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A Cynic Looks at Life consists of a collection of essays in which Bierce talks about modern civilization and all its faults, the death penalty and many others. His arguments are still relevant to issues of today. Ambrose Bierce was well known for his biting wit and cynical approach to life. (Google)

The moral stories are at their best told by Ambrose Bierce in his book Cobwebs from an Empty Skull. The book is divided into three sections:'Fables of Zambri, the Parsee,'an assortment of over 100 fables;'Brief Seasons of Intellectual Dissipation,'discussions between a fool and a philosopher, a doctor and a soldier, respectively; and'Divers Tales,'28 different stories of an eclectic nature, including The Grateful Bear, Dr. Deadwood, I Presume, Mrs. Dennison's Head, and Jim Beckwourth's Pond. (Goodreads)

The dictionary was never meant to be an extensive project, and the entries don't go any further than the one for “Lord.” As Bierce writes in the preface, “As it was no part of the author's purpose to define all the words in the language, or even to make a complete alphabetical series, the stopping-place of the book was determined by considerations of bulk.... In the event of this volume proving acceptable to that part of the reading public to which in humility it is addressed—enlightened souls who prefer dry wines to sweet, sense to sentiment, good English to slang, and wit to humor—there may possibly be another if the author be spared for the compiling.” Apparently it was acceptable, as a second edition, this time called The Devil's Dictionary, was published in 1911.

A celebrated journalist in his lifetime, Ambrose Bierce was the author of sardonic, mischievous definitions of words that appeared in various San Francisco newspapers. Over several years these were compiled for a mock dictionary, originally published in 1906 as The Cynic's Word Book and reissued in an expanded version as The Devil's Dictionary in 1911. One of the most popular satirical works of world literature, The Devil's Dictionary – here enriched with over 800 definitions left out from the original publications – brilliantly lays bare the hypocrisies of American society and displays a razor-sharp wit to rival that of Bierce's contemporary Mark Twain.

Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce was born in Meigs County, Ohio, United States in 1842. Bierce is critically best remembered for his fiction and many other writings are also generally regarded as some of the best war writings of all time. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900's and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions.

Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce was born in Meigs County, Ohio, United States in 1842. Bierce is critically best remembered for his fiction and many other writings are also generally regarded as some of the best war writings of all time. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900's and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions.

Ebook con un sumario dinámico y detallado: El Diccionario del Diablo es una recopilación satírica de 998 definiciones corrosivas escrito de 1881 a 1906 por Ambrose Bierce. Inicialmente fue publicado en fragmentos en diversos periódicos durante más de veinte años. Al finalizar, en 1911, se recopiló una versión completa. El contenido buscaba diversos argumentos escritos a modo satírico.1 El libro fue conocido desde la Guerra de Secesión. Su primera traducción francesa data de 1955. Fue traducido por Jacques Papy, e incluye un prefacio de Jean Cocteau. Actualmente, la traducción francesa más popular es la de Bernard Sallé, a partir de la edición definitiva de 1911, que data de 1989.

'Bore: A person who talks when you wish him to listen.''Lawyer: One skilled in circumvention of the law.''Positive: Mistaken at the top of one's voice.'These and more than 1,000 other comic definitions appear in Ambrose Bierce's wicked satire of conventional dictionaries. An ideal gift for lovers of language, this classic of American humor features a wealth of quips praised by H. L. Mencken as'some of the most gorgeous witticisms in the English language.'

The Devil's Dictionary is a satirical reference book written by Ambrose Bierce. The book offers reinterpretations of terms in the English language, lampooning cant, and political doublespeak, as well as other aspects of human foolishness and frailty. A number of the definitions are accompanied by satiric verses, many of which are signed with comic pseudonyms such as Salder Bupp and Orm Pludge; the most frequently appearing contributor is that learned and ingenious cleric, Father Gassalasca Jape, S.J., whose lines bear his initials.

Born in Ohio in 1842, journalist, short-story writer and critic Ambrose Bierce developed into one of this country's most celebrated and cynical wits--a merciless'American Swift'whose literary barbs were aimed at folly, self-delusion, politics, business, religion, literature and the arts. In this splendid'dictionary'of epigrams, essays, verses and vignettes, you'll find over 1,000 pointed definitions, e.g. Congratulation ('The civility of envy'), Coward ('One who in a perilous emergency thinks with his legs') and Historian ('A broad-gauge gossip'). Anyone who likes to laugh will love The Devil's Dictionary. 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.'

Two Dogs who had been fighting for a bone, without advantage to either, referred their dispute to a Sheep. The Sheep patiently heard their statements, then flung the bone into a pond.'Why did you do that?'said the Dogs.'Because,'replied the Sheep,'I am a vegetarian.'This and 244 other'fantastic fables'from the bitter pen of Ambrose Bierce fill this little volume to overflowing with a rich feast of Bierce's misanthropy. Bierce didn't miss a thing—greedy politicians, thieving doctors, not so pious holy men, aldermen, poets, naturalists, poodles, lions, kangaroos, judges, diplomats, legislators — all fall under close scrutiny in a delicious blend of sarcasm and satire that leaves no institution or pomposity of modern life unscathed. Called'the American Swift,'Bierce is one of the rare masters of the fable: like Aesop and La Fontaine, often personifying objects, animals, and even abstract concepts to reinforce his satire.This is an unabridged reprint of the original edition — all 245 fables. Do not confuse it with the abridged editions.