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Literature & Criticism / Popular Culture

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Cheap Rooms and Restless Hearts A Study of Formula in the Urban Tales of William Sydney Porter Karen Charmaine Blansfield Popular Press Plot, character, and formula in O. Henry's stories of urban America This book provides a close look at the character types and plot patterns found in the urban stories of William Sydney Porter (known as O. Henry), analyzing how these elements structure his tales and contribute to his popular formulas. Karen Charmaine Blansfield examines Porter's adventurous but troubled background—as a ranch hand, cowboy, bank teller, journalist, prisoner, fugitive, and more—to see how his experiences shaped these aspects of his fiction. She considers how the turbulent conditions of New York City at the turn of the century helped to launch O. Henry's meteoric career. Karen Charmaine Blansfield is assistant professor of drama at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. Media & bookseller inquiries regarding review copies, events, and interviews can be directed to the publicity department at publicity@uwpress.wisc.edu or (608) 263-0734. (If you want to examine a book for possible course use, please see our Course Books page. If you want to examine a book for possible rights licensing, please see Rights & Permissions.)

Back in print January 2005 LC: 87-072837 PS 154 pp.   6 x 9     6 b/w figs. Cloth edition, ISBN 978-0-87972-420-7, is out of print , but the paperback is still available. Paper $17.95 t ISBN 978-0-87972-421-4 ADD TO CART

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