The Devil's Dictionary

by Ambrose Bierce, John Simpson (Introduction)

Overview

The Devil's Dictionary is a hilarious satire from one of the most brilliant and incisive writers of all time--Ambrose Bierce. Anyone looking for a bon mot to enliven their next speech, paper or conversation will have a field day thumbing through what H.L. Mencken called "some of the most gorgeous witticisms in the English language."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781851245079
Publisher:	Bodleian Library, University of Oxford
Publication date:	01/15/2019
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.75(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) was an American novelist and short story writer. Born in Meigs County, Ohio, Bierce was raised Indiana in a poor family who treasured literature and extolled the value of education. Despite this, he left school at 15 to work as a printer’s apprentice, otherwise known as a “devil”, for the Northern Indianan, an abolitionist newspaper. At the outbreak of the American Civil War, he enlisted in the Union infantry and was present at some of the conflict’s most harrowing events, including the Battle of Shiloh in 1862. During the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in 1864, Bierce—by then a lieutenant—suffered a serious brain injury and was discharged the following year. After a brief re-enlistment, he resigned from the Army and settled in San Francisco, where he worked for years as a newspaper editor and crime reporter. In addition to his career in journalism, Bierce wrote a series of realist stories including “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” and “Chickamauga,” which depict the brutalities of warfare while emphasizing the psychological implications of violence. In 1906, he published The Devil’s Dictionary, a satirical dictionary compiled from numerous installments written over several decades for newspapers and magazines. In 1913, he accompanied Pancho Villa’s army as an observer of the Mexican Revolution and disappeared without a trace at the age of 71.

Editorial Reviews

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.

Library Journal

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

Dana Gioia

"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

From the Publisher

"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."

Chronogram