The American short-story writer William Sydney Porter (1862-1910) wrote under the pseudonym O. Henry. He pioneered in picturing the lives of lower class and middle-New Yorkers. O. Henry is one of the most famous American short story writers. He wrote in a dry, humorous style. A twist of plot, which turns on an ironic or coincidental circumstance, is typical of O. Henry's stories. His short stories are also known for their surprise endings. O Henry's first collection, Cabbages And Kings appeared in 1904. The second, The Four Million, was published two years later and included his well known stories 'The Gift of the Magi' and 'The Furnished Room'. The Trimmed Lamp (1907) included 'The Last Leaf'. Henry's best known work is perhaps the much anthologized 'The Ransom of Red Chief', included in the collection Whirligigs (1910). The Heart of The West (1907) presented tales of the Texas range. 10 collections of stories by O Henry were published during his lifetime. Three more collections, Sixes And Sevens (1911), Rolling Stones (1912) and Waifs And Strays (1917), appeared posthumously. This edition contains stories by O Henry from all his collections. All stories are complete and unabridged