Customer Reviews

The Gift of the Magi and Other Short Stories

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For my money, this Dover edition is the perfect introduction to the works of O. Henry. It contains several of his best stories in an order that is not jarring, considering they come from different collections.

I am a writer of short stories, and there is no better practitioner of the art than O. Henry. Perhaps in today's world, with the New Yorker style being touted as *the* way to write short stories, O. Henry is scoffed at. But, if you look close, Henry's stories have one thing those don't--an ending.

In fact, O. Henry stories are famous for their endings. Often called "twist" endings, they show the inherent unpredictability of life.

What is often missed, however, is Henry's knack for characterization, his evocative use of setting and description, and his readability. I put O. Henry up there with other short story writers like Flannery O'Connor and John Updike.

So, start with the Dover edition and if you find that you, too, love the work of O. Henry then graduate to a more comprehensive collection. And if not, hey, you're not out much money, right?

***Just for the record, this book contains the following stories: "The Gift of the Magi", "The Cop and the Anthem", "Springtime a la Carte", "The Green Door", "After Twenty Years", "The Furnished Room", "The Pimienta Pancakes", "The Last Leaf", "The Voice of the City", "While the Auto Awaits", "A Retrieved Reformation", "A Municipal Report", "A Newspaper Story", "The Ransom of Red Chief", "A Ghost of a Chance", and "Makes the Whole World Kin".

Considering the price, and how many stories are in here, it's great! But, it is a very flimsy paperback, and contains just the bare stories. So if you're looking for some history on O. Henry, or some fancy introductions or footnotes, this is not the book for you.

Although, O. Henry was such a great writer, I myself don't think you really need footnotes, etc. The stories are so well constructed in themselves that this really is a good book.

By the way, my personal favorite is "The Last Leaf". To me it is leaps and bounds better than "The Gift of the Magi", but maybe that's just me. :-)

I do hope this review helped. :-D

Those stories progress slowly and quietly until you get to the last paragraph. The bottom line. Then suddenly you are flooded with strong feelings: either joy or sorrow - it usually moves your heart. I loved those stories since the first time I learned them, in high school, and this book gave me the opportunity to read it in the original language for the first time (I read it in Hebrew the other times...). It was challanging, but it is worth it. It is a perfect book to take with you on your daily bus ride, when you are blue, or just in any day that you feel like reading something which is pure nice literature. I hope you read it and enjoy. I know I did. Do you want an example? Curious? Read the real thing!

This book begins with the one of the lesser-known Christmas stories that illustrates how we should give to the utmost during this season of giving. O. Henry is able to use wit to show wisdom, and the ridiculous to show the sublime.

The poor married couple is forced to scrounge for Christmas. The husband hocks his watch to buy hair combs for his wife, and his wife sell her hair to a wig-maker to buy a fob-chain. Bit this story isn't about a couple's holiday folly, but the desire to love and serve other people to the utmost.

One of the classics is "The Last Leaf," about a boy who in inspired by a last leaf, which is really a painting. Another story is "The Cop And the Anthem," about the bum who tries to get arrested, then has a turn of heart second before he is booked for vagrancy. It also has the immortal "The Ransom Of Red Chief," the story about the kidnappers who get the redheaded brat, and try their darndest to get rid of the kid.

O. Henry has the a gift of the twist, like Rod Serling of "Twilight Zone" fame, or M. Night Shyamalan, the director of "The Sixth Sense," and "Signs." As you read, it keeps your eyes on their toes, since at any minute the whole story will twist upside-down. This roller-coaster writing is like a well-told joke.

O. Henry could do it all. His "Gift of the Magi" is famous for it's poignancy and ironic, bittersweet ending. But, he also could be absolutely hilarious. For example, "The Cop and the Anthem," also has an ironic ending but the tone and setting is such that, had he been alive in another generation, O.Henry could have been a writer for "Saturday Night Live." Another story that had me in stitches is "The Ransom of Red Chief." Damon Runyon is famous for creating colorful characters, but O.Henry obviously influenced Runyon with his characters and use of language. O. Henry's stories are entertaining and no two are alike ... he provides a lot of variety in his writing. This sampling of his work is a great bargain.

"The Gift of the Magi and Other Short Stories" brings together 16 pieces by O. Henry. The stories in this collection are taken from 8 of O. Henry's books; the original volumes have publication dates ranging from 1906 to 1911. This book includes a short introductory note on the colorful life and career of the author, who lived from 1862 to 1910.

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. O. Henry writes about criminals, dreamers, artists, lovers, and lost souls. Many of these stories have a New York City setting--he really captures the energy and color of the city. There are also a Western story ("The Pimienta Pancakes"), a Southern Gothic tale ("A Municipal Report"), a story set primarily in a small town in Arkansas ("A Retrieved Reformation"), and a story set in rural Alabama ("The Ransom of Red Chief").

If you like stories with "twist" endings, you will probably like this collection. The book as a whole is a lot of fun--full of life and charm. Some of the stories may strike contemporary readers as corny, but I found each tale to be an enjoyable gem of storytelling. The book is rich in irony, with some really funny scenes.

O. Henry tells stories of love, justice, deception, sacrifice, and heroism. He makes some intriguing creative choices; this is clearly the work of a master in total command of the short story genre. His prose style is very readable and engaging, with touches of baroque elegance.

When I was a teenager, I listened to the Gift of the Magi, the Last Leaf, After Twenty Years etc on public radio stations (Guess where?). I was so moved then. I think these among other great works had played a role in my decision to pursue an English Literature major.
Now life had challenged me into a somewhat different world where often times we forget about the literature, the philosophy and the simpliest pleasures of life.
I bought this book again so that I could read it to my children someday. My first born is only 3. But I think he is starting to show some appreciation.

Even those who have never read O Henry will be staggered by how many of these tales they are familiar with one way or another (like the one where the Wife sells her hair, or the one with the tramp who cant get arrested; the artist who paints his masterpiece before dying; the safe cracker who goes straight but who has to perform one last job....Yes! You know them all from somewhere!)
O Henry is witty, full of word play, plot, twists and characters. Stories that can (and should) be read from anyone from 10 onwards.Pure reading pleasure.

O. Henry is widely considered one of the best short story writers and an essential American author, extremely popular in life and hardly less so now. One of the few to truly master the form, he crafted stories that were full of humor, suspense, and pathos despite often being but a few pages long. He wrote prolifically, and his work is awe-inspiringly diverse, encompassing nearly every conceivable setting, a wide variety of characters, numerous dialects, etc. Above all, of course, his stories are simply entertaining - so much so that even those who almost never read have been known to enjoy him, as can all others. This is not least due to his famous twist endings, a trick so characteristic of - and perfected by - him that it has long been synonymous with his name. They keep us reading - and guessing -, often giving unexpected comedy but nearly as often imparting a tragic turn. Some complain that O. Henry is essentially lightweight, lacking the seriousness necessary to great literature, but he is so incredibly entertaining that few can deny his charm and sheer readability.

There are of course many O. Henry collections, this being one of the most inexpensive and widely available. It has sixteen stories ranging from throughout his mature career over eighty-nine pages, including some of his most famous (the title story, "The Cop and the Anthem," etc.) and some of my personal favorites such as "The Green Door" and "The Pimienta Pancakes," which is one of the most hilarious things I have ever read. The book is thus an excellent primer. It will be the only collection many will ever need, while for others it will serve the notable purpose of leading to more O. Henry. A few may be turned off by the fact that, like other Dover Thrift Editions, it is bare bones. Other than a short head note, there is no supplemental material, and the packaging is rather cheap. However, one of the stories' great strengths is that they work so well on their own, making supplements unnecessary for all but the dedicated, and the book as a whole is of truly remarkable value considering the price. One would be very hard-pressed to find a more entertaining set of stories for the price anywhere.

The language that O. Henry uses takes us back to a time of finer things and higher expectations for life. These stories should be shared by everyone and the irony contemplated by all. Please enjoy this collection of stories by a truly gifted writer.