The Devil's Dictionary

by Ambrose Bierce Narrated by Robert G Slade

Overview

CYNIC, n. A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.
Written over three decades as a series of instalments for magazines and newspapers, The Devil's Dictionary is a charmingly eccentric satirical dictionary that tackles all aspects of life with caustic humour and cutting observation. Few are safe as Bierce targets everything from politics (`A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage'), marriage (`A household consisting of a master, a mistress, and two slaves, making in all, two') and religion (`A daughter of Hope and Fear, explaining to Ignorance the nature of the Unknowable') to lawyers (`One skilled in circumvention of the law'). This audiobook edition contains over 1,000 entries, combining the complete first edition published in 1911 with definitions attributed to Bierce's earlier `Demon's Dictionary' column.

Editorial Reviews

Library Journal

This enjoyable abridgment is an updated version of a classic lexicon by one of the 19th century's most famous satirists. Originally published between 1881 and 1886 as a regular feature in the Wasp, a San Francisco journal, and again in 1904 in Hearst papers, Bierce's 700 definitions are just as humorous, witty, and satiric today as they were then. They mock social, professional, and religious conventions while also providing a small glimpse into late 19th-century society. Entries include, for example, "Apologize" ("To lay the foundation for a future offence"); "Beggar" ("One who has relied on the assistance of his friends"); and "Saint" ("A dead sinner revised and edited"). Illustrations by satiric cartoonist Steadman complement the text, while Angus Calder's (The People's War) introduction provides basic biographical data on Bierce's life and works and a brief bibliography. Recommended for public and academic libraries.-Laurie Selwyn, Grayson Cty. Law Lib., Sherman, TX Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Dana Gioia

Forget the Summer of Love. Bierce is the real voice of San Francisco—mordant, worldly, skeptical, and witty.
—The Hungry Mind Review

From the Publisher

"An enjoyable work, fun to read as well as thought-provoking....Just because the dictionary is 90 years old doesn't make it any less apropos for modern readers."—Naples Daily News

Chronogram

"Though Bierce was known (and admired) for his mean streak, Bendis's takes on the writer soften his angry edges, disarming the loaded weapon of Bierce's prose."

Product Details

BN ID:	2940159959898
Publisher:	Naxos Audiobooks
Publication date:	05/25/2023
Edition description:	Unabridged

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