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.
