this is an annotated version of this book which contains the following features which adds value to the book

• Early life,Legacy

it contains all the early events in O. Henry life


• O. Henry as Artist

it contains all the details of O. Henry as Artist


• Final years in life of O. Henry

it contains all the details regarding Final years in life of O. Henry


• Move to Texas and Pen name

it includes all the details of Move to Texas and Pen name of O. Henry


• Literary influence

it contains all the details regarding Literary influence in O. Henry life


• work and novels


• arshbooks review & famous quotes & plot summary

famous quotes & legacy by O. Henry

The Gift of the Magi

"The Gift of the Magi" is a short story, written by O. Henry (a pen name for William Sydney Porter), about a young husband and wife and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money. As a sentimental story with a moral lesson about gift-giving, it has been a popular one for adaptation, especially for presentation at Christmas time. The plot and its twist ending are well-known, and the ending is generally considered an example of comic irony. It was allegedly written at Pete's Tavernon Irving Place in New York City.

The story was initially published in The New York Sunday World under the title "Gifts of the Magi" on December 10, 1905. It was first published in book form in the O. Henry Anthology The Four Million in April 1906.
Summary

Mr. James Dillingham Young ("Jim") and his wife, Della, are a couple living in a modest apartment.

On Christmas Eve, with only $1.87 in hand, and desperate to find a gift for Jim, Della sells her hair for $20 to a nearby hairdresser named Madame Sofronie, and eventually finds a platinum pocket watch fob chain for Jim's watch for $21. Satisfied with the perfect gift for Jim, Della runs home and begins to prepare pork chops for dinner.

At 7 o'clock, Della sits at a table near the door, waiting for Jim to come home. Unusually late, Jim walks in and immediately stops short at the sight of Della, who had previously prayed that she was still pretty to Jim. Della then admits to Jim that she sold her hair to buy him his present. Jim gives Della her present – an assortment of combs, useless now that her hair is short. Della then shows Jim the chain she bought for him, to which Jim says he sold his watch to get the money to buy her combs. Although Jim and Della are now left with gifts that neither one can use, they realize how far they are willing to go to show their love for each other, and how priceless their love really is.