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Ambrose Bierce

1842 - 1914

Ambrose Bierce is best known for his short story An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (1891), which stands out for its distinctive narrative style and unexpected ending. Another notable work is The Devil’s Dictionary (1906), a satirical collection of definitions that uses irony and humor to examine social beliefs and traditions. His collection Tales of Soldiers and Civilians is also widely recognized for its vivid portrayal of wartime experiences and the psychological effects of conflict.

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💼 Critical 💼 Wry 💼 Skeptical 💼 Sardonic 💼 Ironic

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War is Gods way of teaching Americans geography

— Ambrose Bierce

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Ambrose Bierce

Scriptures – The sacred books of our holy religion, as distinguished from the false and profane writings on which all other faiths are based.

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Ambrose Bierce

Consul – in American politics, a person who having failed to secure an office from the people is given one by the Administration on condition that he leave the country.

Administration Condition Country Failure Leaving Person Sardonic

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Ambrose Bierce

An election is nothing more than the advanced auction of stolen goods.

Advantage Cynical Election Good Stolen

$Ambrose Bierce Quote - Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at math.$ Free

Ambrose Bierce

Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at math.

Bad Mathematics Mocking People

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Ambrose Bierce

Education, n.: That which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding.

Critical Education Humility Knowledge Reflective

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Ambrose Bierce

Christian, n.: one who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor.

Critical Hypocrisy Religion Responsibility Sardonic

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Ambrose Bierce

Corporation: An ingenious device for obtaining profit without individual responsibility.

Critical Device Profit Responsibility

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Ambrose Bierce

Distance, n. The only thing that the rich are willing for the poor to call theirs and keep.

Bitter Critical Exclusion Inequality Wealth

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Ambrose Bierce

Electricity is the power that causes all natural phenomena not known to be caused by something else

Electricity Natural Reason Wry

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Ambrose Bierce

The most affectionate creature in the world is a wet dog.

Affection Amused Creature Dog World

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Ambrose Bierce

RATIONAL, adj. Devoid of all delusions save those of observation, experience and reflection.

Humility Knowledge Reason Skeptical Wry

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Ambrose Bierce

Politics: A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.

Critical Cynical Integrity Interests Politics

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Ambrose Bierce

Bore, n. A person who talks when you wish him to listen.

Conversation Listening Selfishness Wry

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Ambrose Bierce

Labor is one of the processes by which A acquires property for B.

Critical Labor Pregnant Property

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Ambrose Bierce

In each human heart are a tiger, a pig, an ass and a nightingale. Diversity of character is due to their unequal activity.

Character Emotion Humanity Playful Reflective

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Ambrose Bierce

Alliance – in international politics, the union of two thieves who have their hands so deeply inserted in each other’s pockets that they cannot separately plunder a third.

Hands International Sardonic Separate Thief Union

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Ambrose Bierce

Present, n. That part of eternity dividing the domain of disappointment from the realm of hope.

Awareness Hope Reflective Time Wistful

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Ambrose Bierce

Conservative, n: A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal who wishes to replace them with others.

Critical Cynical Ideology Judgment Politics

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Ambrose Bierce

Brain: an apparatus with which we think we think.

Brain Science Skeptical Thinking

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Ambrose Bierce

Accordion, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin.

Humor Mocking Music Taste

About Ambrose Bierce

Notable Works

Ambrose Bierce was a brutally honest American journalist, Union Civil War veteran, and pioneer of realist fiction famed for his dark, macabre storytelling. Nicknamed "Bitter Bierce" for his devastating wit and deeply pessimistic worldview, his raw experiences in combat profoundly shaped his unsentimental writing style. In late 1913, at the age of 71, he traveled to Mexico to observe the ongoing revolution and vanished without a trace, cementing his life as one of American literature's greatest mysteries.

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