The Four Million

O. Henry (1862 - 1910)

Born in 1862 and died in 1910, O. Henry’s birth name is William Sydney Porter; however, he adopted the pen name O. Henry while in prison. He published 10 collections and over 600 short stories during his lifetime.

The Four Million is the second book written by O. Henry while he served time for embezzlement in a penitentiary in Ohio. The book is a series of short stories which take place in New York City in the early years of the 20th century and are representative of the surprise endings that popularized O. Henry’s work. They also capture his use of coincidence or chance to create humor in the story. O Henry wrote about ordinary people in everyday circumstances. He is quoted as once saying, “There are stories in everything. I’ve got some of my best yarns from park benches, lampposts and newspaper stands.”

I hope you enjoy the following readings as much as I enjoyed recording them.
(Summary by Marian Brown)

Genre(s): Short Stories

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 Tobin’s Palm Marian Brown
00:16:44
Play 02 Gift of the Magi, The Marian Brown
00:12:49
Play 03 Cosmopolite in a Cafe, The Marian Brown
00:13:14
Play 04 Between Rounds Marian Brown
00:12:49
Play 05 Skylight Room, The Marian Brown
00:14:28
Play 06 Service of Love, A Marian Brown
00:12:42
Play 07 Coming-Out of Maggie, The Marian Brown
00:15:54
Play 08 Man About Town Marian Brown
00:10:59
Play 09 Cop and The Anthem, The Marian Brown
00:14:45
Play 10 Adjustment of Nature, An Marian Brown
00:12:05
Play 11 Memoirs of a Yellow Dog Marian Brown
00:10:31
Play 12 Love-Philtre of Ikey Schoestein, The Marian Brown
00:11:24
Play 13 Mammon and the Archer Marian Brown
00:14:04
Play 14 Springtime a la Carte Marian Brown
00:14:29
Play 15 Green Door, The Marian Brown
00:17:12
Play 16 From the Cabby’s Seat Marian Brown
00:11:05
Play 17 Unfinished Story, An Marian Brown
00:15:26
Play 18 Caliph, Cupid and Clock, The Marian Brown
00:15:00
Play 19 Sister of the Golden Circle Marian Brown
00:14:40
Play 20 Romance of a Busy Broker, The Marian Brown
00:09:34
Play 21 After 20 Years Marian Brown
00:07:40
Play 22 Lost on Dress Parade Marian Brown
00:15:09
Play 23 By Courier Marian Brown
00:08:25
Play 24 Furnished Room, The Marian Brown
00:16:03
Play 25 Brief Debut of Tildy, The Marian Brown
00:13:57