O. (Spirit) Henry

Born William Sydney Porter in Greensboro, North Carolina, O. Henry became famous under the pen name that appeared on hundreds of short stories. He worked a wide range of jobs before writing full time, and those experiences helped shape his lively feel for ordinary people, quick dialogue, and the small dramas of everyday life.

After time in Texas and a period of imprisonment, he returned to writing in earnest and eventually settled in New York City. There he produced story after story for newspapers and magazines, building a huge readership with pieces that mixed humor, coincidence, sentiment, and the surprise endings that became closely linked with his name.

His best-known works include "The Gift of the Magi," "The Ransom of Red Chief," and "The Last Leaf." Though he died in 1910, his stories have stayed popular because they are easy to enter, rich in character, and full of sympathy for people trying to get by.