Who is Ambrose Bierce?
Ambrose Bierce (1842 – 1914), whose full name was Ambrose Gwinnet Bierce, was an American journalist and author. He is best remembered for “The Devils Dictionary”. Bierce started developing his insightful and idiosyncratic definitions in a weekly newspaper column in 1881; they were published in book form in 1906. “The Devil’s Dictionary” was originally titled “The Cynics Word Book” (see definition of cynic below). Bierce was also a prolific author of short stories, sometimes humorous, sometimes macabre. 1. Abstainer: A weak man who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure 2. Absurdity: A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one’s own opinion. 3. Acquaintance: A person whom we know well enough to borrow from, but not well enough to lend to. 4. Admiration: Our polite recognition of another’s resemblance to ourselves. 5. Amnesty: The state’s magnanimity to those offenders whom it would be too expensive to punish. 6. Egotist: A person of low taste, more interested
Ambrose Bierce was an American author and journalist of the 19th century, best known for his macabre short stories and his satirical work, The Devil’s Dictionary, which provides such cynical definitions as, “Love: A temporary insanity curable by marriage.” Bierce is also remembered for his disappearance in Mexico in the final days of 1913, an event as mysterious as many of his stories. Ambrose Bierce was born on 24 June 1842 in Meigs County, Ohio, the tenth of 12 children. The family later moved to Elkhart, Indiana. Bierce fought in the Civil War, enlisting in 1861 as a member of the Union Army. He worked first as a topographical engineer for General William Babcock Hazen, creating maps of battlefields, and later fought in the Battle of Shiloh. This latter experience traumatized Bierce and became the subject of many of his stories. After sustaining a major head wound in 1864, Bierce went on leave for a few months, and he was discharged early in 1865. The following year, he rejoined Haz
” And the fame of “the Shadow-Maker” began at the inevitable question. More than one biography of Bierce is contemplated. Till one appear, the best account of his life may be found in Bertha Clark Pope’s preface to his “Letters,” published by the Book Club of California in 1922. In that volume is also contained a brief memoir by myself, and other such reminiscences may be found in my article in the October, 1925, number of the American Mercury. A summary of the records would relate that Ambrose Gwinett Bierce was born in Meiggs County, Ohio, on June 24, 1842, was given such education as the country school of that day afforded (he was an inveterate reader as a boy), and volunteered as a private at the outbreak of the Civil War, in 1861. He served for the entire duration of the strife, and during its latter years was an officer on the staff of General Hazen, He twice rescued wounded companions, at grave risk, and was himself twice wounded, once in the heel, and once, far more severely, i
” And the fame of “the Shadow-Maker… 5. Ambrose Bierce’s Civil War Book by William McCann, Ambrose Bierce; Regnery Gateway, 1956 Subjects: United States–History–Civil War, 1861-1865, United States–History–Civil War, 1861-1865–Fiction, War Stories, American Collections: History, Literature, Entire Library This powerful collection contains the very best of this world-renowned author’s writings. All of the short stories and factual accounts of the Civil War presented here form a searing, unflinching portrait of this terrible war. For fiction and non-fiction fans and history buffs alike.
