Bibliography
Current-Garcia, Eugene. O. Henry (William Sydney Porter). New York: Twayne, 1965. Includes a biography of O. Henry and a critical analysis of his work’s structure and its technical characteristics. Analyzes his popularity and the subsequent decline of his reputation. Discusses his influence on the development of the American short story.
Langford, Gerald. Alias O. Henry: A Biography of William Sydney Porter. New York: Macmillan, 1957. Analyzes the work as well as the life of the writer. Asserts that O. Henry’s rightful place in American literature is that of a minor but classic writer.
Long, E. Hudson. O. Henry: The Man and His Work. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1949. This biography makes a case for O. Henry as a “humorist, craftsman, and social historian.” Long claims that O. Henry is properly understood and appreciated in the context of the times in which he lived and the audience for which he wrote.
O’Connor Richard. O. Henry: The Legendary Life of William Porter. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1970. Traces the life of O. Henry from his boyhood in North Carolina through his Texas and Ohio prison years, and, finally, to New York. Vividly portrays the early twentieth century New York City evoked in his work.
Smith, C. Alphonso. O. Henry. Edgemont, Pa.: Chelsea House, 1980. Reprint. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday Page, 1916. A biography and analysis of O. Henry’s work written by a professor who knew O. Henry. Most interesting because, having been written in 1916, during the height of his popularity, it reveals a great deal about late Victorian culture and literary tastes.
Media Adaptations
''The Gift of the Magi'' was adapted for film as a 21-minute segment in O. Henry's Full House. Produced by Andre Hakim, it starred Jeanne Crain and Farley Granger, was narrated by John Steinbeck, and featured music by Alfred Newman. The film was released by Twentieth Century-Fox in 1952.
In 1980, it appeared as a 15-minute segment in the four-part Short Story Classics Series, produced and distributed by Britannica Films.
The story was also one of several O. Henry tales adapted for the musical Gifts of the Magi, which was produced in 1985 at New York City's Lamb's Theater.
This renowned story has been recorded on audio cassette by Miller-Brody Productions.
"The Gift of the Magi" was also adapted into a stage play by Anne Coulter Martens.
Bibliography and Further Reading
Further Reading
Bates, H. E., The Modem Short Story, Writer, Inc., 1941, p. 231.
Bates explores the evolution of short stories in America, France, Russia, and Great Britain, starting from Edgar Allan Poe's era up to the 1940s. He also explains the reasons behind the success of O. Henry's short stories.
Current-Garcia, Eugene. O. Henry (William Sydney Porter), Twayne Publishers, Inc., 1965.
This comprehensive biographical and critical study delves into how O. Henry's regional background influenced his literary works.
Current-Garcia, Eugene, editor, O. Henry: A Study of the Short Fiction, Twayne, 1993, p. 256.
This book includes Current-Garcia's analyses of O. Henry's stories and compiles articles from various other critics.
Eckley, Wilton. "The Gift of the Magi," in Reference Guide to Short Fiction, St. James Press, 1994, pp. 716-17.
Following a brief introduction about the author, Eckley provides a concise overview of the plot and technique used in "The Gift of the Magi."
"William Sydney Porter," in Discovering Authors Modules (CD-ROM publication), Gale Research, 1996.
This detailed overview covers the author's life, career, and writings, featuring numerous excerpts from critical analyses of his works spanning from 1917 to 1996.
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