O. Henry (William Sydney Porter) (1862–1910), was a master of the short story and the surprise ending in works that famously include “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Ransom of Red Chief.” Born in North Carolina, he lived in Texas as a ranch hand, pharmacist, and bank teller—until he was arrested for embezzling funds. He wrote the novel Cabbages and Kings from Honduras, where he fled, coining the term banana republic. Porter returned, spent three years as a prison pharmacist, publishing stories from jail. By 1902 he was living in New York City, a prolific author.
WORKS THAT HAVE APPEARED IN NARRATIVE:
- Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen, a short story, in Stories of the Week: 2021–2022