Henry O. is one of the most influential short-story writers in the USA and this collection illustrates perfectly the reasons behind that; clever, witty, with their characteristic surprise ending and their subtle humour, they span from the streets of New York to the Wild West and give a wide panorama of the early 20th century American society, along with insightful remarks on the human condition. There are stories of course that haven't aged that well, but these are quite few if we consider they have been written more than 100 years ago. Anyone who wants to read or write short-stories should become at least familiar with Henry O. work.