This selection of a hundred of O. Henrys succinct tales displays the range, humour and humanity of a perennially popular short-story writer. Here Henry gives a richly colourful and exuberantly entertaining panorama of social life, ranging from thieves to tycoons, from the streets of New York to the prairies of Texas. These stories are famed for their trick endings or twists in the tail: repeatedly the plot twirls adroitly, compounding ironies. Indeed, O. Henrys cunning plots surpass those of the ingenious rogues he creates. His style is genial, lively and witty, displaying a virtuosos command of language and allusion. This great collection offers delights for the mind, imagination and emotions.