'The Trimmed Lamp & Other Stories' is a short story collection that explores the themes of the human condition and the often mysterious nature of human relationships. Veering on the verge of ordinariness but never becoming so. O. Henry’s stories have a knack for transforming the expectations of the reader before the narrative has a chance to grow dull. Replete with sharp wit and a celebration of the English language incorporating unique spins on existing words and expressions. These playful and humourous stories represent a New York-ish social experiment that stands the test of time. American short story master O. Henry is best known for his pithy, witty scores and surprise endings. In doing so he made commonplace experiences extraordinary and memorable. His work has been immortalised in the popular 1952 film 'O. Henry's Full House' starring Fred Allen, Anne Baxter, Marilyn Monroe and Jeanne Crain. William Sidney Porter (1862-1919), known simply as O. Henry, was a prolific American author of humorous literary pieces. His fame came exceptionally quickly and he became a bestselling author of short story collections. Perhaps the most famous of these are, 'Cabbages and Kings,' 'The Voice of the City' and 'Strictly Business.' The immensity of O. Henry's impact on the American short story genre for time to come is evidenced by the fact an annual award in his name is given out each year in the United States. O. Henry's work is a must read for fans of Hemingway, Guy de Maupassant and Anton Chekhov.

Reproduction of the original: The Trimmed Lamp by O. Henry

The Trimmed Lamp (1907) is a collection of twenty-five short stories by American writer O. Henry. Inspired by his experiences as a fugitive and prisoner, these stories address themes of poverty and city life with humor and abundant empathy. Its focus on the regular, working class people of New York City makes The Trimmed Lamp a sequel of sorts to Henry’s The Four Million (1906), perhaps his most important collection. In “The Trimmed Lamp,” two friends discuss work, love, and money while standing on a city street-corner. They both came to New York in search of work, and though Nancy enjoys her low paying job as a shop girl at a department store, Lou brags about her employment as an ironer at a laundry and encourages her friend to look for something else to do. While they wait for Lou’s boyfriend Dan, Lou asks Nancy about the wealthy men who frequent her store, and secretly wonders what it would be like to marry into money. “The Last Leaf” is a story of two artists living in Greenwich Village. While Sue lies bedridden from pneumonia, each day growing closer to death, she watches from her window a vine across the street. As fall turns to winter, its leaves drop one by one, until nothing remains but one last leaf. In another apartment, an old artist named Behrman watches the vine as well, painting the leaf with a renewed sense of purpose and a lifetime of skill and precision. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of O. Henry’s The Trimmed Lamp is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.