Customer Reviews

The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories (Books of Wonder)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although the original feel of O. Henry stories is maintained in this book (the dialogue, the solid values and homespun wisdom), the illustratons in this book really make it a stand-out. They are full of warmth, rich colors and just a delight in and of themselves, perfectly complimenting the text. There are no shortage of O. Henry collections out there, but this has to be one of the best ,especially for teen to young adult readers.

Honestly, I wasn't really too enthused when I found out that my 7th grade reading comprehension class would be reading this book. My thoughts? O'Henry. Classics. Ugh.
I ended up loving each and every story included in this book. You have to get into these stories, but the surprising endings are really something to look forward to. Some stories move you, some put a smile on your face, and some just make you go "ooooooooooooooooooooh" if you get it. This book is definitely worth your time, no matter how little of it you have:)!

"The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories" has a nice variety of stories. I have the 1997 edition, which includes the stories "The Gift of the Magi," "The Last Leaf," "Springtime a la Carte," "The Purple Dress," "One Thousand Dollars," "Transients in Arcadia," "A Chaparral Prince," "The Clarion Call," "The Hiding of Black Bill," and "A Retrieved Reformation." "The Gift of the Magi" is the best of them all, with "The Last Leaf," "A Chaparral Prince," and "A Retrieved Reformation" all coming in second place. O. Henry is an excellent short story writer - it's amazing how we can fully engulf ourselves within these stories, which are no more than ten pages long! I recommend.

This small book contains four stories: "The Gift of the Magi," "The Ransom of Red Chief," "The Rose of Dixie," and "The Momento." The first two stories were especially entertaining, although all four stories are great examples of O. Henry's work. Although the stories use a vocabulary and style that are reflective of the author's own era (O. Henry lived from 1862 to 1910), the humor and irony of the stories still shine. This book can serve as a good introduction to the great writing of one of America's most prolific short story writers.

A collection of timeless stories with unforgettable characters. They depict people who could live in any era with the weaknesses and strengths of "everyman." And of course, always with the "O'Henry twist." The illustrations are so real you think they are actual people.

Needed this for a college reading class, I was not to excited about it but after finishing this I was pleasantly surprised. Its a pretty good little book.