The theory and the hound

'The Theory and the Hound' is anthologised in O. Henry's short story collection 'Whirligigs', replete with a menagerie of eccentric characters, witty exchanges, vibrant personifications and endings bound to take you by surprise. Two friends are walking down a street "that parallels and parodies Broadway". In passing, one of them mentions a newly hatched theory he has started to work on. The other friend decides to extract the whole story behind it. He hardly realises what is yet to come in doing so. American short story master O. Henry is best known for his pithy, witty scores and surprise endings. In this way 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.