The stories of О Henry are in the great tradition of American short story writing that stretches from Irving and Рое through to Damon Runyon and even P J O'Rourke. In all, Henry wrote two hundred and seventy stories, and they consist of a rich mixture of semi-realism, sentiment and surprise endings. Though he is frequently thought of as a 'funny' writer, О Henry was, like Runyon, capable of addressing the darker side of life - A Municipal Report and The Furnished Room are two such stories. At the same time, his genius for comic invention flows through the pages of this book, exemplified by the epicurean exchange in Hostages to Momus between the narrator and Caligula Polk.