Those with fond sentiment for O. Henry's short stories should understand why this is his only novel. Although there are some trademark plot twists and well-crafted character sketches, the effect is muted by the rambling, cobbled together style. These loosely related tales of scamps and underdogs in an unstable Central American republic contain some clever images, as well as some dated, derogatory language. Lloyd James navigates this murky area admirably, de-emphasizing the crude name-calling by voicing it largely without malice. He simply speaks the vernacular as naturally as he creates the characters' accents. James's agile pacing and overall breezy approach work favorably on this insubstantial material. D.J. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to the
Audio Cassette
edition.
Product Description
1923. William Sydney Porter (O. Henry) was the most popular short story writer of his time. His stories typically revolved around two of his favorite themes, the situation of the impostor and fate as the one unavoidable reality of life. Another device he used was the surprise ending, usually coming about through coincidence. He was the founder of the humorous weekly The Rolling Stone. When the weekly failed, he joined the Houston Post as a reporter and columnist. He was convicted of embezzling money, although there's much debate over his actual guilt, and while in prison he started to write short stories. His first work, Whistling Dick's Christmas Stocking appeared in McClure's Magazine. After emerging from prison Porter changed his name to O. Henry. He then moved to New York and wrote a story a week for the New York World, while also publishing in other magazines. Cabbages and Kings was Henry's first collection of short stories. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.
