The Devil's Dictionary (1906) is a work of satire by Ambrose
Bierce. Although he is commonly remembered for his chilling short
stories on the experiences of Civil War soldiers, Bierce was
recognized in his day as a leading journalist and humorist who
spent decades ruffling feathers and drawing laughter with his witty
opinion columns, poems, and definitions. Toward the end of his
career, he decided to compile these satirical definitions into a
book, following in the footsteps of Samuel Johnson, Noah Webster,
and Gustave Flaubert. Immensely popular upon publication, The
Devil's Dictionary inspired countless imitators, but remains
one-of-a-kind. Reading Bierce's definitions today, it's not hard to
imagine the controversy they must have caused, matched only by the
laughs they must have roused, when published at the onset of the
twentieth century. Written during a period of undaunted industrial
growth, of immense wealth and promise in a nation recently torn
apart by civil war, The Devil's Dictionary preserves a tantalizing
touch of irreverence and doubt which must remain funny to those who
know humor when they sense it. "AIR, n. A nutritious substance
supplied by a bountiful providence for the fattening of the poor."
"CONSERVATIVE, n. A statesman who is enamoured of existing evils,
as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with
others." Crafted for the cynic, quoted by the misanthrope, Bierce's
definitions prove profoundly entertaining and frequently
accurate-sort of-over a century after they were published. With a
beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript,
this edition of Ambrose Bierce's The Devil's Dictionary is a
classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.
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