Books with author Ambrose Bierce

Regarded as one of the most influential American journalists of the late 19th and early 20th century, Ambrose Bierce was the Civil War veteran who was best known for his stories of the American Civil War and for his satirical witticisms. Written over several decades “The Devil’s Dictionary” is the ultimate collection of his lexicon of satirical definitions. Bierce’s earliest known definition was first published in 1867. Over the next several decades he would add numerous definitions to his satirical essays, in his weekly columns “The Town Crier” and “Prattle”, and in his personal letters. These definitions were first collected in book form in 1906 as “The Cynic’s Word Book” and later expanded as “The Devil’s Dictionary” in 1911. Not a real dictionary, but rather a lampoon of the English language, “The Devil’s Dictionary” provides satirical, witty and often politically pointed representations of the words that it seeks to “define”. Regarded by the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration as one of “The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature”, “The Devil’s Dictionary” is a unique masterpiece of cynical wit. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

“This volume should be in the waist coat pocket of every professional writer. The book is in daily use by the employees of the more important newspapers, some having purchased more than 100 copies each.” -The Dial Entertaining and thought-provoking, this A-to-Z compendium maps out common oral and written blunders, improprieties and general indiscretions.. Ambrose Bierce, a celebrated literary wit, assembled his informative compilation in 1909 from many years of observations and notes. He advocates precision in language, offering alternatives to grammatical lapses and inaccurate or poorly thought out word choices. Moneyed for Wealthy: "The moneyed men of New York." One might as sensibly say, "The cattled men of Texas," or, "The lobstered men of the fish market." Name for Title and Name: "His name was Mr. Smith." Surely no babe was ever christened Mister. Juncture means a joining, a junction; its use to signify a time, however critical, is absurd. "At this juncture the woman screamed." In reading that account of it, we scream, too. Times and usages have changed considerably in the past century. Bierce's strict rules remain, however, a timeless source of interest for wordsmiths and lovers of language. Times and usages have changed considerably in the past century. Bierce's strict rules remain, however, a timeless source of interest for wordsmiths and lovers of language. “The author’s main purpose in this book is to teach precision in writing; and of good writing (which, essentially, is clear thinking made visible) precision is the point of capital concern. It is attained by choice of the word that accurately and adequately expresses what the writer has in mind, and by exclusion of that which either denotes or connotes something else. As Quintilian puts it, the writer should so write that his reader not only may, but must, understand.Few words have more than one literal and serviceable meaning, however many metaphorical, derivative, related, or even unrelated, meanings lexicographers may think it worth while to gather from all sorts and conditions of men, with which to bloat their absurd and misleading dictionaries. This actual and serviceable meaning—not always determined by derivation, and seldom by popular usage—is the one affirmed, according to his light, by the author of this little manual of solecisms.” -Ambrose Bierce

In the days before ‘bathroom readers’ were articles in newsprints called ‘cynic columns’ where humor mixed with wit mixed with ridiculed events of the day were both laughed and scoffed at. Ambrose Bierce decided it would be a great laugh to write a dictionary of his favorite words and their ‘truest’ definitions. Mixed in to words are descriptions in prose and humoristic poetry because words mean more than they are. This book is a jab at the stoic and content and a riot of joy, humor and all around ridiculousness. As the title indicates, only someone with devilish intent would dare cross so many moral boundaries.Includes a biography of the Author as well as classic art images.

Short story by Ambrose Bierce, published in 1891 in Tales of Soldiers and Civilians, a collection that in 1898 was revised, enlarged, and retitled In the Midst of Life. The narrative concerns the final thoughts of a Southern planter as he is being hanged by Union soldiers. In the brief period between the tightening of the noose and the actual breaking of his neck, the man imagines his escape.

This short story collection by Ambrose Bierce has all of the following stories: A Shipwreckollection, The Captain of “The Camel”, The Man Overboard, A Cargo of Cat, Epigrams Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce 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”. Bierce was considered a master of pure English by his contemporaries, and virtually everything that came from his pen was notable for its judicious wording and economy of style. He wrote in a variety of literary genres. His short stories are held among the best of the 19th century, providing a popular following based on his roots. He wrote realistically of the terrible things he had seen in the war in such stories as ”An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”, ”The Boarded Window”, ”Killed at Resaca”, and ”Chickamauga”. In addition to his ghost and war stories, he also published several volumes of poetry. His Fantastic Fables anticipated the ironic style of grotesquerie that became a more common genre in the 20th century.

The Devil's Dictionary is often considered Ambrose Bierce's most famous work. Portions of it were published in the San Francisco Wasp. Originally published in 1906 as The Cynic's Word Book, it features Bierce's witty and often ironic spin on many common English words.Finally published in its entirety in 1911, the definitions found therein are as apt today as they were nearly a century ago. An example: "HOMICIDE, n. The slaying of one human being by another. There are four kinds of homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy, but it makes no great difference to the person slain whether he fell by one kind or another -- the classification is for advantage of the lawyers."

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. 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.Initial reception of the book versions was mixed. In the decades following, however, the stature of The Devil's Dictionary grew. It has been widely quoted, frequently translated, and often imitated, earning a global reputation. In the 1970s, The Devil's Dictionary was named as one of "The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature" by the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration. It has been called "howlingly funny", and Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Zweig wrote that The Devil's Dictionary is "probably the most brilliant work of satire written in America. And maybe one of the greatest in all of world literature."

This carefully crafted ebook: "Tales of Soldiers and Civilians (26 Stories: includes Chickamauga + An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge + The Mocking-Bird)" is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents. Tales of Soldiers and Civilians is a collection of short stories written by Ambrose Bierce. Published in 1891, the 26 stories detail the lives of soldiers and civilians during the American Civil War. His famous story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is included in this collection. Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce (1842-1914) was an American editorialist, journalist, short-story writer and satirist. His short stories are considered among the best of the 19th century, providing a popular following based on his roots. Bierce's lucid, unsentimental style has kept him popular when many of his contemporaries have been consigned to oblivion. His dark, sardonic views and vehemence as a critic earned him the nickname, "Bitter Bierce."

This carefully crafted ebook: "Tales of Soldiers and Civilians (26 Stories: includes Chickamauga + An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge + The Mocking-Bird)" is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents. Tales of Soldiers and Civilians is a collection of short stories written by Ambrose Bierce. Published in 1891, the 26 stories detail the lives of soldiers and civilians during the American Civil War. His famous story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is included in this collection. Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce (1842-1914) was an American editorialist, journalist, short-story writer and satirist. His short stories are considered among the best of the 19th century, providing a popular following based on his roots. Bierce's lucid, unsentimental style has kept him popular when many of his contemporaries have been consigned to oblivion. His dark, sardonic views and vehemence as a critic earned him the nickname, "Bitter Bierce."

Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce 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 poet George Sterling and 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. While traveling with rebel troops, he disappeared without a trace.This Edition Contains 18 Works;● The Fiend's Delight● Cobwebs From an Empty Skull● Can Such Things Be?● An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge● Black Beetles in Amber● Fantastic Fables● Shapes of Clay● Present at a Hanging and Other Ghost Stories● The Devil's Dictionary● The Cynic's Word Book● The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce VOl.I ● The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce VOL.II● The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce VOL.VIII● Write It Right● The Shadow On The Dial, and Other Essays● The Monk and The Hangman's Daughter● The Parenticide Club● A Cynic Looks at Life This Edition Features:● Biography of Ambrose Bierce● Active Table of Contents● Well Kindle Formatting