Cabbages and Kings

' Cabbages and Kings' is one of renowned author William Sidney Porter' s most famous collections of short stories. Better known by his literary pseudonym ' O. Henry', the collection was inspired by the time he spent hiding from the US authorities in Honduras. The narrative focuses on the fictional Republic of Anchuria and is a collective tale of corruption and political intrigue. ' Cabbages and Kings' is also the source of the now famous and much-used term ' banana republic'. The title is in reference to the poem ' The Walrus and the Carpenter' from ' Through the Looking Glass' by the well-known children' s author Lewis Carroll. One of O. Henry' s earliest short story collection, ' Cabbages and Kings' offers a fascinating introduction to this much-loved 20th century author.