41 Stories [Signet Classics]

Nicely written but terribly dated like quaint literary relics, and those requisite "surprise twists" now just seem like sweet affectations. Whittled down to 20 stories or less it could have been a pleasant diversion. If you're looking for witty short stories which have withstood the test of time you'd be better off reading Saki (H. H. Munro).

There were parts of this reading experience I enjoyed, but 15 Stories by O.Henry would perhaps have been a better book. Some of the stories are overly sentimental (and even sappy). After briefly viewing William Sydney Porter's history the more positive aspects of sentimentality are consistent with at least one aspect of his general life experience- he did come back to the US and face charges so that he could be with his wife when she died, and that appears from my brief view to be a sentimental decision that was not unlike what his characters would have done. O.Henry stories have some sort of surprise- which can become repetitive by the time one reaches story 41- but this was a format that generally worked. The prejudices of this time show more and place are present, including using "White" as a description of positive behavior, and this is certainly unpleasant. Despite this lack of understanding of racism, he does demonstrate an awareness of other social issues (such as poverty and serious illness) and treats characters in these situations with compassion. Characters were somewhat nuanced, with shades of moral gray. The malapropisms were amusing for awhile as well. Overall, this book makes two points: first, that appearances are often deceiving, and second, that there are opportunities for heroic actions in day-to-day life. I wanted to like it more than I did. show less

I loved this book as a preteen, and delighted in the surprise endings that bore English teachers today. Because Porter didn't write for children, the vocabulary and settings are prohibitive for all but a very good young reader. To an adult, the stories start to sound alike, but to a child, they can be delightful.

Silly, but I when I think of this book, I can't help but be reminded of Steve Martin's sendup from Cruel Shoes about shinbone polish and cuticle frames.

I like O. Henry. And these short stories are why.