Whirligigs
About this book
Whirligigs (1910) is a collection of short stories by American writer O. Henry. Inspired by his experiences as a fugitive and in prison, these stories address themes of poverty and provincial life with humor and abundant empathy. "The Ransom of Red Chief, " the most notable of the collection's twenty-four stories, is considered one of Henry's finest works and has been adapted numerous times for television and film. "The Ransom of Red Chief" follows two petty criminals named Bill and Sam, who devise a plan to hold an influential citizen's son for ransom. They kidnap Johnny Dorset, a ten-year-old boy who soon takes a liking to the pair and gives himself the name "Red Chief." As Bill and Sam attempt to collect their ransom money, the Red Chief subjects them to tiring games and pranks, causing the two criminals to regret their hasty decision. In "The Whirligig of Life, " a story set in a frontier settlement near the Cumberland Mountains, a Justice of the Peace officiates a divorce between two quarreling settlers. He charges them five dollars for the ceremony, but when the husband realizes he has no money left for alimony, the judge looks for ways to hold onto his hard-earned wages. Whirligigs is a collection of humorous stories by O. Henry, an icon of short story writing. This edition of O. Henry's Whirligigs is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- I. The World and the Door
- II. The Theory and the Hound
- III. The Hypotheses of Failure
- IV. Calloway’s Code
- V. A Matter of Mean Elevation
- VI. “Girl”
- VII. Sociology in Serge and Straw
- VIII. The Ransom of Red Chief
- IX. The Marry Month of May
- X. A Technical Error
- XI. Suite Homes and Their Romance
- XII. The Whirligig of Life
- XIII. A Sacrifice Hit
- XIV. The Roads we Take
- XV. A Blackjack Bargainer
- XVI. The Song and the Sergeant
- XVII. One Dollar’s Worth
- XVIII. A Newspaper Story
- XIX. Tommy’s Burglar
- XX. A Chaparral Christmas Gift
- XXI. A Little Local Colour
- XXII. Georgia’s Ruling
- XXIII. Blind Man’s Holiday
- XXIV. Madame Bo-Peep, of the Ranches
- A Note About the Author
- A Note from the Publisher