WRITER

O. Henry

1862 - 1910

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William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American writer known primarily for his short stories, though he also wrote poetry and non-fiction. His works include "The Gift of the Magi", "The Duplicity of Hargraves", and "The Ransom of Red Chief", as well as the novel Cabbages and Kings. Porter's stories are known for their naturalist observations, witty narration, and surprise endings. Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, Porter worked at his uncle's pharmacy after finishing school and became a licensed pharmacist at age 19. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of O. Henry has received more than 4,116,436 page views. His biography is available in 69 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 67 in 2019). O. Henry is the 397th most popular writer (down from 342nd in 2019), the 380th most popular biography from United States (down from 324th in 2019) and the 34th most popular American Writer.

O. Henry is most famous for his short stories.

Memorability Metrics

  • 4.1M

    Page Views (PV)

  • 72.94

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 69

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 5.87

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 4.72

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Among WRITERS

Among writers, O. Henry ranks 397 out of 7,302Before him are Aulus Cornelius Celsus, Sándor Márai, Ali-Shir Nava'i, Ghalib, Sándor Petőfi, and Erich von Däniken. After him are Jacques Prévert, Raymond Chandler, Pietro Aretino, Ismail Kadare, Ágota Kristóf, and Edmondo De Amicis.

Most Popular Writers in Wikipedia

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1862, O. Henry ranks 9Before him are Maurice Maeterlinck, David Hilbert, Philipp Lenard, Gerhart Hauptmann, Allvar Gullstrand, and Arthur Schnitzler. After him are Aristide Briand, Hilma af Klint, Niko Pirosmani, Victoria of Baden, William Henry Bragg, and Pyotr Stolypin. Among people deceased in 1910, O. Henry ranks 12Before him are Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, William James, Henri Rousseau, Edward VII, Nadar, and Chulalongkorn. After him are Mily Balakirev, Marius Petipa, Johann Gottfried Galle, Luigi Lucheni, Léon Walras, and Huo Yuanjia.

Others Born in 1862

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Others Deceased in 1910

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In United States

Among people born in United States, O. Henry ranks 380 out of 20,380Before him are Virginia Apgar (1909), Paulette Goddard (1910), Charles Greeley Abbot (1872), Michael Clarke Duncan (1957), Rock Hudson (1925), and Mickey Rourke (1952). After him are Raymond Chandler (1888), Chester W. Nimitz (1885), Henry James (1843), Angela Davis (1944), Ryan O'Neal (1941), and Dan Brown (1964).

Among WRITERS In United States

Among writers born in United States, O. Henry ranks 34Before him are Ezra Pound (1885), Louise Glück (1943), James Fenimore Cooper (1789), Margaret Mitchell (1900), Mario Puzo (1920), and Paul Auster (1947). After him are Raymond Chandler (1888), Henry James (1843), Dan Brown (1964), Sylvia Plath (1932), Philip Roth (1933), and Frank Herbert (1920).