The Shadow on the Dial and Other Essays

Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914) was a short story writer, an editorialist, a satirist and a journalist. He is best known for his Devil's Dictionary. His sardonic view of human nature and his tough stance as a critic earned him the nickname "Bitter Bierce". Despite his reputation Bierce always encouraged young writers. Bierce went to Mexico to get a first hand view of the revolution. He disappeared without a trace. The Shadow On The Dial contains the following essays The shadow on the dial, Civilization, The game The of politics, Some features of the law, Arbitration, Industrial discontent, Crime and its correctives, The death penalty, Religion, Immortality, Opportunity, Charity, Emancipated woman, The opposing sex, The American sycophant, A dissertation on dogs, The ancestral bond, The right to work, and The right to take oneself off.

Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce (1842 - 1914) was an American editorialist, journalist, short story writer, fabulist, and satirist. He wrote the short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" and compiled a satirical lexicon, The Devil's Dictionary. His vehemence as a critic, his motto "Nothing matters", and the sardonic view of human nature that informed his work, all earned him the nickname "Bitter Bierce".