The Marry Month of May

Book excerpt: 'The Marry Month of May' was originally published in 1910. The narrative focuses on a rich, elderly widower called Mr. Coulson. Come May, he becomes enamoured with his widowed housekeeper Mrs. Widdup, but Mr. Coulson’s daughter is not at all pleased with the budding romance and plots to bring it to an abrupt halt. Will her plans to break up the spring romance work? This elaborate and witty short story muses on the themes of love, class and the impact of the environment on one's emotions. American short story master O. Henry is best known for his pithy, witty scores and surprise endings. In doing so he made commonplace experiences extraordinary and memorable. His work has been immortalised in the popular 1952 film 'O. Henry's Full House' starring Fred Allen, Anne Baxter, Marilyn Monroe and Jeanne Crain. William Sidney Porter (1862-1919), known simply as O. Henry, was a prolific American author of humorous literary pieces. His fame came exceptionally quickly and he became a bestselling author of short story collections. Perhaps the most famous of these are, 'Cabbages and Kings,' 'The Voice of the City' and 'Strictly Business.' The immensity of O. Henry's impact on the American short story genre for time to come is evidenced by the fact an annual award in his name is given out each year in the United States. O. Henry's work is a must read for fans of Hemingway, Guy de Maupassant and Anton Chekhov.