Most Popular Books by Ambrose Bierce

The American writer attacks many nineteenth-century institutions and individuals in these collected short fables

Ambrose Bierce''s ''An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge'' is a captivating short story that delves into the theme of perception vs. reality, the distorted passage of time, and the power of human will. Bierce''s writing style is characterized by its concise yet vivid descriptions and its ability to create a sense of unease and suspense. The story''s unexpected twist ending leaves readers questioning the nature of truth and illusion, making it a timeless piece of American literature that continues to resonate with audiences today. Set during the Civil War, the story reflects the uncertainty and trauma of the era, adding depth to its narrative and historical context. Bierce skillfully weaves together elements of psychological horror and existential philosophy, elevating the story to a work of art that challenges conventional storytelling conventions.

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Begun in a weekly paper in 1881, Bierce''s "dictionary" of barbed definitions includes cynical epigrams, maxims, essays, and verses that illustrate the irreverent humor of the nineteenth-century satirist as he lampoons cherished American traditions.

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 All of Bierce’s known satiric definitions are here, including previously uncollected, unpublished, and alternative entries.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.

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

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"

Begun in a weekly paper in 1881, Bierce''s "dictionary" contained the sardonic definitions published by Ambrose Bierce as "The cynic''s word book" in 1906.

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 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.

The Cynic''s Word Book is a satirical dictionary written by American journalist and author Ambrose Bierce (1842-ca.1914), a man whose savage wit earned him the nickname "Bitter Bierce." The targets for Bierce''s mockery are wide-ranging: from lawyers ("one skilled in circumvention of the law") to the institution of marriage ("a household consisting of a master, a mistress, and two slaves, making in all, two"); from Christians ("one who follows the teachings of Christ in so far as they are not inconsistent with a life of sin), to the very idea of the self ("ALONE, adj. In bad company"). 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.

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 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

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.

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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.

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

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."

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.

"The Devil''s Dictionary" is a satirical dictionary written by American Civil War soldier, wit, and writer Ambrose Bierce consisting of common words followed by humorous and satirical definitions. Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce (1842 to 1914) was an American Civil War soldier, wit, and writer.

An abridged and illustrated version of the original masterpiece by the acerbic American satirist Ambrose Bierce (b. 1842), addressed, in the author¿s own words, to ''enlightened souls who prefer dry wines to sweet, sense to sentiment, wit to humor and clean English to slang¿. Bierce was a journalist specializing in sharp satire, and also a writer of war and ghost stories, some with a distinctive Western flavor.