100 Selected Stories

This collection gathers a broad selection of short stories by O. Henry, the American writer whose tales of ordinary people in New York and beyond made him one of the best-loved storytellers of his era. The pieces show off his range, moving from brisk comic sketches to more tender portraits of love and hardship. Many turn on a sudden twist or an unexpected coincidence that recasts everything that has come before, and the endings often carry a kindly warmth alongside the wit. Taken together, the stories offer a lively portrait of city life at the turn of the century, full of characters who are hopeful, scheming, or simply trying to get by.