Ambrose Bierce 1842 – 1914 ?

Ambrose Bierce The 10 th of 13 children in a farming family that was financially unsuccessful. Lived in a log cabin in Meigs County, Ohio. Bierce was almost entirely educated by exploring his father’s small library. Joined the Ninth Indiana Volunteers resulting in many opportunities to see bloody action during Civil War battles. Was once severely wounded and was cited for bravery no fewer than 15 times Reenlisted around the war’s end, but became frustrated and left to work with his brother at the United States Mint in San Francisco Contributed witty short stories to the city’s weekly editions Eventually worked as the editor of the San Francisco News Letter Had a dark vision of life: infuse this into his writing. Writing centered on warfare and the “cruel joke it plays on humanity” Bierce ‘s disillusionment with the deceit and greed of his times continued to motivate his writing and earned him the nickname “Bitter Bierce”

Ambrose Bierce Married in 1871 and moved to England where he spent the next four years editing humor magazines, and making his first attempts at fiction. Returned to San Francisco in Continued to write and edit, but never achieved much recognition The Devil’s Dictionary (published in 1906 as The Cynic’s Word Book), was a bit more successful. In this collection, he offered a collection of definitions filled with ironic humor. For example, he defined war as a “byproduct of the arts of peace,” and he defined peace as “a period of cheating between two period of fighting.” Set off for Mexico in 1913 to report on or join its revolution. In “Goodbye,” he wrote, “If you hear of my being stood up against a Mexican stone wall and shot to rags, please know that I think it is a pretty good way to depart this life. It beats old age, disease, or falling down the cellar stairs.” No further word was ever heard from him.