Waifs and Strays

1919. Together with a representative selection of critical and biographical comment. 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. Contents: Part One, Twelve Stories: The Red Roses of Tonia; Round the Circle; The Rubber Plant's Story; Out of Nazareth; Confessions of a Humorist; The Sparrows in Madison Square; Hearts and Hands; The Cactus; The Detective Detector; The Dog and the Playlet; A Little Talk about Mobs; and The Snow Man. Part Two, Critical and Biographical Comment includes writings about O. Henry by Arthur W. Page, Nicholas Vachel Lindsay, Stephen Leacock, A. St. John Adcock, George Jean Nathan, Christopher Morley, William Lyon Phelps, Arthur B. Maurice, Caroline Francis Richardson, and Henry James Forman. See other titles by this