I'm a failure. I always have the feeling that I want to get back somewhere, but I don't know just where it is.
我感到失意。我心裡一直渴望能有個回歸的地方，卻遍尋不著。─O Henry.
歐．亨利（O. Henry）是美國知名的短篇小說作家，與契訶夫和莫泊桑並列世界三大短篇小說巨匠。
歐．亨利著作豐富，一生中留下了一部長篇小說和近三百篇的短篇小說。其小說內容主要以美國的大城市生活（尤其是紐約）為背景，主人翁以中下階層的平凡老百姓為主，寫作特色則以出人意料的結局最為讀者所熟悉。
歐．亨利的小說架構設計精巧，故事行進中多有幽默的橋段，最後再以讀者想像不到的結尾收場。歐．亨利很擅長設計這種出其不意的結局，這成為了他小說中最大的特色，這種結局的寫作方法也因此被稱為「歐．亨利式結尾」（O. Henry Ending）。
歐．亨利的原名為William Sidney Poter，1862年生於美國北卡羅萊納州。1902年，他移居紐約，成為職業小說家。他勤於筆耕，寫作速度很快，作品也普受歡迎，因而名利雙收。然而，他步上父親的後塵，染上酗酒的惡習，最終落魄謝世。
本書一共輯錄了歐．亨利深具代表性的15篇短篇小說，包括：
1. The Last Leaf（最後一片藤葉）
2. The Gift of the Magi（聖誕禮物）
3. The Cop and the Anthem（警察與讚美詩）
4. The Romance of a Busy Broker（忙碌證券商的愛情故事）
5. The Love-Philtre of Ikey Schoenstein（愛情迷幻藥）
6. Springtime a la Carte（春日菜單）
7. The Ransom of Red Chief（紅酋長的贖金）
8. The Pendulum（鐘擺）
9. The Green Door（綠門）
10. The Furnished Room（附家具出租的房間）
11. The Count and the Wedding Guest（伯爵與婚禮賓客）
12. One Thousand Dollars（一千元）
13. The Duplicity of Hargraves（哈格瑞夫的化身術）
14. A Retrieved Reformation（歧路重生）
15. Roads of Destiny（命運之路）
O. Henry is one of the great masters of the short story. This collection includes “The Last Leaf”, “The Gift of the Magi”, "The Ransom of Red Chief," “The Green Door”, “The Furnished Room”, and 10 more.
O. HENRY ENDING: Also called a trick ending or a surprise ending, this term refers to a totally unexpected and unprepared-for turn of events, one which alters the action in a narrative.
作者簡介
O. Henry (1862-1910) is one of the most famous American short story writers. His real name is William Sydney Porter. He was a prolific writer who wrote about the life of ordinary people in New York City.
His short stories are famous for their surprise endings and humor. The term “O. Henry endings” comes from the short stories of O. Henry, which typically involve such a conclusion. He published 10 collections and over 600 short stories during his lifetime. He died in New York City at the age of forty seven. He was a heavy drinker and died virtually penniless. |
