Ambrose Bierce Collected editions

Ambrose Bierce (1842 – c. 1914) was an American writer, journalist, and satirist whose dark wit and unflinching cynicism earned him the nickname “Bitter Bierce.” His most famous work, The Devil’s Dictionary, offers a sharply satirical lexicon that skewers hypocrisy, folly, and human pretension.

Bierce also wrote short stories — such as An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge — that combine realism, irony, and psychological depth. A Civil War veteran, his war experiences infused his fiction with a stark understanding of human frailty and the absurdities of conflict.

Through his caustic humor and incisive prose, Ambrose Bierce remains one of America’s most distinctive literary voices.