“The Ransom of Red Chief” and “The Marquis and Miss Sally” by O. Henry

August 19, 2019 00:56:59
“The Ransom of Red Chief” and “The Marquis and Miss Sally” by O. Henry
Not Your Mother's Storytime
“The Ransom of Red Chief” and “The Marquis and Miss Sally” by O. Henry

Aug 19 2019 | 00:56:59

/

Show Notes

Henry worked a number of different jobs, from pharmacy to drafting, journalism, and banking. Banking, in particular, was not to be O. Henry's calling; he was quite careless with his bookkeeping, fired by the bank and charged with embezzlement in 1894. He was sentenced and served in Federal prison in Ohio for five years from 1898-1902. He was always a lover of classic literature, and while pursuing his many ventures, O. Henry had begun writing as a hobby. When he lost his banking position he moved to Houston in 1895 and started writing for the The Post, earning $25 per month (an average salary at this time in American history was probably about $300 a year). O. Henry collected ideas for his column by loitering in hotel lobbies and observing and talking to people there. He relied on this technique to gain creative inspiration throughout his writing career. Enjoy!

Other Episodes

Episode

May 13, 2018 00:56:39
Episode Cover

The Looking Glass by J D Beresford

Here is a story by J. D. Beresford. Beresford was an English author whose most remembered works include ghost stories, dystopian tales, and science...

Listen

Episode

October 22, 2019 00:57:00
Episode Cover

“The Shadows on the Wall” and “The Cat” by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

There are a remarkable number of excellent women horror authors of the late Victorian/early Edwardian era. It is suspected that this happened in part...

Listen

Episode

June 03, 2019 00:56:57
Episode Cover

Two Stories by Robert Barr: “The Understudy” and “Two Florentine Balconies”

A crime story writer during the Sherlock Holmes era, Barr wrote the first Holmes parody, "The Adventures of "Sherlaw Kombs", a spoof that was...

Listen