New Releases by Ambrose Bierce

Embark on a journey of horror and suspense with Ambrose Bierce''s bone-chilling tale, "The Middle Toe of the Right Foot." Enter a world where the line between the living and the dead blurs, and the past comes back to haunt the present. As Bierce''s gripping narrative unfolds, follow the protagonist''s descent into madness as they confront the spectral presence that haunts their every waking moment. Delve into the depths of fear and paranoia as they struggle to unravel the mystery of the middle toe. But amidst the terror and uncertainty, a question lingers: What if the true horror lies not in the supernatural, but in the darkest recesses of the human psyche? Could Bierce''s tale of psychological terror serve as a mirror reflecting the depths of our own fears and insecurities? Immerse yourself in the atmospheric dread and existential horror that Bierce masterfully evokes. His exploration of the macabre will leave you trembling with fear and longing for the safety of daylight. Are you prepared to confront the horrors of the past with "The Middle Toe of the Right Foot"? Join the protagonist as they grapple with the spectral presence that haunts their every waking moment, threatening to drive them to the brink of madness. Let Bierce''s spine-tingling narrative and masterful storytelling transport you to a world where nightmares come to life. Here''s your chance to not just read, but to confront the demons of the past. This is more than a story; it''s a descent into madness and despair that will leave you questioning the nature of reality itself. Will you dare to confront "The Middle Toe of the Right Foot"? Seize the opportunity to own a classic of horror literature. Purchase "The Middle Toe of the Right Foot" now, and let Bierce''s timeless tale of terror and suspense chill you to the bone.

The Devil''s Dictionary is a collection of satirical aphorisms by Ambrose Bierce from 1911, gathering mostly blackly humorous or sarcastic definitions for about 1000 words. Although only a small portion of his work has been thoroughly received, Bierce, with the sarcastic, blackly humorous, often cynical narrative tone of his short texts, is considered, along with Edgar Allan Poe, to be the master of the uncanny short story, influencing authors such as Ernest Hemingway. Gröls Classics - English Edition

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

If we could only put aside our civil pose and say what we really thought, the world would be a lot like the one alluded to in The Devil''s Dictionary. There, a bore is "a person who talks when you wish him to listen," and happiness is "an agreeable sensation arising from contemplating the misery of another." This is the most comprehensive, authoritative edition ever of Ambrose Bierce''s satiric masterpiece. It renders obsolete all other versions that have appeared in the book''s ninety-year history. A virtual onslaught of acerbic, confrontational wordplay, The Devil''s Dictionary offers some 1,600 wickedly clever definitions to the vocabulary of everyday life. Little is sacred and few are safe, for Bierce targets just about any pursuit, from matrimony to immortality, that allows our willful failings and excesses to shine forth.

The Devil''s Dictionary is a satirical dictionary written by American Civil War soldier, journalist, and writer Ambrose Bierce consisting of common words followed by humorous and satirical definitions. The lexicon was written over three decades as a series of installments for magazines and newspapers.The Devil''s Dictionary is a satirical dictionary written by American Civil War soldier, journalist, and writer Ambrose Bierce consisting of common words followed by humorous and satirical definitions. The lexicon was written over three decades as a series of installments for magazines and newspapers.The Devil''s Dictionary is a satirical dictionary written by American Civil War soldier, journalist, and writer Ambrose Bierce consisting of common words followed by humorous and satirical definitions. The lexicon was written over three decades as a series of installments for magazines and newspapers.The Devil''s Dictionary is a satirical dictionary written by American Civil War soldier, journalist, and writer Ambrose Bierce consisting of common words followed by humorous and satirical definitions. The lexicon was written over three decades as a series of installments for magazines and newspapers.

If we could only put aside our civil pose and say what we really thought, the world would be a lot like the one alluded to in The Devil''s Dictionary. There, a bore is "a person who talks when you wish him to listen," and happiness is "an agreeable sensation arising from contemplating the misery of another." This is the most comprehensive, authoritative edition ever of Ambrose Bierce''s satiric masterpiece. It renders obsolete all other versions that have appeared in the book''s ninety-year history. A virtual onslaught of acerbic, confrontational wordplay, The Devil''s Dictionary offers some 1,600 wickedly clever definitions to the vocabulary of everyday life. Little is sacred and few are safe, for Bierce targets just about any pursuit, from matrimony to immortality, that allows our willful failings and excesses to shine forth.

Differentiated book- It has a historical context with research of the time-This book contains a historical context, where past events or the study and narration of these events are examined. The historical context refers to the circumstances and incidents surrounding an event. This context is formed by everything that, in some way, influences the event when it happens. A fact is always tied to its time: that is, to its characteristics. Therefore, when analyzing events that took place tens, hundreds or thousands of years ago, it is essential to know the historical context to understand them. Otherwise, we would be analyzing and judging what happened in a totally different era with a current perspective.Incident at the Owl Creek Bridge (An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge) - sometimes translated into Spanish as: An incident at the Owl Bridge - is a horror account of the American writer Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914), originally published in the July 13, 1890 edition of the San Francisco Examiner, and then reissued in the anthology of 1891: Tales of Soldiers and Civilians (Tales of Soldiers and Civilians).An incident at the Owl Creek Bridge, probably one of Ambrose Bierce''s most notable stories, puts us in the American Civil War, where a group of soldiers prepare to execute a prisoner.

First published in the year 1906, American Civil War soldier, journalist, and short story writer Ambrose Bierce''s ''The Cynic''s Word Book'' is a satirical dictionary. This book consists of common words followed by extremely funny and witty definitions that can be read as a critical social commentary.

The Devil''s Dictionary is a satirical dictionary written by American Civil War soldier, journalist, and writer Ambrose Bierce consisting of common words followed by humorous and satirical definitions. The lexicon was written over three decades as a series of installments for magazines and newspapers.

The Devil''s Dictionary is a satirical dictionary written by American Civil War soldier, journalist, and writer Ambrose Bierce consisting of common words followed by humorous and satirical definitions. The lexicon was written over three decades as a series of installments for magazines and newspapers. Bierce''s witty definitions were imitated and plagiarized for years before he gathered them into books, first as The Cynic''s Word Book in 1906 and then in a more complete version as The Devil''s Dictionary in 1911.

The Unabridged Devil''s Dictionary offers some 1,600 wickedly clever definitions to the vocabulary of everyday life. Little is sacred and few are safe, for Bierce targets just about any pursuit, from matrimony to immortality, that allows our willful failings and excesses to shine forth. If we could only put aside our civil pose and say what we really thought, the world would be a lot like the one alluded to in The Unabridged Devil''s Dictionary. There, a bore is "a person who talks when you wish him to listen," and happiness is "an agreeable sensation arising from contemplating the misery of another." This is the most comprehensive, authoritative edition ever of Ambrose Bierce''s satiric masterpiece. It renders obsolete all other versions that have appeared in the book''s ninety-year history

The Devil''s Dictionary is a satirical dictionary written by American Civil War soldier, journalist, and writer Ambrose Bierce consisting of common words followed by humorous and satirical definitions. The lexicon was written over three decades as a series of installments for magazines and newspapers.

"The Death of Halpin Frayser" is a Gothic ghost story by Ambrose Bierce. It was first published in the San Francisco periodical The Wave on December 19, 1891 before appearing in the 1893 collection Can Such Things Be? Halpin Frayser, a 32-year-old resident of the Napa Valley, awakens from a dreamless sleep speaking the mysterious words "Catherine Larue" into the darkness. Earlier that day, Frayser went hunting in the vicinity of Mount Saint Helena. As he wanders the darkness and chooses a "road less travelled", it is clear there is something devious about. Halpin dreams about a haunted forest dripping with blood and is stricken with fear. In his dream, Halpin grabs a red-leather pocketbook and begins to write with blood a dark poem (in the manner of Freneau''s "The House of Night") but before he can write too much, he is confronted by the corpse of his mother... Famous works of the author Ambrose Bierce: "A Psychological Shipwreck", "Killed at Resaca",, "An Inhabitant of Carcosa", "One of the Missing", "A Tough Tussle", "An Unfinished Race", "One of Twins", "A Horseman in the Sky", "The Spook House", "The Middle Toe of the Right Foot", "The Man and the Snake", "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge", "The Realm of the Unreal", "The Boarded Window", "The Secret of Macarger''s Gulch", "The Death of Halpin Frayser", "The Damned Thing", "The Eyes of the Panther", "Moxon''s Master", "The Moonlit Road", "Beyond the Wall".

Ambrose Bierce''s classic collection of witty and satirical definitions, arranged alphabetically as a dictionary, is presented here in full. Known as a hero for his actions in the American Civil War, Bierce distinguished himself later in life as a barbed commentator who would turn his ire to all sorts of topics. Today, most of his journalism and opinion pieces are consigned to obscurity. Lasting fame however was gained from the Devil''s Dictionary; wherein Bierce redefines popular terms in a deeply sardonic, even bitter, manner. The Devil''s Dictionary is, as the title suggests, full of dark and devilish humor. For instance, it describes the Adam''s Apple as a ""protuberance on the throat of a man, thoughtfully provided by Nature to keep the rope in place."" and marriage as a ""state of temporary insanity only cured by the passage of time.""

The Cynics Word BookBy Ambrose BierceAmbrose Gwinnett Bierce (June 24, 1842 - circa 1914) was an American editorialist, journalist, short story writer, fabulist, and satirist. He wrote the short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" and compiled a satirical lexicon, The Devil''s Dictionary. His vehemence as a critic, his motto "Nothing matters", and the sardonic view of human nature that informed his work, all earned him the nickname "Bitter Bierce". Despite his reputation as a searing critic, Bierce was known to encourage younger writers, including the poets George Sterling and Herman George Scheffauer and the fiction writer W. C. Morrow. Bierce employed a distinctive style of writing, especially in his stories. His style often embraces an abrupt beginning, dark imagery, vague references to time, limited descriptions, impossible events, and the theme of war. In 1913, Bierce traveled to Mexico to gain first-hand experience of the Mexican Revolution. He was rumored to be traveling with rebel troops, and was not seen again. Bierce was born in a log cabin at Horse Cave Creek in Meigs County, Ohio, on June 24, 1842, to Marcus Aurelius Bierce (1799-1876) and Laura Sherwood Bierce.His mother was a descendant of William Bradford. He was the tenth of thirteen children whose father gave all names beginning with the letter "A": in order of birth, the Bierce siblings were Abigail, Amelia, Ann, Addison, Aurelius, Augustus, Almeda, Andrew, Albert, and Ambrose. His parents were a poor but literary couple who instilled in him a deep love for books and writing.Bierce grew up in Kosciusko County, Indiana, attending high school at the county seat, Warsaw.He left home at 15 to become a "printer''s devil" at a small Ohio newspaper.We are delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive Classic Library collection. Many of the books in our collection have been out of print for decades, and therefore have not been accessible to the general public. The aim of our publishing program is to facilitate rapid access to this vast reservoir of literature, and our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. The contents of the vast majority of titles in the Classic Library have been scanned from the original works. To ensure a high quality product, each title has been meticulously hand curated by our staff. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with a book that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic work, and that for you it becomes an enriching experience.

The Devil''s Dictionary was begun in a weekly paper in 1881, and was continued in a desultory way at long intervals until 1906. In that year a large part of it was published in covers with the title The Cynic''s Word Book, a name which the author had not the power to reject or happiness to approve. To quote the publishers of the present work:"This more reverent title had previously been forced upon him by the religious scruples of the last newspaper in which a part of the work had appeared, with the natural consequence that when it came out in covers the country already had been flooded by its imitators with a score of ''cynic'' books-The Cynic''s This, The Cynic''s That, and The Cynic''s t''Other. Most of these books were merely stupid, though some of them added the distinction of silliness. Among them, they brought the word ''cynic'' into disfavor so deep that any book bearing it was discredited in advance of publication."

Title: An Occurrence at Owl Creek BridgeAuthor: Ambrose BierceLanguage: English

This eBook features the unabridged text of ‘The Devil’s Dictionary’ from the bestselling edition of ‘The Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce’. Having established their name as the leading publisher of classic literature and art, Delphi Classics produce publications that are individually crafted with superior formatting, while introducing many rare texts for the first time in digital print. The Delphi Classics edition of Bierce includes original annotations and illustrations relating to the life and works of the author, as well as individual tables of contents, allowing you to navigate eBooks quickly and easily. eBook features: * The complete unabridged text of ‘The Devil’s Dictionary’ * Beautifully illustrated with images related to Bierce’s works * Individual contents table, allowing easy navigation around the eBook * Excellent formatting of the textPlease visit www.delphiclassics.com to learn more about our wide range of titles

Celepha�s is a collection of fantastic short stories authored by Howard Lovecraft, Lord Dunsany, Ambrose Bierce and Edgar Allan Poe with an introduction by Sigmund Freud. The main theme of the stories is the dream world, whether dreams inspired during sleep or with the help of exotic drugs. "Celepha�s", a fantasy story inspired by a dream recorded in Howard Lovecraft commonplace book as "Dream of flying over city", is a fictional city created in a dream by Kuranes, the anti-hero of the story. Celepha�s is described as being situated in the valley of Ooth-Nargai beside the Cerenerian Sea and its most remarkable feature is that it is unaffected by the passage of time, and takes no decay or wear, so that a person may leave it and return many years later to find that nothing has changed. "Celepha�s" was inspired by a tale by Lord Dunsany, "The Coronation of Mr. Thomas Shap", included in this collection, where the main character becomes more and more engrossed in the imaginary kingdom of Larkar, that he created, until he begins to neglect business and routine tasks of daily living. Ambrose Bierce''s "A Horseman in the Sky", also included in this collection, inspired the imagery of the horses drifting off the cliff where the horizon of Celepha�s meets the sky. Other fantastic stories in this anthology include: Ambrose Bierce''s Beyond the Wall, Edgar Allan Poe''s SIOPE, Manuscript in a Bottle and The Oval Portrait as well as Howard Lovecraft''s Azathoth, Beyond the Wall of Sleep, Dagon and Hypnos. The collection offers an excellent introduction to Howard Lovecraft''s dream world complete with the inspirational stories that shaped its development. If you have enjoyed reading Necronomicon, The Call of Cthulhu, Robert Bloch''s Psycho, Neil Gaiman'' American Gods or Frederik Pohl''s Virtual Nightmare you will definitely enjoy reading Celepha�s. Howard Lovecraft was the forefather of modern horror fiction having inspired such writers as Stephen King, Robert Bloch and Neil Gaiman. The influence of his Cthulhu mythos can be seen in film (Re-Animator, Hellboy, and Alien), games (The Call of Cthulhu role playing enterprise), music (Metallica, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath) and pop culture in general.

Celepha�s is a collection of fantastic short stories authored by Howard Lovecraft, Lord Dunsany, Ambrose Bierce and Edgar Allan Poe with an introduction by Sigmund Freud. The main theme of the stories is the dream world, whether dreams inspired during sleep or with the help of exotic drugs. "Celepha�s", a fantasy story inspired by a dream recorded in Howard Lovecraft commonplace book as "Dream of flying over city", is a fictional city created in a dream by Kuranes, the anti-hero of the story. Celepha�s is described as being situated in the valley of Ooth-Nargai beside the Cerenerian Sea and its most remarkable feature is that it is unaffected by the passage of time, and takes no decay or wear, so that a person may leave it and return many years later to find that nothing has changed. "Celepha�s" was inspired by a tale by Lord Dunsany, "The Coronation of Mr. Thomas Shap", included in this collection, where the main character becomes more and more engrossed in the imaginary kingdom of Larkar, that he created, until he begins to neglect business and routine tasks of daily living. Ambrose Bierce''s "A Horseman in the Sky", also included in this collection, inspired the imagery of the horses drifting off the cliff where the horizon of Celepha�s meets the sky. Other fantastic stories in this anthology include: Ambrose Bierce''s Beyond the Wall, Edgar Allan Poe''s SIOPE, Manuscript in a Bottle and The Oval Portrait as well as Howard Lovecraft''s Azathoth, Beyond the Wall of Sleep, Dagon and Hypnos. The collection offers an excellent introduction to Howard Lovecraft''s dream world complete with the inspirational stories that shaped its development. If you have enjoyed reading Necronomicon, The Call of Cthulhu, Robert Bloch''s Psycho, Neil Gaiman'' American Gods or Frederik Pohl''s Virtual Nightmare you will definitely enjoy reading Celepha�s. Howard Lovecraft was the forefather of modern horror fiction having inspired such writers as Stephen King, Robert Bloch and Neil Gaiman. The influence of his Cthulhu mythos can be seen in film (Re-Animator, Hellboy, and Alien), games (The Call of Cthulhu role playing enterprise), music (Metallica, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath) and pop culture in general.

Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce (June 24, 1842 - circa 1914) was an American editorialist, journalist, short story writer, fabulist, and satirist. He wrote the short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" and compiled a satirical lexicon, The Devil''s Dictionary. His vehemence as a critic, his motto "Nothing matters," and the sardonic view of human nature that informed his work, all earned him the nickname "Bitter Bierce." Despite his reputation as a searing critic, Bierce was known to encourage younger writers, including the poets George Sterling and Herman George Scheffauer and the fiction writer W. C. Morrow. Bierce employed a distinctive style of writing, especially in his stories. His style often embraces an abrupt beginning, dark imagery, vague references to time, limited descriptions, impossible events, and the theme of war. In 1913, Bierce traveled to Mexico to gain first-hand experience of the Mexican Revolution. He was rumored to be traveling with rebel troops, and was not seen again. Bierce was born in a log cabin at Horse Cave Creek in Meigs County, Ohio, on June 24, 1842, to Marcus Aurelius Bierce (1799-1876) and Laura Sherwood Bierce.His mother was a descendant of William Bradford. He was the tenth of thirteen children whose father gave all names beginning with the letter "A": in order of birth, the Bierce siblings were Abigail, Amelia, Ann, Addison, Aurelius, Augustus, Almeda, Andrew, Albert, and Ambrose. His parents were a poor but literary couple who instilled in him a deep love for books and writing.Bierce grew up in Kosciusko County, Indiana, attending high school at the county seat, Warsaw.He left home at 15 to become a "printer''s devil" at a small Ohio newspaper.

The Devil''s Dictionary is a satirical dictionary written by American journalist and author Ambrose Bierce. Originally published in 1906 as The Cynic''s Word Book, it features Bierce''s witty and often ironic spin on many common English words. Retitled in 1911, it has been followed by numerous "unabridged" versions compiled after Bierce''s death, which include definitions absent from earlier editions. The Devil''s Dictionary began as a serialized column during Bierce''s time as a columnist for the San Francisco News Letter, a small weekly financial magazine founded by Frederick Marriott in the late 1850s. Although a serious magazine aimed at businessmen, the News Letter contained a page of informal satirical content titled "The Town Crier". Bierce, hired as the "Crier"''s editor in December 1868, wrote satire with such irreverence and lack of inhibition he was nicknamed "the laughing devil of San Francisco". Bierce resigned from "The Town Crier"[when?] and spent three years in London. Returning to San Francisco in 1875, he made two submissions to the News Letter in hopes of regaining his old position. Both were written under aliases. One, entitled "The Demon''s Dictionary", contained Bierce''s definitions for 48 words. Later forgotten in his compiling of The Devil''s Dictionary, they were added almost a century later to an Enlarged Devil''s Dictionary published in 1967. Though Bierce''s preface to The Devil''s Dictionary dates the earliest work to 1881, its origins can be traced to August 1869. Short of material and recently possessed of a Webster''s Unabridged Dictionary, he suggested writing a "comic dictionary" for the "Town Crier". To a quote from Webster''s entry for "Vicegerents", "Kings are sometimes called God''s vicegerents", he added the italicized rejoinder, "It is to be wished they would always deserve the appellation," then suggested Webster might have used his talent to comic effect. Comic definitions were not a regular feature of Bierce''s next column ("Prattle", in the magazine The Argonaut, of which he became an editor in March 1877). Nevertheless, he included comic definitions in his columns dated November 17, 1877 and September 14, 1878. It was in early 1881 that Bierce first used the title, The Devil''s Dictionary, while editor-in-chief of another weekly San Francisco magazine, The Wasp. The "dictionary" proved popular, and during his time in this post (1881-86) Bierce included 88 installments, each comprising 15-20 new definitions.n 1887, Bierce became an editor of The San Francisco Examiner and introduced "The Cynic''s Dictionary". This was to be the last of his "dictionary" columns until 1904, and it continued irregularly until July 1906. A number of the definitions are accompanied by satiric verses, many of which are signed with comic pseudonyms such as "Salder Bupp", "Orm Pludge", and "Father Gassalasca Jape, S.J.

Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce was born in Meigs County, Ohio, United States in 1842. Bierce is critically best remembered for his fiction and many other writings are also generally regarded as some of the best war writings of all time. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900''s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions.

The Devil''s Dictionary is a satirical dictionary written by American journalist and author Ambrose Bierce. Originally published in 1906 as The Cynic''s Word Book, it features Bierce''s witty and often ironic spin on many common English words. Retitled in 1911, it has been followed by numerous "unabridged" versions compiled after Bierce''s death, which include definitions absent from earlier editions. The Devil''s Dictionary began as a serialized column during Bierce''s time as a columnist for the San Francisco News Letter, a small weekly financial magazine founded by Frederick Marriott in the late 1850s. Although a serious magazine aimed at businessmen, the News Letter contained a page of informal satirical content titled "The Town Crier." Bierce, hired as the "Crier"''s editor in December 1868, wrote satire with such irreverence and lack of inhibition he was nicknamed "the laughing devil of San Francisco." Bierce resigned from "The Town Crier"[when?] and spent three years in London. Returning to San Francisco in 1875, he made two submissions to the News Letter in hopes of regaining his old position. Both were written under aliases. One, entitled "The Demon''s Dictionary," contained Bierce''s definitions for 48 words. Later forgotten in his compiling of The Devil''s Dictionary, they were added almost a century later to an Enlarged Devil''s Dictionary published in 1967. Though Bierce''s preface to The Devil''s Dictionary dates the earliest work to 1881, its origins can be traced to August 1869. Short of material and recently possessed of a Webster''s Unabridged Dictionary, he suggested writing a "comic dictionary" for the "Town Crier." To a quote from Webster''s entry for "Vicegerents," "Kings are sometimes called God''s vicegerents," he added the italicized rejoinder, "It is to be wished they would always deserve the appellation," then suggested Webster might have used his talent to comic effect. Comic definitions were not a regular feature of Bierce''s next column ("Prattle," in the magazine The Argonaut, of which he became an editor in March 1877). Nevertheless, he included comic definitions in his columns dated November 17, 1877 and September 14, 1878. It was in early 1881 that Bierce first used the title, The Devil''s Dictionary, while editor-in-chief of another weekly San Francisco magazine, The Wasp. The "dictionary" proved popular, and during his time in this post (1881-86) Bierce included 88 installments, each comprising 15-20 new definitions.n 1887, Bierce became an editor of The San Francisco Examiner and introduced "The Cynic''s Dictionary." This was to be the last of his "dictionary" columns until 1904, and it continued irregularly until July 1906. A number of the definitions are accompanied by satiric verses, many of which are signed with comic pseudonyms such as "Salder Bupp," "Orm Pludge," and "Father Gassalasca Jape, S.J.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

In merely resuming his own the author hopes to be held guiltless by those to whom the work is addressed-enlightened souls who prefer dry wines to sweet, sense to sentiment, wit to humor and clean English to slang.

A young man works for his father at his dog-oil business whilst simultaneously helping his mother with her work as well. But when his duties for each of his parents overlap one day, the consequences are terrible and tragic. HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library.

On a warm afternoon in the fall of 1861 Carter Druse is on picket duty on top of a cliff overlooking a valley where five regiments of the Union army are resting. The enemy is near, and the Union force means to surprise them in the night unless “accident or vigilance” forewarns them. Druse had been sleeping but wakes to see a man on a horse surveying the activity in the valley below. He sights his rifle, but hesitates when the rider turns and seems to look straight at him. In a crisis of conscience, Druse questions where his duty lies. HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library.

The Devil''s Dictionary was begun in a weekly paper in 1881, and was continued in a desultory way at long intervals until 1906. In that year a large part of it was published in covers with the title The Cynic''s Word Book, a name which the author had not the power to reject or happiness to approve. To quote the publishers of the present work: "This more reverent title had previously been forced upon him by the religious scruples of the last newspaper in which a part of the work had appeared, with the natural consequence that when it came out in covers the country already had been flooded by its imitators with a score of ''cynic'' books-The Cynic''s This, The Cynic''s That, and The Cynic''s t''Other. Most of these books were merely stupid, though some of them added the distinction of silliness. Among them, they brought the word ''cynic'' into disfavor so deep that any book bearing it was discredited in advance of publication." Meantime, too, some of the enterprising humorists of the country had helped themselves to such parts of the work as served their needs, and many of its definitions, anecdotes, phrases and so forth, had become more or less current in popular speech. This explanation is made, not with any pride of priority in trifles, but in simple denial of possible charges of plagiarism, which is no trifle. In merely resuming his own the author hopes to be held guiltless by those to whom the work is addressed-enlightened souls who prefer dry wines to sweet, sense to sentiment, wit to humor and clean English to slang. A conspicuous, and it is hoped not unpleasant, feature of the book is its abundant illustrative quotations from eminent poets, chief of whom is that learned and ingenius cleric, Father Gassalasca Jape, S.J., whose lines bear his initials. To Father Jape''s kindly encouragement and assistance the author of the prose text is greatly indebted. A.B.

If we could only put aside our civil pose and say what we really thought, the world would be a lot like the one alluded to in The Unabridged Devil’s Dictionary. There, a bore is "a person who talks when you wish him to listen," and happiness is "an agreeable sensation arising from contemplating the misery of another." This is the most comprehensive, authoritative edition ever of Ambrose Bierce’s satiric masterpiece. It renders obsolete all other versions that have appeared in the book’s ninety-year history. A virtual onslaught of acerbic, confrontational wordplay, The Unabridged Devil’s Dictionary offers some 1,600 wickedly clever definitions to the vocabulary of everyday life. Little is sacred and few are safe, for Bierce targets just about any pursuit, from matrimony to immortality, that allows our willful failings and excesses to shine forth. This new edition is based on David E. Schultz and S. T. Joshi’s exhaustive investigation into the book’s writing and publishing history. All of Bierce’s known satiric definitions are here, including previously uncollected, unpublished, and alternative entries. Definitions dropped from previous editions have been restored while nearly two hundred wrongly attributed to Bierce have been excised. For dedicated Bierce readers, an introduction and notes are also included. Ambrose Bierce’s Devil’s Dictionary is a classic that stands alongside the best work of satirists such as Twain, Mencken, and Thurber. This unabridged edition will be celebrated by humor fans and word lovers everywhere.