O. Henry

Portrait by [[William van der Weyde|W. M. Vanderweyde]] (1909) William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American writer known primarily for his short stories, though he also wrote poetry and non-fiction. His works include "The Gift of the Magi", "The Duplicity of Hargraves", and "The Ransom of Red Chief", as well as the novel ''Cabbages and Kings''. Porter's stories are known for their naturalist observations, witty narration, and surprise endings.

Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, Porter worked at his uncle's pharmacy after finishing school and became a licensed pharmacist at age 19. In March 1882, he moved to Texas, where he initially lived on a ranch, and later settled in Austin, where he met his first wife, Athol Estes Roach. While working as a drafter for the Texas General Land Office, Porter began developing characters for his short stories. He later worked for the First National Bank of Austin, where he wrote ''The Rolling Stone'' weekly in newspapers.

After moving to Houston in 1895, he was charged with embezzlement stemming from an audit of the bank and fled to Honduras before trial. During his stay in Honduras, he began writing ''Cabbages and Kings'', which originated the term "banana republic". Porter surrendered to U.S. authorities when he learned his wife was dying from tuberculosis, and he cared for her until her death in July 1897. He began his five-year prison sentence in March 1898 at the Ohio Penitentiary, where he served as a night druggist. Porter wrote 14 stories from prison under various pseudonyms, one being O. Henry.

Released from prison early for good behavior, Porter moved to Pittsburgh to be with his daughter Margaret before relocating to New York City, where he wrote 381 short stories. He married once more to Sarah (Sallie) Lindsey Coleman before she left him in 1909. Porter died on June 5, 1910, after years of deteriorating health. Porter's legacy includes the O. Henry Award, an annual prize awarded to outstanding short stories. Provided by Wikipedia
Showing 1 - 15 results of 15 for search 'Henry, O.', query time: 0.02s Refine Results
  1. 1

    Cuentos de o. Henry / by Henry, O.

    Published 1971
    Book
  2. 2

    Obras selectas de o. Henri. by Henry, O.

    Published 1959
    Book
  3. 3

    Obras selectas de o. Henry. by Henry, O.

    Published 1959
    Book
  4. 4

    The last leaf and other stories / by Henry, O.

    Published 1999
    Book
  5. 5

    Cuentos / by Henry, O.,‏ 1862-1910

    Published 1971
    Book
  6. 6

    Cuentos / by Henry, O.,‏ 1862-1910

    Published 1971
    Book
  7. 7

    O. Henry's New York / by Henry, O. 1862-1910

    Published 1964
    Book
  8. 8

    New Yorkers : short stories / by Henry, O. 1862-1910

    Published 1991
    Book
  9. 9

    American scenes / by Henry, O. 1862-1910

    Published 1965
    Book
  10. 10

    Cuentos de Nueva York / by Henry, O., seud., 1862-1910

    Published 1954
    Book
  11. 11

    Cuentos + cuentos. / by Henry, O, Güiraldes, Ricardo, Hawthorne, Nathaniel

    Published 2013
    Book
  12. 12

    Etica en Enfermería / by Thompson, Joyce Beebe

    Published 1984
    Other Authors: “…Thompson, Henry O.…”
    Book
  13. 13

    La liga de los pelirrojos : y otras series siniestras ; Sel. y prólogo de Juan Sasturain. --

    Published 2005
    Book
  14. 14

    Crimen y misterio : antología de relatos de suspenso. /

    Published 2011
    Book
  15. 15

    Cuentos memorables /

    Published 1955
    Other Authors:
    Book