The Gift of the Magi: And Other Short Stories - Softcover

"The Gift of the Magi" is a short story, written by O. Henry about a young married couple and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money. As a sentimental story with a moral lesson about gift-giving, it has been a popular one for adaptation. The story has been adapted to films and has inspired musicals and songs. This volume also contains stories by O. Henry that are popular and considered to be among his best stories: The Duplicity Of Hargraves, A Cosmopolite In A Café, The Cop And The Anthem, Babes In The Jungle, Blind Man's Holiday, The Ransom Of Red Chief, The Cactus, Confessions Of A Humorist and The Princess And The Puma.

William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American short story writer. O. Henry's short stories are known for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization, and surprise endings. Porter's most prolific writing period started in 1902, when he moved to New York City to be near his publishers. While there, he wrote 381 short stories. He wrote a story a week for over a year for the New York World Sunday Magazine. His wit, characterization, and plot twists were adored by his readers, but often panned by critics.