The remarkable writer William Sidney Porter, known by the pseudonym O. Henry, occupies an exceptional place in American literature as a master of the short story genre. The heroes of O. Henry are diverse — they include millionaires, cowboys, speculators, clerks, laundresses, bandits, financiers, politicians, writers, artists, painters, workers, engineers, and firefighters — they change one another. A skilled plot constructor, O. Henry does not show the psychological side of what is happening; the actions of his characters do not receive deep psychological motivation, which further enhances the unexpectedness of the ending.
We present to the readers the complete text of the stories, accompanied by comments and a glossary.
The collection includes ten stories by one of the brightest American writers. To facilitate the understanding of the original text, comments with explanations of complex linguistic constructions and questions to the text are provided.
It is intended for high school students and university students studying English, as well as for a wide range of readers.
