O. Henry's stories give a warm picture of the U.S. at the turn of the 20th century. He is an acknowledged master of the stort story, who found fantasy and romance in the commonplace people and happenings of his"Baghdad-on -the -Subway"-his name for New York. Twelve of his masterpieces are here, including The Gift of the Magi, The Retrieved Reformation and The Ransom of Red Chief. Like all O. Henry stories, they are full of optimistism and wit with his famous ironic plot twists.
