To say that these are the "best" stories of O. Henry may be considered editorial temerity, but it can be said without reservation that they represent O. Henry at his best. The editors made one essential attribute their criterion of choice -- entertainment value. Except for space limitations, the list of selections could have been expanded almost indefinitely, for O. Henry's appeal is universal. He lived in many parts of the United States, varying in locale from a Texas ranch to New York City, and his observation and keen insight into the characters of people he encountered enabled him to write with deep feeling and understanding. When he writes of Texas, a Texan will recognize the spirit and flavor of his own country and the same may be said of any section of the country that O. Henry visited. Perhaps the most notable characteristics of O. Henry's writing are the amazing ingenuity of his plots, the incisive brevity of his stories and his somewhat adventurous choice of words.