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The World of O.Henry Audiobook
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(4.00) - 2,146 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
If you think of classic literature as dry and dusty reading that you have to force yourself to get through, then prepare to change your mind. Not only are these stories witty and entertaining, they are laugh-out-loud funny to boot! Does the 300-year-old ghost of Sir Simon de Canterville really exist? And if he does, will the rambunctious Otis children scare him out of his wits? What deadly crime is foretold in Lord Arthur Savile's palm, and who will be the victim? The answers lie in these hilarious tales. Each of O.Henry's stories are original, intelligent and wonderfully written. His fiendishly clever prose, and deftly ironic humor begs to be read aloud, and is heightened by the incomparable Frank Muller's dazzling narration. This collection includes: The Gift of the Magi, The Reformation of Calliope, One Thousand Dollars, The Pimienta Pancakes, The Badge of Policeman O'Roon, The Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen, Caught, The Whirligig of Life, Makes the Whole World Kin, The Cop and the Anthem, Memoirs of a Yellow Dog, The Last Leaf, A Newspaper Story, The Skylight Room, A Retrieved Reformation, The Rubaiyat of a Scotch Highball, The Passing of Black Eagle, The Green Door, Whistling Dick's Christmas Stocking, The Furnished Room, Springtime A la Carte, and A Madison Square Arabian Night.
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"And you thought O. Henry was just a witty name for a mediocre candy bar..."O" no!! This guy's another master of the English language, and I'm a sucker for a good short story. "Gift of the Magi" and "The Last Leaf" are unmatched. Its just a shame they couldn't have named a tasty Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor after him instead."
— Mara (4 out of 5 stars)
The World of O.Henry Listener Reviews
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" These stories are amazing. The first, The Gift of the Magi, is very famous. It could made a stone cold serial killer smile. "
— Fish, 2/3/2014 -
" Tried my best to read this for book club but had a hard time and didn't finish it. O. Henry was a trailblazer in his day, and is considered the grandfather of the short story and the twist ending. Today, I think audiences are much more sophisticated and it's not hard to foresee the twist in most of his stories. "
— Giuliana, 12/7/2013 -
" He is - in my view - the best short story writer of all times.... "
— Shokufeh, 9/29/2013 -
" he's really good at what he does. But reading them all in a row makes you feel very depressed "
— Murphy, 8/28/2013 -
" the original master of the short story. "
— Lindsay, 3/21/2013 -
" I think O. Henry might be the best short story writer ever. I know I almost cried when I finished this anthology... "
— Karlyne, 3/7/2013 -
" It is hard to believe Saki and O Henry were contemporaries. Chekhov fine he was of different school. But the detailed often ruffian characters and clever plot of O Henry with the setting in a different land miraculously complement the fluid prose and more commonplace setting of Saki "
— Satish, 2/5/2013 -
" Very victorian and sentimental, but O. Henry is a master story teller. "
— Jen, 1/14/2013 -
" I often attribute my sense of humor to this guy, Roald Dahl and a strong desire to hide my vulnerabilities from others... "
— Arjun, 11/28/2010 -
" The twists at the end of the tale are always breath taking. "
— Gideon, 8/19/2010 -
" LOVED it. I know alot of people wouldn't sit through a book of short stories, but I've always loved them, and O. Henry has a gift like nobody else. His stories CAN be slightly predictable, but many of them were original, and ingenious, and just thoroughly enjoyable. Loved it! "
— Amy, 6/25/2010 -
" Didn't read every story... but, I personally am finished with this book. O Henry's story are uneven...some are FANTASTIC others...no so much. "
— Rita, 9/13/2009 -
" O'Henry stories remind me of my grandmother. "
— tanya, 8/7/2003 -
" Some truly entertaining moments. O'Henry surprises with sarcasm, wit, and a change around every corner. Everyone probably knows him for "The Gift of the Magi", but he is so much more. These stories are fairly short, so you can read one or several quickly and then come back to him when you have time. "
— Susan, 5/11/2003 -
" if you want twists, this is for you "
— Maricar, 8/17/2002 -
" I liked he Furnished Room, The Lost Blend and Roads of Destiny "
— Isaac, 9/27/2001 -
" If you need something quick to read, short stories are the answer. "
— Megan, 8/23/2001
About O. Henry
O. Henry (1862–1910), born William Sydney Porter in Greensboro, North Carolina, was a short-story writer whose tales romanticized the commonplace, in particular, the lives of ordinary people in New York City. His stories often had surprise endings, a device that became identified with his name. He began writing sketches around 1887, and his stories of adventure in the Southwest United States and in Central America were immediately popular with magazine readers.
About Frank Muller
Frank Muller (1951–2008) was an Audie Award–winning narrator. A classically trained actor, Frank appeared on both television and the stage. His credits include Hamlet, The Crucible, The Taming of the Shrew, The Importance of Being Earnest, Law & Order, All My Children, and many, many more. In 1999 Frank was awarded the AudioFile Lifetime Achievement Award, the top honor in the audiobook community. He has also won twenty-three Earphones Awards.