The Four Million
by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
2021-05-28 04:41:00
The Four Million (1906) 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, persecution, and hope. The Four Million refers to the population o...
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The Four Million (1906) 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, persecution, and hope. The Four Million refers to the population of New York City, where O. Henry was living at the time of its composition. Containing twenty-five works of short fiction, the collection includes several of the authorâs best-known stories. âThe Gift of the Magiâ is a heartwarming story of a young married couple who struggle to afford gifts for one another in the days leading up to Christmas. Delia, placing her husbandâs happiness before her own, sells her own hair in order to afford a platinum pocket watch chain. When she returns home, however, she finds that Jim has made a similar sacrifice. In âThe Skylight Room,â a typist named Miss Leeson tries to find work while renting the smallest room at Mrs. Parkerâs boarding house. In a moment of quiet desperation, she names a star âBilly Jacksonâ while staring out of the roomâs tiny skylight, a view she soon struggles to afford. âThe Cop and the Anthemâ follows a homeless man named Soapy. As winter approaches, he commits a series of petty crimes in order to be taken to the shelter of jail. When his attempts fail, however, he discovers that justice has a cruel way of revealing itself. The Four Million, one of O. Henryâs finest works, is an exemplary collection of short fiction that showcases the authorâs empathetic and hopeful outlook on poverty and American life. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of O. Henryâs The Four Million is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.
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