Author · United States · 1842–1914
Ambrose Bierce
Cold clarity and dark wit; war stories and definitions that cut to the bone.
Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce was an American short story writer, journalist, poet, and Civil War veteran.
A prolific and versatile writer, Bierce was regarded as one of the most influential journalists in the United States, and as a pioneering writer of realist fiction.
His book The Devil's Dictionary was named as one of "The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature" by the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration.
Cold clarity and dark wit in 2026
Ambrose Bierce writes without comfort where truth requires it. Battle scenes and brief fables expose self deception and the cost of pride. The humor is black the vision clean. Read him to practice unsentimental reading and to keep your irony honest not lazy.
