Heart of the West

William Sydney Porter known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American short story writer. His stories are known for their surprise endings. "Heart of the West" is a collection of humorous and sentimental stories of sheepherders, cowpunchers, trail cooks, prospectors, outlaws, and Texas Rangers offer the modern reader a window into the often mythologized American West. Perhaps reflecting O. Henry's own experience as a young man in the middle of nowhere, where women were few and far between, many of the stories are comic tales of romantic rivalry.