O. Henry

Born William Sydney Porter in Greensboro, North Carolina, he wrote under the pen name O. Henry and became one of the most popular American short-story writers of the early 20th century. Before finding literary fame, he worked a range of jobs, including pharmacy, ranch work, and bank work, experiences that later helped give his stories their lively settings and believable characters.

He is especially remembered for stories such as The Gift of the Magi and The Ransom of Red Chief, as well as collections including Cabbages and Kings and The Four Million. Many of his best-known pieces are set in New York City and are loved for their humor, quick pacing, and clever twist endings.

Although his life included hardship and controversy, his fiction has endured because of its generosity toward ordinary people. O. Henry's stories remain widely read for the way they blend sentiment, irony, and a deep affection for the surprises of everyday life.