Alias O. Henry
By the time William Sydney Porter decides to make New York City his home, he’s already sold many short stories under the pen name “O. Henry.” It’s the early 1900s, and the city is a vibrant mix of restaurants, silent movies, bars and brothels, with magazines that feature short stories all the rage.
Porter takes city life in stride and sparks his imagination by strolling along high-fashion avenues, seedy back alleys and even the waterfront—in short order becoming one of America’s most successful fiction writers. However, there’s a secret hidden in his past—a prison term he served for embezzling, to be exact. Unfortunately, that makes him a target for a blackmailer who will only stay silent for a price. Suddenly his reputation is at stake and income at risk. All the while he has publishing deadlines to meet and a blackmailer to unmask amidst the colorful whirl of crooks and working folk that will become characters in his stories.
In Alias O. Henry, author Ben Yagoda paints a witty, thoughtful portrait of Porter that blends the imaginative conjecture of historical fiction with authenticity and factual accuracy. Yagoda is particularly well acquainted with O. Henry’s works, having edited a volume of the author’s short stories. With subtle, wry humor he makes reference to some of O. Henry’s most famous tales in scenes that could actually have been lifted out of Porter’s experiences. As to Porter’s choice of nom de plume, various wildly inventive explanations are quoted from statements he made publicly.
Readers who are interested in New York will appreciate Yagoda’s eloquent descriptions of the city where well-known celebrities of the era make cameo appearances. Author’s notes and an entire library’s worth of references conclude this well-researched novel.
