The Four Million

The Four Million by O. Henry is a witty and compassionate short story collection set in New York City. The title points to the city's inhabitants, and the stories turn everyday encounters into small dramas of irony, surprise, and emotional reversal.

Readers who enjoy brisk storytelling, human-scale plots, and famous twist endings will find plenty to like here. The collection showcases O. Henry's knack for comic timing, urban detail, and the way ordinary lives can feel unexpectedly poignant. Several stories hinge on that turn, but the collection's real strength is the warmth with which O. Henry notices cramped apartments, busy streets, and the hopes people carry through them. That citywide scope gives the collection a lively snapshot of urban manners.