O. Henry

O. Henry was the pen name of the American writer William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910). O. Henry's short stories are well known for their clever twist endings.

O. Henry in c. 1910

His whose tales romanticized the commonplace—in particular the life of ordinary people in New York City. His stories expressed the effect of coincidence on character through humour, grim or ironic, and often had surprise endings, a device that became identified with his name and cost him critical favour when its vogue had passed.

Among his most famous stories are:

• "The Gift of the Magi"
• "The Ransom of Red Chief"
• "A Retrieved Reformation