O. Henry

O. Henry is the pen name of William Sidney Porter, who was born in the USA in 1862. He had only a basic education and worked as a pharmacist, bank clerk, accountant, journalist and in many other jobs in his lifetime. He got married to a seventeen-year-old, ill with tuberculosis, who pushed him to write stories. These did not bring in enough money for him to leave his job until much later in life. Before then, O. Henry was arrested for stealing from a bank he worked for. He escaped to Honduras, rather than go to prison and only returned to the USA when he discovered that his wife was dying. He still had to go to prison for three years. In later life, Porter’s short stories became very successful, but he found his popularity hard to manage. He died in 1910 of cancer of the liver. Today, he is regarded as one of the greatest short story writers who has ever lived.

Articles by O. Henry

A Ramble in Amnesia

Pre-IntermediateFiction

A top lawyer leaves his job, wife and home after he suddenly loses his memory. He has had a normal life but only really living for his work. Suddenly, all that changes when he wakes up on a train with thousands of dollars in his pocket. (2,445 words)

A Ramble in Amnesia

Upper-IntermediateFiction

The Ransom of Red Chief

AdvancedFiction

One of O. Henry’s funniest short stories about the kidnapping of a young boy which goes horribly – and often painfully – wrong. It will have you laughing from beginning to end and also show you why this long-dead author is still held in such high regard. (3,530 words)

The Reformation of a Bank Robber

Upper-IntermediateFiction

O. Henry knew about robbing banks and going to prison, having done so himself. Here he tells a story about a young bank robber who, after many successful jobs and some time in prison, changes his lifestyle so that he can marry. However, he’s soon pulled back into crime – but not through his own fault. (2,265 words)