O. Henry Books

as others here have elaborated on, and detailed some of the mastery compiled within this amazing collection, i'll be brief with my comments...

if you're seriously looking for "the perfect horror anthology..." put simply: you've found it. this deliciously thick volume has been one of the cornerstones of my macabre short story collection for quite some time.... and, honestly... i'm quite certain it always will be. it has earned it's place amongst the very best within my bookshelves.

for any / all fans of horror this tome is simply a must-have. PERIOD.

another standard, must-have volume for you die-hards is "The Dark Decent," edited and compiled by David G. Hartwell...

both of these tomes collectively should represent the basic core of any horror short story collection... from the beginner to the advanced reader....

This was the best introduction of horror short stories for me. I am aware of so many top-notch writers due to this compilation. Modern short stories have become a let-down to me after reading this book. You have to go backwards to find solid reading material. There is really no need to get into specifics because the proof is on the pages - many of these stories have left me amazed, and if you do not already possess the stories in this anthology, I strongly recommend this book. It is the main source of my awareness of the classic horror short story genre. I read this book and tried to find more like it, and many anthologies do not live up to this selection as far my tastes are concerned. I only wish that Herbert Wise would edit more anthologies. I love short stories, and though I am not a die-hard short story fanatic, I believe that these writers are so superior that anybody would become an instant fan reading them.

A book to keep by the bedside; tales to enjoy again and again. A haven for those familiar with the genre, and, for the novice, a menu of the fine writers of dark imagination.

This book is, quite simply, the best collection of 19th and early-20th century short fiction of the dark variety in existence. First published in the 1940s, this single (albeit fat) volume is a goldmine of the roots of modern horror, a great way to see where today's horror heavyweights got their inspiration and influence.

Some authors whose stories appear within: Bierce, Blackwood, Dickens, Faulkner, Hawthorne, Hemingway, James (both Henry & M.R.), Kipling, Lovecraft, Machen, Poe, Wells, and many more, a good mixture of horror genre regulars and more conventional or 'literary' authors to whom dark fiction was a departure from the norm. If many of those above names are unfamiliar to you and you consider yourself a fan of dark fiction, you owe it to yourself to read this book.

[Sidenote: The book also contains two of my all-time favorite short stories from two slightly lesser-known authors: Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game," and W.W. Jacob's "The Monkey's Paw." As far as I know, this is the only single volume that includes both. The latter story is, in my humble opinion, THE most perfect scary story of all time.]

Once again: Wagner & Wise's collection is the best thing of its kind.

If you're looking for a little fear on your pallet, this book will dish it out in buckets. The authors are old world craftsmen who wrote these stories on dark and stormy nights. As you read, the wind will howl, dead children will laugh, and the scurry of rats will make you look around your room. Drink a glass of wine, eat dark chocolate, and curl up to this one in bed. Dead men do write good tales.

Endurance: an Epic of Polar Adventure
By F.A. Worsley
W.W. Norton & Company, 1931
ISBN: 0-393-04684-2

They say that truth is stranger than fiction. Endurance: An Epic of Polar Adventure is a sterling example. This riveting first-person narrative of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914 - 1916 recounts an extraordinary survival story replete with close calls, near misses, imminent disaster, and harrowing escapes. It's a true story "of invincible endurance and irrepressible humor through hardship and danger" in the face of overwhelming odds.

Sir Ernest Shackleton set off to cross Antarctica, a journey of more than 2,000 miles. Although his ship Endurance was wrecked before he set foot on the "most desolate, storm-swept place on earth," Shackleton and his men pulled off the greatest escape in the history of polar expedition. I've read and seen several accounts of this "bottom-of-the world" adventure, but none so detailed or compelling as the account of author Frank Arthur Worsley, commander of the doomed HMS Endurance.

Shackleton and his crew leave South Georgia, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean, in December 1914. While the ship makes good progress initially and pushes her way through thick pack ice off Antarctica, the wind shifts and closes the narrow channels or "leads", packing ice floes around the ship until she's stuck like a fly in honey. During the long winter the pack ice carries the Endurance almost 600 miles north.

In July 1915 Shackleton conferences with Worsley and Frank Wild, Shackleton's second in command. "The Boss" prophesies of the Endurance: "She's pretty near her end." He's right. A "splendid little ship," the plucky Endurance eventually succumbs to the enormous pressure of thousands of tons of ice and hoves onto her side. The crew salvages what supplies and stores they can just before she goes under, along with three life boats. The ship finally shatters and sinks, leaving twenty-eight members of the Expedition shelterless in the one of the harshest, most inhospitable regions imaginable.

At Shackleton's direction, the crew initially camps on drifting ice floes dubbed "Ocean Camp" and "Patience Camp" and allows the current to carry them north to safety. During this time Worsley recounts encounters with sea leopards, Emperor penguins, and deprivation - "we had been living for some weeks principally on seals and penguins" and when these migrated away, the men were reduced to "fourteen ounces of food a day" - which resulted not only in physical weakness but also a significantly reduced ability to fight the intense cold. Worsley recalls the "sad day" when all of the dogs, save one team, "had to be destroyed, to save food." Despite the omnipresent threat of exposure, frostbite, thirst, starvation and other adversities, Worsley dubs "the dreaded monotony" as the expedition's worst enemy. They are saved from starvation by a flock of migrating Adelie penguins.

After five months of drifting and countless dangers on the floes, the crew sights the Antarctic Continent in March 1916. Shackleton has brought them safely through two thousand miles of pack ice (p. 65). Deciding upon a safer but longer route to the nearest island to avoid more deadly pack ice, Shackleton orders the men to prepare to sail for the forbidding Elephant Island.

Worsley narrates the crew's reaction to Shackleton's decision, "... for most of us, I think our former lives had receded to that dim and shadowy vagueness usually associated with drams... I was unable to picture an existence in which a desert of ice and snow, battles with sea leopards, the dread killer whales, and a regard for penguins as almost personal friends did not play a part."
The floe cracks and the crew hurriedly launches the boats and embarks upon a hair-raising journey across the Southern Ocean to Elephant Island. On the stormy crossing the crews of the three boats - the Stancomb Wills, Dudley Docker and the James Caird - fight to stay together against blizzards, contrary currents, starvation, exhaustion and a voracious ocean that constantly threatens to swamp the small boats. Only the thinnest sliver of hope and a huge chunk of confidence in Sir Ernest keep his men going. Worsley describes the journey through "white hills of ice-clad sea, capricious currents, constant, unrelenting cold," sleep deprivation, exhaustion and exposure in an orderly, almost calm narrative without a trace of self-pity, panic, or despair. The men had such faith in their leader that the thought of failure never took hold. (See pages 83, 84, 86 and 88.)

Separated from the two other boats, Worsley and his men endure a hellacious night in the Dudley Docker before finally sighting the forbidding the coast of Elephant Island. Worsley and his crew eventually land on "a low, rocky beach" and are overjoyed to find the two other boats at the same location, which Worsley describes as "a gigantic mass of rock, carrying on its back a vast sheet of ice."

The full weight of responsibility for the safety and well-being of his men falls solely and wholly on Shackleton, whose self-sacrificing devotion to his men was legendary: "He was not only the leader of a great expedition but a true brother and shipmate to each one of us, thinking of us always before himself." In the wild, inhospitable, inaccessible environment of Elephant Island, this responsibility would have crushed a lesser man than the indomitable Shackleton:

- "It was due solely to Shackleton's care of the men in preparing ... hot meals and drinks every four hours day and night, and his general watchfulness in everything concerning the men's comfort, that no one died during the journey (to South Georgia)."

- "Shackleton's popularity among those he led was due to the fact that he was not the sort of man who could do only big and spectacular things. When occasion demanded he would attend personally to the smallest details, and he had unending patience and persistence which he would apply to all matters concerning the well-being of his men."

- "Shackleton had always insisted that the ultimate responsibility for anything that befell us was his and his only. ... My view was that we were all grown men, going of our own free wills on this expedition, and that it was up to us to bear whatever was coming to us. Not so Shackleton. His view was that we had trusted him, that we had placed ourselves in his hands, and that should anything happen to any one of us, he was morally responsible. His attitude was almost patriarchal. True, this may have accounted in some measure for the men's unquestioning devotion to him, and it always seemed to me that they bore toward him the love of sons for a singularly noble father..."


In the chapter entitled On Elephant Island, Worsley describes Shackleton's extraordinary leadership abilities. The Boss quickly discerns that a severe food shortage is imminent on Elephant Island. The consummate commander, Sir Ernest acts swiftly and decisively. He readies a twenty-two foot boot for the "forlorn hope" of sailing across "the most treacherous seas in the world" in the dead of an Antarctic winter to South Georgia Island, some eight hundred miles away. The odds of success are staggeringly slim, but Shackleton and five others remain undaunted and resolute. Reaching South Georgia Island and launching a rescue effort is the expedition's sole hope of survival.

Leaving Frank Wild in charge on Elephant Island, Worsley and Shackleton and five others set out. Worsley describes the scene the night before the leave: "It is a dreadful thing to face your shipmates, men who have been through thick and thin with you, and to realize that in all probability it is for the last time; nor does it add to your serenity of mind to know that if you fail to come back they will starve to death."

Worsley concludes On Elephant Island with thoughts of the men left behind: "...I felt that whatever hardships we might be called upon to face, we were the fortunate ones. Inactivity and uncertainty would come harder to men of the type of my shipmates than the unknown adventure that was before us." He adds pointedly, "We had in fact started on the greatest adventure of our career."

In chapter VI, The Boat Journey Begins, Worsley chronicles some of the challenges facing the determined little crew of the James Caird in their desperate attempt to sail north:

- Finding a way of breaking through the encircling line of pack-ice to north of Elephant Island so they can make for the open water
-Constant risk of being smashed by sea ice
-Being constantly wet for the duration of the journey
- Frozen reindeer skin sleeping bags
- Contaminated fresh water
- Being battered by blizzards and ferocious storms

Deciding upon the best point to make for, Shackleton emphasizes getting north as quickly as possible, "even though the route might be lengthened, so as to avoid all danger of ice and to relieve us from the almost overwhelming cold":

"What do you think of Cape Horn?" he asked, adding, "it's the nearest."
"Yes," I replied, "but we can never reach it. The westerly gales would blow us away. With luck, though, we might fetch the Falkland Islands."
"I am afraid that, although it is the longest run," he remarked, "we shall have to make for South Georgia, as you originally suggested. The gales will drive us leeward." And do they do, but not without incident on what Worsley understates as an"eventful and truly dreadful journey."
They finally land on South Georgia, but on the opposite side of the Norwegian whaling station and help. The boats isn't safe to put to sea again, nor are some members of the crew, who are too weak to continue. So Shackleton, Worsley and Tom Crean "rope up" and set out to cross the uncharted "impassable" interior of South Georgia Island. Worsley later records:

Without sleep, halting only for meals, we had crossed South Georgia in thirty six hours. Incidentally, he continues, "I learnt afterwards that we had crossed the island during the only interval of fine weather that occurred that winter. There was no doubt that Providence had been with us. There was indeed one curious thing about our crossing South Georgia... which I have never been able to explain. Whenever I reviewed the incidents of that march I had the sub-conscious feeling that there were four of us, instead of three. Moreover, this impression was shared by both Shackleton and Crean.

The exhausted trio stumbles into the whaling station on South Georgia on May 20. Three days later Shackleton and Worsley leave the island aboard a whaler bound for Elephant Island, determined to rescue their marooned shipmates. Weather forces them to turn back within sixty miles of Elephant Island. Heroic efforts to secure another vessel and safe passage finally pay off - on their fourth attempt. The strain of Shackleton and concern for his men is recorded by Worsley, who writes: "Lines scored themselves on his face more deeply day by day; his thick, dark, wavy hair was becoming silver. He had not a grey hair when we had started out to rescue our men the first time. Now, on the third return journey, he was grey-headed."

It is August 30, 1916. "One hundred and twenty-eight days since we had left them" writes Worsley, "days covering the worse of the Antarctic winter." One of the most poignant passages in this narrative appears on page 179 as Shackleton, on his fourth attempt at rescue, peers "with almost painful intensity through his binoculars" at the near coast of Elephant Island. He's counting: "There are only two, Skipper!" Then, `No, four!' A short pause followed and he exclaimed, `I see six-eight-` and at last, in a voice ringing with joy he cried, `They are all there! Every one of them! They are all saved!""

A boat is lowered and Shackleton leaps into it. "And as he drew close into the shore I hear him shout: `Are you all well?' Back came their answering yell, `All well!' followed by his wholehearted `Thank God!'

It is an historical fact that not a single man was ever lost in any expedition headed by Ernest Shackleton.

The narrative drops off precipitously following the Elephant Island rescue, but picks up steam on page 251, Southwards Again, when Worsley rejoins his old friend for another assault on the Antarctic. The year is 1922. Sadly, the return expedition isn't meant to be. The author's "best friend" dies of a massive heart attack in his cabin on South Georgia Island on January 5, days before his return to most desolate, storm-swept place on earth" that proved his mettle and made him a hero. Shackleton is buried on South Georgia Island.

Worsley's final chapter, The Death of A Hero, sensitively records the final scene with affection and admiration that shine through in every paragraph. "He had a way of compelling loyalty" writes one who sailed with him. "We would have gone anywhere without question just on his order." Asks Worsley rhetorically, "What more glowing tribute could any man wish for?"

Indeed, Endurance isn't just "a tale of unrelenting high adventure," but a tribute "to one of the most inspiring and courageous leaders of men in the history of exploration." This book is a compelling look into the heart and soul of a man whose extraordinary sagacity, capability, kindliness, courage and "wonderful capacity for self-sacrifice" set a standard for Leadership that still makes the world sit back and wonder. A great read.

I took a copy of this during an overseas military deployment, and in being reminded of the incredible conditions of the Endurance expedition, I found it hard to complain about some of the comparatively minor discomforts of being in the Army. This account by Worsley, the skipper of the Endurance and a lifelong friend of Shackleton, is a useful complement to other writings on the subject. The details of the Antarctic conditions, and particularly the section on the famous open-boat crossing to South Georgia Island, are described in way that no one but a participant could tell the tale. Worsley includes material about his WWI era experiences that doesn't appear in other works about the Endurance expedition. This is a recommended book for not just the Antarctic subject matter, but for its treatment of bravery, resourcefulness, survival, adventure, and leadership. This is a book that I will keep and re-read.

Endurance: An Epic of Polar AdventureI wanted to know something new, beyond the shackleton's book - south, but sometimes I think Worlsley had a great imagination.

Amongst all the books on Shackleton's voyage, this one provides the best insight into Shackleton as a man and as a leader. Due to his sense of humility and perhaps focus on the task at hand, Shackleton's own account of the voyage tends to dwell on the daily details of the group's struggles. Worsley's account on the other hand provides great insight into group dynamics and Shackleton's skill at maintaining unity under trying conditions. Shackleton's story needed someone other than Shackleton himself to tell it, Worsley being the expeditions captain and Shackleton's right-hand man, not to mention a masterful writer, is just the person. This book should be mandatory reading for anyone studying leadership and team building.

Now those were some tough adventurers back then...just solid outdoorsman and really strong willed and strong physically. This was outstanding to read and imagine what the human spirit can endure.

My husband found this book and bought it for the time when our beloved dog passes on. A friend's dog passed on a month ago and I gave her our book. We read sections of it when 8 of us gathered to comfort our friend. The words brought tears to our eyes and helped us honor the memory of her small companion. We repurchased the book to help us get through our grief when the time comes. Definitely recommended to anyone with a beloved dog.

I, unfortunately, have bought this book about 12 times. I buy this as a gift whenever someone close loses a dog from their family. Anyone who has lost a canine member of the family can use this book, it becomes personal to anyone.

i think this is an excelint gift for someone who has lost a loved dog.

...as only a master of literature can do. This is a beautifully told tale, one which I have shared with friends who have lost their best four-legged friends. O'Neill captures the depth of feeling these creatures share with us for too short a time...
A wonderfully positive, uplifting book for anyone dealing with the loss of a beloved pet.
A treasure.

I have sent this little book to dear friends who have recently suffered the loss of a canine family member. They have told me that this little book has brought them tremendous comfort at a very difficult time.

Though the other stories have much cinematic potential, my favorite of this collection has to be "Dirk Snigby's Guide To The Afterlife." Funny and snarkily irreverent, it is full of the absurdities that is the currency of organized religion. In the right hands, "Dirk" could be the next "Dr. Strangelove" -- a chilling satire on what we fear most after taking that final breath in this life as we open the door to the next. Who knows, perhaps Dirk might in fact be our Guide. Pick up a copy of this anthology for this story alone.

an excellent collection of short stories that will make wonderful movies. standouts :gone to mum's
dirk snigby
some pig
waltzing matilda.
sit back with a long cool drink and enjoy.

_The Hustler, It Happened One Night, High Noon, Minority Report_ and _All About Eve._ Quite an impressive list, but what do these movies all have in common? Give up? They all started as a short story.

Next Stop Hollywood is the brainchild of Steve Cohen and Jonathan Davis. Each year they partner with St. Martin's Press to publish original short stories that are judged by a panel of Hollywood insiders via an international contest, with winning entries compiled into the anthology. Their criteria? Finding stories that would make a great movie or TV project. More than 600 entries were submitted and narrowed down to a mere 15.

Using the same judging criteria, I chose three stories from Next Stop Hollywood to highlight.

Perry Glasser's "An Age of Marvels and Wonders," tells the story of a lonely old man slowly going blind and the young woman who comes into his life. Raylene is a walking hard luck story--with two kids, no money and an abusive ex-husband. Is it any wonder she's skeptical of an offer of help? Bob may slowly be going blind, but he sees far more than mere eyesight allows.

"Gone to Mum's" by Barry Simiana is a richly detailed and poignant story of missed chances, stolen moments, heartbreak and redemption. Simiana's narrator takes readers along on his journey of self-discovery amid the rugged backdrop of Australia. The author paints emotion on his canvas, stunning the reader with the simplicity and honesty of his prose.

"The Good Kid" by Brian Richmond, is a clever tale of deception. Marty is a bank robber on the run with nowhere to go. The kid is more than willing to help. But is he helping himself or Marty? O. Henry would have approved.

With Hollywood scrambling for fresh ideas, it's nice to know that the art of the short story is not completely forgotten.

Armchair Interviews says: Kudos to Cohen and Davis for their part in reviving an endangered genre.

I thoroughly enjoyed these short stories, especially "Dirk Snigby's Guide to the Afterlife". Dirk and the devil would be a hit on the silver screen!

Perry Glasser is a wonderful writer and an inspiration in my own writing. His forthright yet crafty style will leave you complete. You won't be disappointed!

This is a great story written in 1933. So it has views of that time. As you know Liberalism and poilitical corectness is paramount today. I think most people can accept that a term like "half-breed" was ok back then. However as this is a childrens story and the way lawsuits are filed left and right...i think thats why a great book like this all of a sudden finds itself off the shelves in schools. wouldn't Obama be a "half breed" for right or wrong? Too bad...I just love the book.

I read this book several times when I was young. I loved it then and my son has read this a couple times in recent years. I have all four books in the series. The description of his life on the trail, taking care of the sled dogs, and even the food he ate while on the trail were all exciting to me. The book starts out about Silver Chief's mother, before the Chief was born. I had forgotten about that part. This is a great book. Another book I liked regarding the outdoors, which also had great detail, was My Side of the Mountain.

I read this book as a young girl and now at the age of 60 I enjoyed it just as much. I read it to my four kids when they were in the 5th grade and they loved it as well. Now my daughter who is a high school teacher is using a copy of the book in her classroom for her students to read.

My dad read this book as a boy in the 1950s. He introduced the Silver Chief books to me and I read and reread them as a young preteen. I have since read them to several children who also couldn't get enough of them. Silver Chief is a beautiful silver animal part dog and part wolf. A Royal Candian Mounted Policeman named Sar. Thornton heads north to track a murderer. While waiting to track down the murderer, Thornton captures and tames Silver Chief training him into a loving companion and loyal friend. When the Murderer wounds Thornton in the leg, it is up to Silver Chief to see that they arrive safely back to civilization.

I read this book in elementary school, after stumbling across it while browsing through the school library. It's such a great story and even though it's for youngsters, I wouldn't mind re-reading it now as an adult, just for the memories of the brave wild dog's adventures.

The Psalms have long been the Church's "prayer-book," but many Christians today find it difficult to truly pray these ancient Jewish prayers - which often contain unknown or even troubling imagery - with a Christian spirit. Fr. Reardon does a great service to the Church with "Christ in the Psalms", which allows us to read each of the Psalms in a truly Christological fashion.

Drawing from the traditions of both the East and the West, Fr. Reardon, an Orthodox priest and editor of Touchstone magazine, takes each Psalm and paints a prayerful, Christian portrait. I especially appreciate that he incorporates how a particular Psalm has been used by both Eastern and Western monks in their liturgy of the hours. As the Psalms make up the core of monastic prayer, and the monastic life is the heart of the Church's corporate prayer life, this gives one insight into how the church has interpreted and prayed these Psalms through the centuries.

Each meditation is a perfect length for personal meditation: about 800 words each. This allows one to read the Psalm, read the reflection, then personally meditate on what he has read. Highly recommended for anyone wishing to encounter Christ more deeply in the Psalms.

This was written by a priest for many years for his congregation to learn about the psalms. He looks at each psalm and uses historical references to help interpret the psalms. This helps those of us who don't know much about the Jews or the outlaying area and cities of that time. This is not something to read straight through, but to pick up every now and then. There is a chapter for every psalm.
Here is a quote from page 55, speaking of psalm 28:

"The setting of this tempest is a giant cedar forest, whose overarching branches assume the contours of a vaulted temple, and through this lofty sylvan shrine the booming voice of God comes pounding and roaring with a terrifying majesty, accompanied by the swishing of the wind and rain, while flashing bolts of lightning split the very trunks of the towering trees: 'In His temple everything speaks glory.'
This is a psalm about God's 'glory' (kavod) and 'holiness. In any language, this is certainly a psalm to be prayed out loud, allowing the words to come rumbling through the soul..."

Christ in the Psalms is a first-class compendium of commentaries on the Bible's prayer book. Moreover, linking commentary with New Testament cites creates a rich repertoire of meditation -- personal or for small groups. The instructions on how to use the book, particularly not to pass quickly one to another, are accurate and meaningful. Written in user-friendly language, this book brings to life in unique ways material worthy of contemplation. Great resource.

Though the writer is a Bible Scholar his writing style is both contemplative and devotional. He shows how each Psalm is a prophetic picture of Jesus Chirst. This is a great companion volume to read side by side with the Book of Psalms. I am a pastor of a non-denomination Christian church and have found this to be a great resource.

Christ in the Psalms is one of the rare books that one can consider a true "blessing" to have read. It gives the reader a lot of spiritual 'meat' to chew on, and yet it is entirely readable and accessable. Erudite without being academic. Spiritual without being maudlin. Entirely orthodox and filled with dry wit and wry observations. Sometimes a passage was like a hand on the shoulder whispering kindly advice in my ear; other passages sharp but much needed criticism. Simply outstanding. At a time when I had a very poor spiritual director and so much unhappiness in the seminary, Fr. Reardon provided sorely needed mercy and respite through his book.

I have read this book twice, and in two ways. First, cover to cover, but in two or three chapter bits as an aid to meditation in chapel. The other way was skipping from psalm to psalm as I progressed through the (Roman Catholic) Liturgy of the Hours...praying the Psalms of the hour and then reading Fr. Reardon's commentary on the Psalms just prayed.

As I write this review, I cannot help but to think of the words of the Disciples on the road to Emmaeus: "Did not our hearts burn within us he opened the Scriptures to us?"

Perhaps the best thing I can say about the book is that it showed me the love and friendship of Christ in ways I had not known before. Therefore, I am compelled to recommend it to you and hope that you will get as much out of it as I did.

An excellect book for anyone. It was a great Christmas stocking stuffer and will make a great birthday gift when you want to give more than a card.

This is quintessential O. Henry. If you want a gift for a friend or a way to introduce someone to the joys of the short story, this is a great pick.

This book begins with the one of the lesser-known Christmas stories that illustrates how we should give to the utmost during this season of giving. O. Henry is able to use wit to show wisdom, and the ridiculous to show the sublime.

The poor married couple is forced to scrounge for Christmas. The husband hocks his watch to buy hair combs for his wife, and his wife sell her hair to a wig-maker to buy a fob-chain. Bit this story isn't about a couple's holiday folly, but the desire to love and serve other people to the utmost.

One of the classics is "The Last Leaf," about a boy who in inspired by a last leaf, which is really a painting. Another story is "The Cop And the Anthem," about the bum who tries to get arrested, then has a turn of heart second before he is booked for vagrancy. It also has the immortal "The Ransom Of Red Chief," the story about the kidnappers who get the redheaded brat, and try their darndest to get rid of the kid.

O. Henry has the a gift of the twist, like Rod Serling of "Twilight Zone" fame, or M. Night Shyamalan, the director of "The Sixth Sense," and "Signs." As you read, it keeps your eyes on their toes, since at any minute the whole story will twist upside-down. This roller-coaster writing is like a well-told joke.

When I was a teenager, I listened to the Gift of the Magi, the Last Leaf, After Twenty Years etc on public radio stations (Guess where?). I was so moved then. I think these among other great works had played a role in my decision to pursue an English Literature major.
Now life had challenged me into a somewhat different world where often times we forget about the literature, the philosophy and the simpliest pleasures of life.
I bought this book again so that I could read it to my children someday. My first born is only 3. But I think he is starting to show some appreciation.

"The Gift of the Magi and Other Short Stories" brings together 16 pieces by O. Henry. The stories in this collection are taken from 8 of O. Henry's books; the original volumes have publication dates ranging from 1906 to 1911. This book includes a short introductory note on the colorful life and career of the author, who lived from 1862 to 1910.

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. O. Henry writes about criminals, dreamers, artists, lovers, and lost souls. Many of these stories have a New York City setting--he really captures the energy and color of the city. There are also a Western story ("The Pimienta Pancakes"), a Southern Gothic tale ("A Municipal Report"), a story set primarily in a small town in Arkansas ("A Retrieved Reformation"), and a story set in rural Alabama ("The Ransom of Red Chief").

If you like stories with "twist" endings, you will probably like this collection. The book as a whole is a lot of fun--full of life and charm. Some of the stories may strike contemporary readers as corny, but I found each tale to be an enjoyable gem of storytelling. The book is rich in irony, with some really funny scenes.

O. Henry tells stories of love, justice, deception, sacrifice, and heroism. He makes some intriguing creative choices; this is clearly the work of a master in total command of the short story genre. His prose style is very readable and engaging, with touches of baroque elegance.

we loved this story I didn't not realize there was a history on these
people. and it was done so well I would recommend you read Malaki first
then this book after. good read

Aloha kakou,
Outstanding collaborative effort by two very important Native Hawaiian voices. This wonderful portrait details a man`s life spent well--dealing with the challenges and trials of surviving Hansen`s disease in Kalaupapa, Moloka`i. Not an in depth about Hansen`s or Kalaupapa, this is Henry`s story, his life, loves, talents and legacy. Henry tells his story, through Sally-Jo`s sensitive handling, with the self effacing, off hand manner of a true local Bruddah. Typical of Hawaiians of his generation, he can do a handful of difficult things really well. This celebration of a life lived with purpose also shows what can result from a life lived purposefully with Aloha. I strongly recommend this book.

In his powerful first book, "Uncle Henry" Nalaielua tells a story that has rarely been told, of a dark moment of Hawai'i's history; not from the distant viewpoint of the historian, but from the first-person testimony of its survivor.

With honesty, humor and vivid detail, Henry's courageous tale touched my soul, so profoundly, that I kept wanting to know more. I couldn't put it down and finished it in one sitting, wishing that it wouldn't end. It stirred emotions in the same way as Paulo Coelho's, "The Alchemist," in its message of following one's dream, despite all obstacles. (Except, this is no fable; it is a real life piece.)

Along with his brilliant co-author, Sally-Jo Bowman, he weaves an intimate story of strength and perserverence, which will surely be known for decades to come as one of the islands' finest mo`olelo.

This is a must read for everyone and makes for a wonderful gift. It will touch you in surprising ways, and make you want to meet this incredible man and the spiritual place that he would finally call, "home."

I've now given away so many copies of No Footprints that I should have bought a dozen or twenty at wholesale. Henry's is an amazing story of a kolohe kanaka - naughty Hawaiian - who had the misfortune to contract a dreaded disease in 1936. Sally-Jo Bowman's input makes it a fascinating read. Sounds just like Henry sat down and wrote it all by himself, but we know it doesn't work that way. I chuckled at Henry's can-do attitude. Man after my own heart. I'm glad the book includes all his Casanova events. What a guy, a real renaissance kanaka kane - Hawaiian man. Great title!

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (3/07)

This is an amazing story. It is Henry's story. Henry Nalielua, diagnosed with Hansen's disease at the age of ten, was branded leprous. "No Footprints in the Sand" is an important memoir. It tells of the journey that took Henry from a sugar plantation community on the Island of Hawaii to Kalaupapa, a remote settlement on the Hawaiian island of Molokai.

Nalaielua's story is inspiring. Even in exile, with lifelong medical and physical challenges and isolation from his family, he faced life with hope, perseverance, courage, and humor. Henry learned to draw and paint. He became an artist. Henry loved music and mastered the ukulele and upright bass. He became a musician. Henry's mind was sharp. He was determined and quick-to-learn. He became an historian. Henry has also served on numerous public agency advisory boards. When the facility at Kalaupapa was named a National Historic Park, Henry became a guide for park visitors. He still resides at Kalaupapa

Co-author Sally-Jo Bowman worked determinedly over a period of years to help bring Henry's story to publication. She first met Henry in 1995, when he helped her with on-site research at Kaluapapa for several magazine articles about the Hansen's disease colony.

Henry's story is unforgettable. It is told with intimacy and openness. "No Footprints in the Sand" is a heartwarming memoir that will inspire anyone facing adversity, long term illness, or needing encouragement. This was a very positive reading experience.

I looked all over for a kids book about Henry Thoreau to use with my 3rd and 4th graders. They really enjoyed this story! I highly recommend it.

Wonderful book, my adult friends loved it as much as the children. Thoreau was cool 150 years ago and knew then what ignorant people like GW Bush will never know. This book should be read by everyone!!!

This is a beautifully illustrated and clever fictionalized account of Henry David Thoreau as a man who turns out not to be so foolish as his townsfolk think. His neighbors in Concord think he's crazy for not wanting what they want: more money, more property, more industry, more things. Their incredulity is heightened when he decides to live out by himself in a small cabin on the banks of Walden Pond. As told in this story, the townspeople and especially the mayor are threatened by this challenge to their lifestyle and decide to try and kick him out by enlisting a toothpick manufacturer to come in and cut down the trees in Walden woods. He changes their mind by telling his story -- or, as the authors suggest: by bringing his townspeople out of their cloistered lives and into the woods for an afternoon.

Of course this isn't exactly what happened -- there were some industries in the area but logging had been taking place in the Walden woods for a long time before Thoreau got there, and while some of the townsfolk thought Thoreau was crazy, none of them were threatened by his lifestyle and none tried to threaten him. Still, the essence of the story rings true, and the authors use of poetic license serves to indicate how much of a contrast there was between Thoreau's convictions and lifestyle and those of most around him. A very nice story, that would serve as an excellent brief introduction to the life of Thoreau for newcomers of all ages.

One minor caveat on the otherwise excellent illustrations: Thoreau is here depicted as tall and lanky, something like Lincoln, when in fact by all accounts he was short and lean but built.

"The Trouble with Henry" provides children with an accessible classic story expressing the trials and tribulations of individuality and fostering sensitivity to the environment.

What a refreshing story! My daughter and I loved it. From the beginning to the end, children (and adults alike) will be caught up in the wonderful imagery created and clever "sounding" words chosen by its author. By celebrating the spirit of the individual and appreciating the simplicity and beauty of nature, children are introduced to Thoreau in a delightful and marvelously illustrated way. The Trouble with Henry is bound to be a favorite, especially among younger readers.

This is a favorite storybook in our home. I enjoy reading this one to our four children, and its one of their all time favorites. Its right next to the nightstand.
I think I enjoy reading Five O'Clock Charlie as much as they enjoy hearing it read to them!

I'm 47 and I still remember reading this when I was a child. I just fell in love with Charlie and have always wanted a horse like him that would stick his head in the kitchen window. I went on to read Misty and Stormy, Misty's Foal when I got a little older but Charlie never left my heart. A great read with terrific illistrations your kids will remember for years to come!!

Five O'clock Charlie was my favorite book as a child and I read it to my children when they were little. It became such a favorite of my children that when the oldest got married and moved out of state the kids argued over who would keep my original copy. Well she took it with her against the wishes of the others. I have read this book to kindergarden classes and they have all asked that it be read again and again. I have ordered it for every child I have on a gift list and their parents love it as much as the child does.

Five O'Clock Charlie was my favorite childhood book, and it still has a special place on my shelf and in my heart. A must for anyone who loves horses, regardless of whether you're young or just young at heart! A great gift for anyone.

Charlie,the work horse was retired by his master who said Charlie was too old to work. In fact, everybody said he was too old. Everyone, that is, except Charlie. He is lonely in his pasture where nothing grows but thistles and chickweed. He is bored and hungry. He remembers the old days when he used to get treats from the tavern cook, Birdie, and escapes from his pasture each day at five o'clock to return to the inn. There he finds that he can still be useful and important, even though he no longer can pull wagons or a plow.