Sign-In
Cart
The Ransom of Red Chief: A Hilarious Tale of Kidnapping Gone Wrong - Mischief, Irony & Unexpected Consequences (Deluxe Hardbound Edition)
Hardcover
Series: Library of Alexandria, Book 571
ISBN13: 9781806680016
Publisher: Library of Alexandria
Published: Oct 6 2025
Pages: 46
Weight: 0.37
Height: 0.25 Width: 5.00 Depth: 8.00
Language: English
What if the kid you kidnapped turned out to be your worst nightmare?
In The Ransom of Red Chief, O. Henry transforms a simple crime story into a side-splitting comedy of errors. When two amateur criminals, Sam and Bill, concoct a plan to abduct a young boy and demand two thousand dollars in ransom, they expect a quick payout and an easy getaway. But nothing goes as planned.
The victim, a wild, imaginative boy who calls himself Red Chief, is not frightened by his captors - in fact, he enjoys his role a little too much. He treats the entire ordeal like an elaborate game, turning the tables on his kidnappers with relentless energy and absurd demands.
As their situation spirals out of control, Sam and Bill begin to wonder if paying the boy's father to take him back might be their only way out.
A brilliant satire on overconfidence and misjudgment, The Ransom of Red Chief showcases O. Henry's mastery of irony and comedic storytelling. This modern edition retains the charm of the original while updating the language for today's reader - making it the perfect introduction to one of America's greatest short story writers.
What You'll Discover in This Modern Translation:
- A Brilliantly Ironic Crime Comedy - Watch a kidnapping plan unravel into chaos
- One of O. Henry's Funniest Tales - Packed with sharp wit and unexpected reversals
- A Portrait of Misjudgment and Humbling Consequences - See how the best-laid schemes can go hilariously wrong
- A Modern, Accessible Translation - Retains the humor and style while enhancing readability
- A Perfect Short Read - Ideal for readers who enjoy humor, mischief, and fast-paced storytelling
The Ransom of Red Chief is a timeless reminder that sometimes, the tables turn in ways no one expects-and the joke's on the criminals.
Also from
Henry, O.
A Timeless Christmas: A Giftable Collection of Classic Christmas Stories and Seasonal Poetry
Alcott, Louisa May
Baum, L. Frank
Henry, O.
Hardcover
The Ransom of Red Chief: And Other O. Henry Stories for Boys (Hardcover)
Grant, Gordon
Henry, O.
Hardcover
The Ransom of Red Chief: Mandarin Companion Graded Readers Level 1, Traditional Character Edition
Henry, O.
Paperback
The Ransom of Red Chief: Mandarin Companion Graded Readers Level 1, Simplified Character Edition
Henry, O.
Paperback
Cabbages and Kings by O. Henry, Fiction, Literary, Classics, Short Stories
Henry, O.
Porter, William Sydney
Hardcover
An American Christmas Treasury: A Collection of Classic Holiday Stories of Joy, Magic, and Tradition
Alcott, Louisa May
Henry, O.
Hardcover
The Most Dangerous Game and Other Stories of Adventure: Richard Connell, Jack London, O. Henry, Clark Ashton Smith, John Kruse & Rudyard Kipling
Connell, Richard
Henry, O.
London, Jack
Paperback
Learn German with Short Stories by O. Henry: Improve Your Vocabulary the Fun and Easy Way
Henry, O.
Paperback
Oxford Bookworms Playscripts: One Thousand Dollars and Other Plays: Level 2: 700-Word Vocabulary
Henry, O.
Escott, John
Paperback
The Gift of the Magi: A Heartwarming Christmas Classic of Love, Sacrifice & the True Spirit of Giving (Deluxe Hardbound Edition)
Zengerink, Tim
Henry, O.
Hardcover
The Best American Humorous Short Stories
Johnston, Richard Malcolm
Holmes, Oliver Wendell
Henry, O.
Paperback
The Best Short Stories Volume II: Chosen in 1914 by the Most Prominent Authors of the Day
Stevenson, Robert Louis
Kipling, Rudyard
Henry, O.
Paperback
Pharmacopée Francaise Ou Code Des Médicamens: Nouvelle Traductiod De Codex Medicamentarius, Sive Pharmacopoea Gallica...
Ratier, Félix-Séverin
Henry, O.
Hardcover
Verschenkbuch zum Jahreswechsel: 5 klassische Weihnachtsgeschichten
Henry, O.
Baum, Lyman Frank
Maupassant, Guy De
Paperback
O. Henry's New York: The Immortality Of A Great City Portrayed In Some Of The Best Short Stories Of All Time
Henry, O.
Adams, J. Donald
Paperback
O. Henry Papers: Some Sketches of His Life Together with an Alphabetical Index to His Complete Works
Henry, O.
Paperback
A Christmas Treasury -Classic Stories, Poems, and Holiday Favorites for the Whole Family
Henry, O.
Dickens, Charles
Baum, L. Frank
Paperback
The Best Short Stories Volume III: Chosen in 1914 by the Most Prominent Authors of the Day
James, Henry
Bulwer-Lytton, Edward
Henry, O.
Paperback
Also in
General Fiction
Elizabeth Spencer: Novels & Stories (Loa #344): The Voice at the Back Door / The Light in the Piazza / Knights and Dragons / Stories
Spencer, Elizabeth
Hardcover
Anniversaries, Volume 2: From a Year in the Life of Gesine Cresspahl, April 1968-August 1968
Johnson, Uwe
Paperback
Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams: Short Stories, Prose, and Diary Excerpts
Plath, Sylvia
Paperback
Selected Writings: Robert Musil: Young Torless, Three Women, the Perfecting of a Love, and Other Writings
Agee, Joel
Musil, Robert
Paperback
Before Gatsby: The First Twenty-Six Stories
Fitzgerald, F. Scott
Bruccoli, Matthew J.
Baughman, Judith
Paperback