The Ransom of Red Chief

O. Henry’s short stories brim with lively wit and wisdom, sudden twist endings and amusing characterizations, plus memorable moral lessons.

An iconic author at the height of his fame in the early 20th century, O. Henry was industrious and prolific, turning out short stories at an astonishing speed. This anthology contains twenty-four of his finest tales, with highlights being a parody of Sherlock Holmes named ‘Shamrock Jolnes’, and send-ups of certain frivolous yet monied city dwellers. The breezy dialogue and descriptive prose tend to be witty and playful, with the author occasionally venturing to the satirical in his plotting.

The titular story is among O. Henry’s most famous; a pair of opportunistic crooks kidnap the son of a wealthy Alabama businessman, hoping to collect a hefty ransom. They are soon driven to their wits end however, when the boy turns out to be a wildly misbehaving brat. The boy’s father, aware of his son’s chaotic nature, makes a counteroffer: for a modest sum, he’ll take the boy back. The kidnappers agree and the youngster is returned, but not without a struggle, as he’d enjoyed more freedom to misbehave whilst kidnapped.