364433
• ISBN-13: 978-0554364438
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Tales of Old New York: Wodehouse-- with a Twist, December 7, 2001

By 

Plume45 "kitka12345" (Westchester, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Four Million (Paperback)

This anthology contains 21 tales set in New York City at the dawn of the twentieth century, plus the bonus of 4 tales set in the exotic tropics of a fictitious banana republic. O. Henry focuses his curious literary microscope on the diverse lives of various residents of this famous metropolis. Some of his protagonists can claim idle-rich status, but more represent the middle class and many the poverty-stricken milieus. Indulgent readers will discover the flavor of a century past, rub shoulders with men on the other side of the law, and commiserate with thwarted lovers--all the while expecting the trademark
O. Henry ending with a Twist.

But the author's
style reminds us of Wodehouse's moonstruck romantic pairs and even predate TV's innocuous "Love, American Style" episodes, in which we do not take their amorous escapades seriously. Then, to throw us off guard, he spikes the anthology with a few pathetic and even tragic stories. One wonders if he was gently trying to raise the social consciousness of the literate public.
Various ethnic cgroups with their inherent city-acquired bigotry become the target of his witty pen, especially the Irish but also Italians. After all, his beloved olde New York was a true melting pot from the Ellis Island kitchen.

Narrated in first as well as third person, these stories incorporate
flagrant slang and one actually boasts a canine narrator! They
challenge contemporary readers with antiquated vocabulary

intermingled with literary, Biblical and artsy reference. O. Henry will repeatedly send one to a dictionary or encyclopedia with his liberal sprinkling of foreign words. Like the British before him, O Henry contemplates the danger of the temptations of a tropical Paradise. Will Yankees "Go native?" as so many English did before them? Of course,the real cocoanut conundrum is to choose your five favorites!

2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A BOOK WORTH ANYONE'S TIME, June 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Four Million (Hardcover)

I HAVE 12 OF O. HENRY'S ORIGINAL BOOKS DATING FROM 1910 TO 1912. PLUS THE COLLECTION OF MARK TWAIN FEATURING TOM SAWYER AND HUCKLEBERRY FINN. THESE BOOKS NOT ONLY WILL DAZZLE YOU BUT YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE THRILLED FOR YEARS AND PASS THE SAME TO THEIR CHILDRENS.