I remember reading this story in 8th or 9th grade; ever since, the premise and hilarity of O. Henry's handiwork would randomly pop into my head. And then today, one of my awesome friends posted a review for it COMPLETE WITH A LINK TO THE FULL STORY (it's only 16 pages long). And I smashed the link and read it right then and there. Still just as funny. Maybe funnier. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&s...Sidebar: this was written in 1910, so there are some racial references that may make some peopl...

The Ransom of Red Chief by O. HenryThis story is really amusing. And the ending was quite unexpected and hilarious.

When Sam and Bill decide to kidnap 10 year old Johnny, they get much more than they bargained for. It’s difficult to imagine a more monstrous child than this one, but it does make for a really amusing read. Only 16 pages long, but what it lacks in length, it makes up for in originality, and the readability factor. A great free read, and here’s the link https://dwcaonline.org/wp-content/upl...

Two men kidnap a wealthy man’s little boy for ransom. But things don’t turn out as well as they expected it too.A very funny short story! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

THE RANSOM OF RED CHIEF by O. Henry is one of many short stories written by Henry. This one was first published in 1907 and the humor still comes through in 2020. When two men need money for a fraudulent scheme, they decide to kidnap the only child of Ebenezer Dorset and hold him for ransom. What they got was more than they bargained for.It has been many years since I originally read this story and it is still amusing. Antics and boisterousness make for an engaging story. But underneath it all,

3.5 stars

Classic, funny stuffI read this with our 11 year old for the accelerated reader program at her school. Must be dozens of times now that I have read this engaging story by America's premier author of short stories. If you don't find this story funny or at least amusing, you either have a very strange sense of humor or no sense of humor at all. The plot device of a willful, clever child outwitting adversaries continues to resonate with Americans. Dennis the Menace and the Home Alone movies demonst...

It has been a long time since I have read a short by O. Henry. Reading this reminded me of how much I enjoyed this author. His writing is both literary and amusing. In this one s kidnapping for random goes awry, but not through the fault of the kidnappers. Too funny.Another web freebie https://www.shortstoryproject.com/sto...

December buddy read with my non-crunchy pantsless group of crazies.__________________________________________I have a very temperamental relationship with this author. At times, I read things he's written and I'm like:And other times I'm likeWith Ransom of Red Chief I was likeO. Henry is notorious for writing short stories with a twist ending. Sometimes the twist is satirical, sometimes comical, sometimes ironic. In this case it was flat out hysterical. Two men decide to kidnap the son of a weal...

I first read this story in high school and I reread it to see whether it still holds up. While it wasn't nearly as rib cracking as I found it when I first read it, I still found myself laughing a lot. This was especially necessary after I watched a summary of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.The Ransom of Red Chief (ignore the vaguely racist title) is a story of two bumbling kidnappers Sam and Bill who fall victim to their abductee. Sam, the narrator, while being the dumb to Bill's dumber is at...

I know this kid! Wait, I married him.

Bill and Sam are short of money and so decide to kidnap and ransom the nine year old son of Ebenezer Dorset in Summit, Alabama. The boy is .... shall we settle for a feisty talker? What unfolds is very funny and the end has a really good twist. This story may be 110 years old but it proves there is no time barrier to good humour. If you fancy reading this short story (about 15 pages) follow the link in tamar’s excellent review. Thank you for leading me to this tamar and I’m not surprised your mo...

I read this story ages ago when I was in grade school and never forgot it. I just sent copies to my grandsons, ages 12 and 10, and had to re-read it again. A classic, hilarious story written over 100 years ago.

Well, that was a fun and diversionary read about two hapless kidnappers who ended up getting more than they bargained for, after kidnapping their young victim.

The Ransom of Red Chief is by far my favorite short story by O. Henry. Sam tells how he and Bill Driscoll needed cash to put together a fraudulent land scheme they had planned for West Illinois, but they had only $600 and needed $2000 more to pull it off. So, while stopping in Summit, Alabama, Sam convinces Bill that this town of “undeleterious” country bumpkins, where self-satisfaction breeds “philoprogenitiveness”, would surely be easy pickings for his kidnapping scheme. Poor Bill. The red-hea...

This book has the honor of being on my mom's favorite list. And she was the one who made me aware of this fun little book.My mom has never picked wrong. This book is no different. I loved it.Unlike most of the books about Native Americans I read as a kid, this one is actually funny. Razor sharp humor and a smart aleck kid who gets himself kidnapped but the kidnappers can't stand him because he drives them to the brink of insanity.Fun, easy to read and short and witty. Five fun stars.

Free online link to the story here: https://www.shortstoryproject.com/sto...More for a kid than an adult. Read it to your son or grandchild maybe.

This short story was one of my favorites growing up, and after a quick read through, it’s still as hilarious as ever. 5 stars, January 2022.

Fun read. It is like the predecessor to Home Alone. Bad guy buffoons who get whipped.

Two men kidnap a kid, but before they can ransom him the men are driven crazy by the boy's antics and adhd level of energy, and end up paying the boy's father to take him back. Good solid humor in the Twain vein.