The Gentle Grafter

The ingredients that appeal most in the typical O. Henry short story are a blend of humor, sentiment, and cutting edge urban wit. With a breezy, slangy style, and specializing in easily recognizable "types," O. Henry’s stories are neatly put together and move quickly. The sharp unexpected twist at the end of each story is the O. Henry patented trademark. The Gentle Grafter, first published in 1908, shows the author at his best in dealing with the lives of everyday people in such stories as "The Octopus Marooned," "The Hand That Riled the World," "The Exact Science of Matrimony," "Innocents of Broadway," "A Tempered Wind," "Hostages to Momus," among many others. The essential New York is just under the surface. The Gentle Grafter contains numerous tales of corruption. Each chapter is either told by an anonymous narrator or by Jeff Peters and Andy Tucker, two other con men. All of the con work was done somewhere within the United States. With the surprising twists and turns, not to mention the wit and humor throughout the book, The Gentle Grafter will leave the reader smiling and asking for more.