A prolific American short story writer, O.Henry was a master of surprise endings. Typical for his stories is a twist of plot which turns on an ironic or coincidental circumstance. This selection brings together some of his the most renowned and entertaining short stories .Each one offer insights into human nature and the way it is affected by love, hate, wealth, poverty, gentility, disguise, and crime-themes that ran thruogh the author's own life. Born William Sidney Porter, O.Henry started writing while in prison for embezzlement.Later he moved to New York, and his tales romanticizing the commonplace, particularly the life of ordinary New Yorkers, became highly popular.The most widely read author of his time, O. Henry died penniless but left behind a wealth of short stories that endure as classics of the genre.