William Sydney Porter was a prolific American short-story writer who wrote under the pen-name - O. Henry. He started writing while he was in prison for embezzlement. He was a master of surprise endings. A typical trait of his stories is a twist of plot, which turns into an ironic or coincidental circumstance. The most widely read author of his time, O. Henry died penniless but left behind a wealth of short stories that endure as the classics of the genre. This selection brings together 53 of his most renowned and entertaining short stories that revolve around the lives of ordinary people. Each one offers insight into human nature and the ways it is affected by love, hate, wealth, poverty, gentility, disguise and crime - themes that ran through the author's personal life.