Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    The Gift of the Magi (Diversion Classics)
    Unavailable
    The Gift of the Magi (Diversion Classics)
    Unavailable
    The Gift of the Magi (Diversion Classics)
    Ebook13 pages14 minutes

    The Gift of the Magi (Diversion Classics)

    By O. Henry

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Featuring an appendix of discussion questions, the Diversion Classics edition is ideal for use in book groups and classrooms.

    One of O. Henry's most-loved short stories, THE GIFT OF THE MAGI is perfect for the holiday season. In this heartwarming tale, a young couple of limited means contemplates buying Christmas gifts for each other, with unexpected results.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDiversion Books
    Release dateNov 24, 2015
    ISBN9781682301746
    Unavailable
    The Gift of the Magi (Diversion Classics)
    Author

    O. Henry

    O. Henry (1862-1910) was an American short story writer. Born and raised in North Carolina, O. Henry—whose real name was William Sydney Porter—moved to Texas in 1882 in search of work. He met and married Athol Estes in Austin, where he became well known as a musician and socialite. In 1888, Athol gave birth to a son who died soon after, and in 1889 a daughter named Margaret was born. Porter began working as a teller and bookkeeper at the First National Bank of Austin in 1890 and was fired four years later and accused of embezzlement. Afterward, he began publishing a satirical weekly called The Rolling Stone, but in 1895 he was arrested in Houston following an audit of his former employer. While waiting to stand trial, Henry fled to Honduras, where he lived for six months before returning to Texas to surrender himself upon hearing of Athol’s declining health. She died in July of 1897 from tuberculosis, and Porter served three years at the Ohio Penitentiary before moving to Pittsburgh to care for his daughter. While in prison, he began publishing stories under the pseudonym “O. Henry,” finding some success and launching a career that would blossom upon his release with such short stories as “The Gift of the Magi” (1905) and “The Ransom of Red Chief” (1907). He is recognized as one of America’s leading writers of short fiction, and the annual O. Henry Award—which has been won by such writers as William Faulkner, John Updike, and Eudora Welty—remains one of America’s most prestigious literary prizes.

    Read more from O. Henry

    Related to The Gift of the Magi (Diversion Classics)

    Related ebooks

    Classics For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Aspen Words Literary Prize Awarded to Tayari Jones

      Apr 12, 2019

      The Aspen Words Literary Prize was awarded yesterday to Tayari Jones for An American Marriage, at a ceremony in New York City. The prize, which operates out of the Aspen Institute, awards $35,000 annually to “an influential work of fiction that illum

      1 min read

    • Article

      The Nevers season 1 part 1

      Jul 23, 2021

      The Nevers season 1 part 1
      1 min read

    • Article

      Gatsby, Revisited

      Jan 8, 2021

      Gatsby, Revisited
      4 min read

    • Article

      A Living Nightmare

      May 1, 2020

      A Living Nightmare
      9 min read

    • Article

      FROM THE WD EDITORS: Our favourite Beginnings and Endings

      Jul 31, 2019

      The best beginnings toss readers into the whirlwind that is going to be your story right as the action begins, giving them no choice but to read further. The best endings stick with readers for years after they’ve closed the book. WD editors got toge

      1 min read

    • Article

      Required Reading

      Sep 3, 2019

      Required Reading
      17 min read

    • Article

      Evening Star

      Sep 10, 2021

      A red streak of light flashed across the curtains. Robert grimaced and Grace got up to look out the window. There were two police cars pulling into the parking lot and it had started to snow again. She turned around. Robert was kneeling on the bed. H

      15 min read

    • Article

      Upcoming Calls For Submissions

      Nov 13, 2021

      HerStry seeks previously unpublished true stories about sex from writers who are not cis men. Submit by January 2. herstry.submittable.com The ninth volume of this journal will be devoted to found poetry; accepted poems will appear in a free download

      1 min read

    • Article

      Lord Of Secrets

      Aug 14, 2019

      Lord Of Secrets
      1 min read

    • Article

      What’s So Great About Jane?

      Mar 26, 2020

      What’s So Great About Jane?
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Uncomfortable Whiteness of Contemporary War Literature

      Oct 17, 2017

      One can hope that we might draw lessons from the Vietnam War’s legacy of near-erasure of non-white experiences; that the growth of veterans writing workshops and anthologies will represent to future generations a more complete picture of The Forever

      8 min read

    • Article

      The Mirror of Erised: On Death, Harry Potter, and Retreating to Childhood Reads

      Aug 16, 2018

      I’d known Monica 20 years when her sister was killed in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident. We spent our childhoods in a tiny Bay Area town that I left at 14. I only went back to visit twice. In the years between, Monica and I sent each other videos,

      4 min read

    • Article

      ABATH For All SEASONS

      Jul 4, 2019

      ABATH For All SEASONS
      7 min read

    • Article

      Broken Wings

      Aug 24, 2020

      Whenever Gemma Faber came to London for work, she stayed at Searle’s. It was a luxurious club-type hotel and every time she visited, she felt she’d really made it. The taxi pulled up and her heart lifted at the sight of the lilac-and-gold striped awn

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Traveler

      Oct 1, 2020

      The Traveler
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Necklace

      Mar 8, 2021

      A fine silver chain, with a circlet of diamonds. More of a pendant, really. Lydia saw it in one of the glossy magazines left in the reception of the TV channel where they were waiting to pitch. She would never read one of those normally – never had t

      6 min read

    • Article

      All For A GOOD CAUSE

      Jul 7, 2022

      Sorry I’m late!’ said Emily as she arrived at her friend’s house just before three. ‘It’s OK. We’ve got plenty of time,’ said Chrissie. ‘I’ve got your costume all ready. It won’t take long to do your hair.’ Emily sat down at Chrissie’s dressing tabl

      6 min read

    • Article

      A Christmas Memory

      Nov 1, 2018

      A Christmas Memory
      18 min read

    • Article

      The Snow QUEEN

      Dec 9, 2020

      The Snow QUEEN
      6 min read

    • Article

      The plot THICKENS

      Aug 3, 2022

      The plot THICKENS
      8 min read

    • Article

      Clarity

      Feb 1, 2019

      Clarity
      6 min read

    • Article

      A WINTER weekend

      Jan 2, 2020

      A WINTER weekend
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Traveler Part 1

      Sep 1, 2020

      Jamie wandered aimlessly, kicking a broken chunk of sidewalk, following the chip of cement as it skittered and bounced through leaves and off curbs. In a trance, she walked down unknown blocks and around unfamiliar corners, her mind so far away that

      9 min read

    • Article

      The Best Of FRIENDS

      Jul 28, 2020

      The Best Of FRIENDS
      6 min read

    • Article

      A Nest Of VIPERS

      Jan 25, 2023

      A Nest Of VIPERS
      9 min read

    Reviews for The Gift of the Magi (Diversion Classics)

    4/5

    606 ratings14 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      The Gift of the Magi is a true Christmas inspiration. Jim and Delia's gifts to each other, or rather what they do to get those gifts is truly touching. O'Henry writes a story of warmth and giving. He always makes me think about Christmas in the way I believe it was meant to be - a feeling of giving more than receiving. Isn't this what we should be doing at this time of year - putting others before ourselves?
    • 4/5
      Beautiful edition of the well loved classic. Art is more adult style than most kid book style. Lovely lovely book.
    • 3/5
      This is not the version of my book I wanted to add here today. I recently acquired a very old copy of this story, in a hard cover, box version, with lovely illustrations by Kevin King that was owned by either my stepfather in his childhood or his mother.

      I still kind of both love and do not love this story. It's such a great love, to each give up their most precious object because they decide the joy of the one with them is worth even more than that, and yet it is a story ridiculed to irony. So I'm just....waffly on it.

      It gets a three. But I'm still insanely pleased to have this specific copy of it, with it's age and person history.
    • 4/5
      This is book has short five story.Every story is interesting. Of cause,my favorite story is the gift.......This story is about love.I think the auther want to tell us love is more important than money.It is simple, but in fact we don't undersrand.This book gave me the chance I think it.I want to read this.
    • 5/5
      A beautiful story of true love, sacrifice, and compassion. A classic.
    • 5/5
      O. Henry's classic of loving intentions gone awry, with classically lovely illustrations.The type-face is a bit hard to read, although it is a nice one.
    • 5/5
      This is my favorite short story in all the world. I read it again every Christmas.
    • 4/5
      The Gift of the Magi has been told in many forms, and many movies have been made following the storyline, albeit sometimes loosely. O. Henry's Christmas packs a huge message in a little box and reminds us of what we should be holding dear.I am very fond of this story, and am pleased to add it to my collection of read-aloud Christmas books for my family.
    • 2/5
      I recently reread this little tale, and remembered reading it before. Back then I thought the moral was never give up your things for a person. Now I know better, it is, "the gift is not important, the intention behind it is key".

      In this little story two people are destitute an desperate to get each other a gift of value. They wind selling off there most prized possessions to buy each other something used with that very possession. In the end they are both pleased with each other's thoughtfulness and set the gifts aside to make dinner.

      This is a good story to be reading this time of year; to remind ourselves that being together with loved ones is the best gift for the holidays.
    • 4/5
      I've often heard adaptations of this story but the original is quite good.
    • 3/5
      A short story that highlights the meaning of a gift and what you would do to get one? Would you sell your most prized possession? What would be the consequences of losing that possession? A short easy to read classic story that is normally told at Christmas time.
    • 4/5
      This book has 4 stories. I like first story,"The Gift of the Magi".Poor people and for the other two for Christmas,choose a gift in exchange for their precious things, is a heartwarming story.Loving gift choice for couples who are poor, young, friendly and available over the mood to read.
    • 5/5
      Lisbeth Zwerger illustrates O. Henry's classic tale of a young couples' sacrifices in finding perfect Christmas gifts for each other. It is a touching story about love and unselfishness, and especially relevant during the Christmas season. Zwerger's illustrations are incredibly soft and flowing without sacrificing detail, bringing new dimension to this familiar story. Although a picture book, the thought provoking themes of the story make this more appropriate for upper elementary and older. I would recommend this as a good addition to a school library or public children's collection.
    • 4/5
      I love most of O. Henry's stories. I remembering reading this and wanting a love like this for myself.