O.Henry

Short Stories

Website Evaluators

Suzanne Dilday - Benton High School, Arkansas
Roslyn Gerken - Lincoln High School, New Jersey
Lohengrin Nix - Calvin Coolidge High School, Washington, D.C.

Website Reviewer and Compiler

Charles R. Sanders - San Pedro High School, California

Site Ratings

1 = Poor     2 = Fair     3 = Good     4 = Excellent

William Sydney Porter
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/mis311f/history/hist028.htm
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This "excellent" biography of O.Henry "contains material that is useful for theme development and ideas for projects/writing assignments."  Included with the biography are several "clear, black and white photos, with dates and explanations," which will surely "hold students' attention."  For "social studies classes and/or interdisciplinary units," there are links to an "annotated bibliography…related to the history and growth of Texas and of the Southwest."
Overall Rating:  4

"The Last of the Troubadours"
http://users.erols.com/hardeman/lonestar/olbooks/ohenry/troub.htm

This user-friendly site contains the e-text of O.Henry's short story, "The Last of the Troubadours," a story "not readily available in most anthologies."  Included is "a brief opening explanation of this story" along with some "quality photos."  The "paragraphs are short and invite reading."  There are links to other Southwestern classics.  This short story "would make a great addition to a unit on literature of the old West."
Overall Rating:  3

O.Henry:  A Life That Reads Like One of His Stories
http://www2.smithsonianmag.si.edu/smithsonian/issues97/jan97/ohenry.html

This abstract of an article on O.Henry from Smithsonian Magazine, is sure to "attract and keep the attention of readers/users."  Interesting anecdotes of O.Henry's life, such as "the last-minute creation of…'The Gift of the Magi,'" could serve as "springboards for classroom discussion/writing prompts."  Audio excerpts from "Jimmy Valentine" and "The Gift of the Magi" will "leave students wanting more."  There are many "quality pictures and graphics," but "lack of information may be a deficiency."  This "well-constructed site could become a student favorite."
Overall Rating:  3

William Sydney Porter
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/mis311f/history/handbook/fpo20.html

This site provides "thorough biographical information about O.Henry" along with several "links to important people and places during his life in Austin, Texas."  Here is an "excellent resource for students researching O.Henry, and teachers may discover some facts about the author they did not know," such as an "explanation…about the change in spelling his middle name."
Overall Rating: 3

"The Gift of the Magi"
http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/Gift_of_the_Magi.html

Here is the complete text of O.Henry's "The Gift of the Magi."  Vocabulary words are "highlighted and linked to Webster's Dictionary On-line, which also offers…a vocabulary builder and…word games."  Little in the way of "supplementary activities, analyses, or biographical information" are provided, but the site may be a way to get reluctant readers into the story.
Overall Rating:  2

"The Last Leaf" and "The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry
http://www.bnl.com/shorts/stories/lastleaf.html
http://www.bnl.com/shorts/stories/redchief.html

The complete text of two of O.Henry's short stories, "The Ransom of Red Chief" and "The Last Leaf," can be found at these two sites.  "The individual that maintains (the websites) posts texts of classic short stories simply for entertainment and fun.  He is clear about his intentions: no summaries, analyses or deep meanings!"  There are links to several other stories "for teachers putting together a unit on short stories or for students looking for a particular text."  Readers are invited to send "a favorite short story that is not listed, an invitation which may pull in more student participation, because the sender's name is then listed on screen."
Overall Rating: 2

O.Henry
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/ohenry.htm

This plain, rather limited site on O.Henry may be of most interest to "film/communication arts students" as it focuses primarily on the 1952 film, O.Henry's Full House.   There is a "list of selected works" and a short summary of  "The Ransom of Red Chief," and references to other masters of the short story "may be helpful in leading interested students to further readings or may initiate comparative literature studies."
Overall Rating:  2

O.Henry Museum Page
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/ohenry.htm

This limited site gives us a few facts about O.Henry's stay in Austin, Texas, from 1893–1897.  There are some interesting photos of O.Henry, his family and home, along with directions to significant sites in Austin that are connected in some way to the author.  One interesting link to frequently asked questions offers an interesting explanation as to why "O.Henry" is spelled without a space after the period, and another suggests that O.Henry was a great fan of puns and wordplay.  "Several of his contemporaries noted that he could spell and define every word in the dictionary."  The site also includes details about the annual O.Henry Pun-off and the author's connections to the event.  "As an end of the hour diversion, puns could be fun."
Overall Rating: 2