In "Iconoclastic Memories of the Civil War: Bits of Autobiography," Bierce recounts some of his experiences as a soldier. At the outset of the American Civil War, Bierce enlisted in the Union Army's 9th Indiana Infantry Regiment. In February 1862 he was commissioned First Lieutenant, and served on the staff of General William Babcock Hazen as a topographical engineer, making maps of likely battlefields. Bierce fought at the Battle of Shiloh (April 1862), a terrifying experience that became a source for several later short-stories as well as the memoir, "What I Saw of Shiloh". In June 1864, he sustained a serious head wound at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, and spent the rest of the summer on furlough, returning to active duty in September. He was discharged from the army in January 1865. Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) was an American writer, journalist, critic, poet, and Civil War veteran, best known for "The Devil's Dictionary" (1911). He dominated the horror genre as the preeminent innovator of supernatural storytelling in the period between the death of Edgar Allan Poe and the rise of H.P. Lovecraft. Bierce's death was as mysterious as his strange stories; sometime around 1914 he left for Mexico, wanting to experience the Mexican Revolution firsthand, and was never to be seen again.

Et si l'étrange devenait réalité ? Can Such Things Be? rassemble des nouvelles fantastiques d’Ambrose Bierce, où le surnaturel s’invite dans le quotidien.

Texte intégral révisé suivi d'une biographie d'Ambrose Bierce. L'auteur du "Dictionnaire du diable" est désormais reconnu comme le créateur de la "short story" d'horreur, et à ce titre comme l'initiateur d'un courant majeur de la littérature américaine contemporaine, de Richard Matheson à Anne Rice en passant bien entendu par Stephen King. Si Bierce a avec Edgar Poe le même goût du morbide, la même délectation pour la mort, violente, cruelle, il s'inspire pour sa part de la réalité la plus prosaïque - ici la Guerre de Sécession - qu'il décrit avec une minutie et une précision quasi photographiques. "Morts violentes" en est une bonne illustration. Là, pas de fantastique au sens littéraire du terme mais une exploration clinique de la réalité la plus crue, d'où nait le surnaturel et, chez le lecteur, le sentiment de l'horreur. Aussi, c'est à de véritables variations sur les métamorphoses du corps mort ou agonisant que se livre Bierce, de la vision d'un pendu sur un pont ("Ce qui se passa sur le pont de Owl Creek"), à celles du face-à-face pendant toute une nuit d'un soldat et d'un cadavre ("Une rude bagarre"), d'un espion apprenant qu'il va être exécuté sur-le-champ, de porcs en train de dévorer des cadavres ("Le coup de grâce"), ou encore d'une foule indistincte de blessés progressant à genoux comme des animaux et dont l'un des représentants, la mâchoire arrachée, menace bestialement du poing un enfant terrifié ("Chickamauga"). Dans "Morts violentes" la peur s'insinue partout.

Si ces épigrammes devaient être gravés sur la tombe d'un monument, ce serait un monument à la liberté... de pensée. Que l'on en juge : "Nous nous soumettons à la majorité parce que nous y sommes tenus. Mais nous ne sommes pas forcés de donner à notre attitude soumise une posture respectueuse." Ou encore : "Chez celui qui n'a jamais causé de tort à autrui, la vengeance est une vertu." C'est une collection d'aphorismes de cette trempe que renferme ce petit ouvrage, appelé à tenir dans la poche, sinon à occuper durablement sa table de nuit. Dans un style à la Flaubert dans son Dictionnaire des idées reçues, ces diatribes acerbes­ sonnent comme autant de piqûres de rappel. Celui qui est devenu l'un des maîtres du fantastique sait introduire ce qu'il faut de méchanceté ("Le premier homme que vous croiserez est un imbécile. Si vous pensez le contraire, interrogez-le et il vous le prouvera"). Ajoutez à cela une once d'anticléricalisme ("Chrétiens et chameaux accueillent leurs fardeaux à genoux"), une pointe de lucidité trempée dans l'ironie ("La mort n'est pas la fin ; il reste le litige sur l'héritage"), enfin une infime misogynie ("Pour étudier ce qu'il y a de bon et de mauvais chez la femme, il est inutile de faire appel à deux femmes"). Pour finir, laissez tonner et résonner la formule impeccable et de circonstance : "Un auteur populaire est quelqu'un qui écrit ce que pense le peuple. Le génie les invite à penser autre chose."

Parues dans divers recueils américains dans la deuxième moitié du XIXe siècle, traduites dans divers volumes chez Grasset à partir de 1957, ces Histoires macabres et flegmatiques de la guerre de Sécession rassemblent treize nouvelles consacrées à l'atrocité de la guerre civile américaine. Ambrose Bierce, lui-même vétéran de ce conflit qui reste à ce jour le plus meurtrier de l'histoire des Etats-Unis (Deuxième Guerre mondiale y compris), aborde les horreurs et les hasards des combats, avec un sang-froid qui en décuple l'épouvante. Dans «  Chickamauga  », un enfant se retrouve par hasard au milieu d'un champ de bataille où il découvre des monceaux de corps parmi lesquels des agonisants qui l'observent. Dans «  Une rude bagarre  », c'est un soldat terrifié qui est obligé de dormir à côté d'un cadavre. La peur de monter au front, d'affronter la mitraille, d'avancer sur un champ de bataille où s'abattent les obus, mais aussi l'arrogante élégance des officiers qui semble un dernier défi à la mort, les si beaux paysages hachés par la mitraille, peu d'écrivains ont montré de manière aussi saisissante ce qu'est réellement une guerre.

Sa participation à la guerre civile américaine le convertit à une forme de scepticisme teinté de misanthropie qui ne fit que se renforcer au fil du temps. Plus tard, son métier de journaliste acheva de le débarrasser de ses dernières illusions. Une conscience aussi vive de l'hypocrisie et la bêtise humaines devait naturellement l'amener sur le terrain de l'humour, du grotesque et du macabre. Parodier les Fables d'Ésope, détourner le plus célèbre des esclaves phrygiens pour mieux défendre les principes stoïciens à la source de ses fables, permet à Bierce de joindre sa voix à celles des grands moralistes du passé. Qui aurait cru que la fable connaîtrait une seconde jeunesse au Far West ? Sans doute le temps est-il venu de redécouvrir ses oeuvres de jeunesse sinon pour leur virtuosité littéraire, du moins pour leur humour hyperbolique, leur caractère transgressif et leur merveilleuse liberté de ton.

Can Such Things Be? is a collection of strange and chilling short stories by Ambrose Bierce, where the unusual slips quietly into the everyday. Ghosts, unexplained events, and eerie coincidences unfold without warning or easy answers. Each story is brief but leaves a lasting impression, as Bierce presents the unsettling possibility that the world might be far less predictable than we like to think. This collection contains the following stories: - The Death of Halpin Frayser - The Secret of Macarger's Gulch - One Summer Night - The Moonlit Road - A Diagnosis of Death - Moxon's Master - A Tough Tussle - One of Twins - The Haunted Valley - A Jug of Sirup - Staley Fleming's hallucination - A Resumed Identity - A Baby Tramp - The Night-doings at "Deadman's" - Beyond the Wall - A Psychological Shipwreck - The Middle Toe of the Right Foot - John Mortonson's Funeral - The Realm of the Unreal - John Bartine's Watch - The Damned Thing - Haita the Shepherd - An Inhabitant of Carcosa - The Stranger

Occult and Supernatural fiction is a genre of speculative fiction that exploits or is centered on supernatural themes, often contradicting naturalist assumptions of the real world. In its broadest definition, supernatural fiction overlaps with examples of weird fiction, horror fiction, vampire literature, ghost story, and fantasy. Elements of supernatural fiction can be found in writing from the genre of science fiction. Amongst academics, readers and collectors, however, supernatural fiction is often classed as a discrete genre defined by the elimination of "horror", "fantasy", and elements important to other genres.The one genre supernatural fiction appears to embrace in its entirety is the traditional ghost story. Contents: E. F. Benson CATERPILLARS THE SANCTUARY THE THING IN THE HALL THE TERROR BY NIGHT Ambrose Bierce AN OCCURRENCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE THE MIDDLE TOE OF THE RIGHT FOOT Algernon Blackwood THE WILLOWS Ulric Daubeny THE SUMACH Charles Dickens THE SIGNAL-MAN Arthur Conan Doyle THE CASE OF LADY SANNOX Lord Dunsany DISTRESSING TALE OF THANGOBRIND THE JEWELLER William Fryer Harvey ACROSS THE MOORS Nathaniel Hawthorne THE AMBITIOUS GUEST W.W. Jacobs THE MONKEY'S PAW Henry James THE TURN OF THE SCREW Franz Kafka IN THE PENAL COLONY David H. Keller THE THING IN THE CELLAR Henry Kuttner THE GRAVEYARD RATS Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu CARMILLA H.P. Lovecraft AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS THE CALL OF CTHULHU POLARIS THE QUEST OF IRANON THE RATS IN THE WALLS A REMINISCENCE OF DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON THE SECRET CAVE OR JOHN LEES ADVENTURE THE SHADOW OUT OF TIME THE SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH THE SHUNNED HOUSE THE SILVER KEY THE STATEMENT OF RANDOLPH CARTER THE STRANGE HIGH HOUSE IN THE MIST THE STREET THE TEMPLE THE TERRIBLE OLD MAN THE TOMB THE TRANSITION OF JUAN ROMERO THE TREE UNDER THE PYRAMIDS THE VERY OLD FOLK WHAT THE MOON BRINGS Arthur Machen THE GREAT GOD PAN M. R. James THE MEZZOTINT THE STALLS OF BARCHESTER CATHEDRAL THE ASH-TREE NUMBER 13 COUNT MAGNUS A WARNING TO THE CURIOUS Vincent O'Sullivan WHEN I WAS DEAD Edgar Allan Poe THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM THE TELL-TALE HEART Margaret Ronan FINGER! FINGER! Saki GABRIEL-ERNEST THE OPEN WINDOW

In presenting this autobiography to the public, the author feels it incumbent upon herself to impress upon her readers the fidelity and strict adherence to the truth, relative to the conditions which surround the player. In no instance has there been either exaggeration or a resort to imaginative creation. It is a true story with all the ugliness of truth unsoftened and unembellished. Nor is the situation presented an exceptional one. One has but to follow the career of the average actor to be convinced that the dramatic profession is not only inconsistent with but wholly hostile to the institution of marriage. Managers and actors alike know and admit this to be the truth-amongst themselves. What they say in print is, of course, merely so much self-exploitation. The success of any branch of "the show-business" is dependent on the bureau of publicity.

Ambrose Bierce , best known as journalist, satirist and short story writer. Cynical in outlook, economical in style; Bierce vanished while an observer with Pancho Villa's army.Four grotesque short stories about murder within the family, seen through the gently innocent eyes of family members ... usually the murderer himself.

Civilization, Immortality, the Death Penalty, these are just a few of the essays enclosed in this collection, A Cynic Looks At Life. Written by Ambrose Bierce, these essays continue to be thought provoking, offering a valid outlook on life.

In this collection of satiric essays, Ambrose Bierce offers his provoking outlook on a series of subjects. This collection includes, "Civilization", "Immortality", "The Death Penalty", "The Gift o' Gab", "Natura Benigna", "Emancipated Woman", "A Mad World", and "Epigrams of a Cynic". Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) was an American writer, journalist, critic, poet, and Civil War veteran, best known for "The Devil's Dictionary" (1911). He dominated the horror genre as the preeminent innovator of supernatural storytelling in the period between the death of Edgar Allan Poe and the rise of H.P. Lovecraft. Bierce's death was as mysterious as his strange stories; sometime around 1914 he left for Mexico, wanting to experience the Mexican Revolution firsthand, and was never to be seen again.

The stories featured in this collection detail the lives of soldiers and civilians during the American Civil War. Bierce served as a union soldier during the Civil War and his experiences as a soldier served as an inspiration for his writing, particularly for the Soldiers section. In this way, Bierce's anticipates and parallels the work of Ernest Hemingway's, just as his civilian tales later influenced horror writers. Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) was an American writer, journalist, critic, poet, and Civil War veteran, best known for The Devil's Dictionary (1911). He dominated the horror genre as the preeminent innovator of supernatural storytelling in the period between the death of Edgar Allan Poe and the rise of H.P. Lovecraft. Bierce's death was as mysterious as his strange stories; sometime around 1914 he left for Mexico, wanting to experience the Mexican Revolution firsthand, and was never to be seen again.

"Present at a Hanging and Other Ghost Stories" features fifteen ghost and horror stories. Included in this collection are: "The Way of Ghosts", "Soldier Folk", "Some Haunted Houses" and "Mysterious Disappeances". Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) was an American writer, journalist, critic, poet, and Civil War veteran, best known for "The Devil's Dictionary" (1911). He dominated the horror genre as the preeminent innovator of supernatural storytelling in the period between the death of Edgar Allan Poe and the rise of H.P. Lovecraft. Bierce's death was as mysterious as his strange stories; sometime around 1914 he left for Mexico, wanting to experience the Mexican Revolution firsthand, and was never to be seen again.

"The Monk and the Hangman's Daughter" tells the tale of 17th century monk Ambrosius, who meets a young girl named Benedicta, a hangman's daughter, who is shunned by her community because of her father's profession. A friendship develops between the two, and when the girl's virtue gets corrupted, Ambrosius is ready to fight for her. It is a story of friendship, love, morality, and redemption. Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) was an American writer, journalist, critic, poet, and Civil War veteran, best known for The Devil's Dictionary (1911). He dominated the horror genre as the preeminent innovator of supernatural storytelling in the period between the death of Edgar Allan Poe and the rise of H.P. Lovecraft. Bierce's death was as mysterious as his strange stories; sometime around 1914 he left for Mexico, wanting to experience the Mexican Revolution firsthand, and was never to be seen again.

`100 Quotes by Ambrose Bierce' is a selection of thoughts, observations, and sayings by one of the most inventive minds of the 19th century. Bierce's obsession with the preposterousness of death takes centre stage, shot through with pithy humour, and comments on human nature. A superb read for fans of horror and historical fiction alike, this book is an excellent addition to any library. Born in Ohio, Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914) became one of the most influential writers in American literary history. After fighting in the American Civil War, where he got severely wounded, Bierce moved to San Francisco. A writer for `Hearst Magazines' until 1909, Bierce carved out a formidable reputation as a journalist, with his experiences in the Civil War laying the foundations for many of his literary works. His style highlighted the futility of war and questioned the importance of dying for beliefs, rather than knowledge. In addition to writing about the gritty absurdities of war, Bierce became a respected writer of horror, his stories acting as inspiration for various TV shows and films, including `The Twilight Zone,' and `Old Gringo,' starring Jane Fonda and Gregory Peck.

400 citations de philosophes méconnus

While most of us have heard of the likes of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, there is a host of less-famous philosophers who have just as much to say. `400 Quotes from Little-known Philosophers' is a collection of thoughts, observations, and reflections made by those that history hasn't chosen for the Big League. Spanning the centuries, these quotes are just as fascinating, insightful, and relevant, as those whose names are synonymous with philosophy. A superb and inspirational book to browse through, `400 Quotes from Little-known Philosophers' is ideal for anyone needing a bit of extra motivation throughout their day. Born in Ohio, Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914) went on to write one of the greatest American novels of all time, `The Devil's Dictionary.' A Romanian, Emil Cioran (1911 - 1995) was an acclaimed philosopher, who embraced nihilism and pessimism in his ideology. A former slave, Epictetus (50 AD - C 135) went on to promote philosophy as a way of life rather than a set of beliefs. Gaston Bachelard (1884 - 1962) was born in Bar-sur-Aube and went on to become an important scientific philosopher.

500 citations des grands philosophes du XXe siècle

While we tend to think of the great thinkers as hailing from Ancient Greece, the 20th century has had more than its fair share of sharp minds. `500 Quotations from the Great Philosophers of the 20th Century' is a collection of reflections, insights, and observations from some of the best brains of that era. A superb book for dipping in and out of, this makes a great gift for anyone with an interest in history or philosophy. Born in Ohio, Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914) went on to write one of the greatest American novels of all time, `The Devil's Dictionary.' Sigmund Freud (1856 - 1939) was an Austrian neurologist who founded the science of psychoanalysis. A Romanian, Emil Cioran (1911-1995) was an acclaimed philosopher who embraced nihilism and pessimism in his ideology. One of the founders of analytical psychology, Carl Jung (1875 - 1961) was a Swiss psychoanalyst and psychologist who had a huge impact on psychology as a science. Gaston Bachelard (1884 - 1962) was born in Bar-sur-Aube and went on to become an important scientific philosopher.

Dr. Helberson and his friends, Harper and Mancher, are enjoying a night of smoking and drinking in the good doctor's office when a question arises. Is a fear of the dead curable? The doctor believes it absolutely is and sets about organising a wager with his friends. They find a local gambler named Jarette and bet a large sum of money on whether he can spend the night locked in a room with a corpse without losing his mind. A haunting tale full of monstrous imagery, which deftly displays Bierce's terrifying mastery of the horror genre. If you loved `The Conjuring' you will love this classic ghost story. Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) was an American author, journalist, critic and soldier, best known for his works of horror and fiction. He was a truly talented writer whose ability was not bound to one genre. His works of horror draw honourable comparison to Edgar Allan Poe and H.P Lovecraft while his more humorous, satirical work draws the comparison to such literary greats as Jonathan Swift and Voltaire. Bierce's `The Devils Dictionary' has been named one of `The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature'. His war stories such as `An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' and `Tales of Soldiers and Civilians' are amongst his best works and are said to have inspired Ernest Hemingway and Stephen Crane. Even Bierce's end is as mysterious as one of his own tales, travelling to Mexico to cover the revolution first-hand but never being heard or seen from again.

Much of Bierce's work revolves around the foolish idea of a glorious war, the idea that there is glory in death and violence. This theme can be seen in the title itself, it is a bloody violent battle but it is merely an `Affair', as such occurrences are regular, everyday things. This is a story which focuses on the divide that the Civil War wreaked in America, tearing families and friendships apart. In this story we follow a Union brigade as they push the retreating Confederate army deeper in to their own territory. The retreating army guards a perilous pass for which Captain Coulter, a Union soldier from a Southern family is sent to take. It is a heart-breaking tale, fraught with brutal imagery much like Mel Gibson's `Hacksaw Ridge'. Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) was an American author, journalist, critic and soldier, best known for his works of horror and fiction. He was a truly talented writer whose ability was not bound to one genre. His works of horror draw honourable comparison to Edgar Allan Poe and H.P Lovecraft while his more humorous, satirical work draws the comparison to such literary greats as Jonathan Swift and Voltaire. Bierce's `The Devils Dictionary' has been named one of `The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature'. His war stories such as `An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' and `Tales of Soldiers and Civilians' are amongst his best works and are said to have inspired Ernest Hemingway and Stephen Crane. Even Bierce's end is as mysterious as one of his own tales, travelling to Mexico to cover the revolution first-hand but never being heard or seen from again.

Please note: This audiobook has been created using AI voice. Dictionary, n: A malevolent literary device for cramping the growth of a language and making it hard and inelastic. This dictionary, however, is a most useful work." Bierce's groundbreaking Devil's Dictionary had a complex publication history. Started in the mid1800s as an irregular column in Californian newspapers under various titles, he gradually refined the newatthetime idea of an irreverent set of glossarylike definitions. The final name, as we see it titled in this work, did not appear until an 1881 column published in the periodical The San Francisco Illustrated Wasp. There were no publications of the complete glossary in the 1800s. Not until 1906 did a portion of Bierce's collection get published by Doubleday, under the name The Cynic's Word Book-the publisher not wanting to use the word "Devil" in the title, to the great disappointment of the author. The 1906 word book only went from A to L, however, and the remainder was never released under the compromised title. In 1911 the Devil's Dictionary as we know it was published in complete form as part of Bierce's collected works (volume 7 of 12), including the remainder of the definitions from M to Z. It has been republished a number of times, including more recent efforts where older definitions from his columns that never made it into the original book were included. Due to the complex nature of copyright, some of those found definitions have unclear public domain status and were not included. This edition of the book includes, however, a set of definitions attributed to his oneandonly "Demon's Dictionary" column, including Bierce's classic definition of A: "the first letter in every properly constructed alphabet." Bierce enjoyed "quoting" his pseudonyms in his work. Most of the poetry, dramatic scenes and stories in this book attributed to others were selfauthored and do not exist outside of this work. This includes the prolific Father Gassalasca Jape, whom he thanks in the preface-"jape" of course having the definition: "a practical joke." This book is a product of its time and must be approached as such. Many of the definitions hold up well today, but some might be considered less palatable by modern readers. Regardless, the book's humorous style is a valuable snapshot of American culture from past centuries.

Ambrose Bierce est un écrivain et journaliste américain, assez peu connu en France. Il est essentiellement connu comme l'auteur du Dictionnaire du Diable et de nouvelles d'humour noir relevant fréquemment du genre fantastique. Bierce a écrit près d'une centaine de nouvelles, très souvent sur la mort de l'individu et son absurdité. Notamment les nouvelles du recueil Morts violentes consacré aux horreurs de la guerre de Sécession. Ces 100 citations visent à donner accès à son oeuvre monumentale par une sélection de ses pensées les plus marquantes, dans un format accessible à tous. Une citation est plus qu'un extrait d'un propos, ce peut être un trait d'esprit, un résumé d'une pensée complexe, une maxime, une ouverture sur une réflexion plus profonde.

Ambrose Bierce est un écrivain et journaliste américain, assez peu connu en France. Il est essentiellement connu comme l'auteur du Dictionnaire du Diable et de nouvelles d'humour noir relevant fréquemment du genre fantastique. Bierce a écrit près d'une centaine de nouvelles, très souvent sur la mort de l'individu et son absurdité. Notamment les nouvelles du recueil Morts violentes consacré aux horreurs de la guerre de Sécession. Ces 100 citations visent à donner accès à son oeuvre monumentale par une sélection de ses pensées les plus marquantes, dans un format accessible à tous. Une citation est plus qu'un extrait d'un propos, ce peut être un trait d'esprit, un résumé d'une pensée complexe, une maxime, une ouverture sur une réflexion plus profonde.

Anatole France est un écrivain français, considéré comme l'un des plus grands de l'époque de la Troisième République, dont il a également été un des plus importants critiques littéraires. Il devient une des consciences les plus significatives de son temps en s'engageant en faveur de nombreuses causes sociales et politiques du début du xxe siècle. Il reçoit le prix Nobel de littérature pour l'ensemble de son oeuvre en 1921.Ces 100 citations visent à donner accès à son oeuvre monumentale par une sélection de ses pensées les plus marquantes, dans un format accessible à tous. Une citation est plus qu'un extrait d'un propos, ce peut être un trait d'esprit, un résumé d'une pensée complexe, une maxime, une ouverture sur une réflexion plus profonde.

Anatole France est un écrivain français, considéré comme l'un des plus grands de l'époque de la Troisième République, dont il a également été un des plus importants critiques littéraires. Il devient une des consciences les plus significatives de son temps en s'engageant en faveur de nombreuses causes sociales et politiques du début du XXe siècle. Il reçoit le prix Nobel de littérature pour l'ensemble de son oeuvre en 1921. Ces 100 citations visent à donner accès à son oeuvre monumentale par une sélection de ses pensées les plus marquantes, dans un format accessible à tous. Une citation est plus qu'un extrait d'un propos, ce peut être un trait d'esprit, un résumé d'une pensée complexe, une maxime, une ouverture sur une réflexion plus profonde.

French novelist, journalist and poet, Anatole France (1844-1924), was elected to the Académie Française and won the 1921 Nobel Prize for Literature. Best known for the novels `Le Crime de Sylvestre Bonnard' (1881) and `La Rôtisserie de la Reine Pédauque' (1893), he was a prolific writer responsible for many famous sayings, including "If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing," and "Nine tenths of education is encouragement." This is collection is a compilation of Anatole France's most celebrated quotes. Anatole France, a pseudonym for Jacques Anatole Thibault (1844-1924), was a French novelist, journalist and poet. He was elected to the Académie française and won the 1921 Nobel Prize for Literature in recognition of his "brilliant literary achievements." France achieved his first commercial success with the novel `Le Crime de Sylvestre Bonnard' (1881) and published his most celebrated work, `La Rôtisserie de la Reine Pédauque' ('At the Sign of the Reine Pédauque') in 1893. His many other works include, 'Le Puits de Sainte Claire' (1895) ('The Well of Saint Claire') `Le Lys rouge' (1894) ('The Red Lily'), `La Révolte des Anges' (1914) ('The Revolt of the Angels') and a biography of Joan of Arc (1908).

This gripping short, powered by stunning imagery, will have you questioning everything right up to the final brutal twist. In the midst of the Civil War, Jerome Searing is given the task of scouting ahead for the Confederate rear guard. After some time he catches up to the retreating Secessionists and in a fit of rage takes aim at one of the soldiers but just before he can pull the trigger, cannon fire erupts around him. Jerome is knocked unconscious and when he awakes he finds himself trapped under a mass of wood and rock with his rifle pointing squarely in his face. It is a novel in the same vein as Bierce's ` An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge', exploring the hopeless brutality of war and the foolish idea that there is glory in the brutality of violence. Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914) was an American author and journalist, best known for his horror and fiction stories. Bierce was often called "Bitter Bierce" because of his cynicism and sardonic view of human nature. His point of view transpires mainly in "The Devil's Dictionary", a work which was named as one of "The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature". Other popular works by Bierce are "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" and "Tales of Soldiers and Civilians". Ambrose Bierce's interesting life ended as if it had been plotted by himself. The last that is known of him is a letter he wrote to a friend, which said "I leave here tomorrow for an unknown destination", and he was never seen again.

First published in 1890, `The Middle Toe of the Right Foot' is a classic ghost story from famous American author Ambrose Bierce. A gruesome and horrifying murder has taken place. Manton, the only one left alive, flees the scene, leaving the house empty and abandoned. When a group of young men stumble across the empty property many years later, strange and unexplainable things start to happen. A terrifying tale suitable for all horror lovers. Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914) was an American author, journalist, and poet, best known for his horror and fiction stories. Born in Ohio to a large family, Bierce left home at 15 to become a printer's apprentice. Bierce saw action during the American Civil War, and his terrifying experiences were recounted in horrifying and realistic detail in many of his stories such as `An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' and `One of the Missing'. Bierce also become known for his ghost and psychological horror stories, as well as his poetry. One of his most famous works is `The Devil's Dictionary' which contained satirical definitions of English words. Bierce wrote a letter to a friend in 1913 stating `I leave here tomorrow for an unknown destination' before mysteriously vanishing without a trace.

Corde au cou, pieds et poings liés, et surveillé par une poignée de soldat, un homme contemple la rivière qui coule sous le pont où il va être pendu. Les secondes s'égrènent jusqu'à sa mort inévitable ; le tic-tac d'une montre l'effraie. Si seulement il pouvait se débarrasser des noeuds, sauter dans l'eau pour éviter les balles, s'enfuir par les bois et retrouver sa femme et ses enfants... Cette nouvelle est la plus célèbre d'Ambrose Bierce et constitue un incontournable de la littérature américaine. Elle dénonce les horreurs et injustices de la guerre, et plonge aux coeurs des pensées d'un condamné à mort. Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) est considéré comme le maître de la nouvelle américaine. Mobilisé pour la guerre de sécession, puis blessé à la tête, il se consacre au journalisme et à une littérature marquée par ses expériences de combats et les carnages de la guerre. Il est connu pour son Dictionnaire du Diable et ses nouvelles d'humour noir et fantastique, telles que « Un incident au pont d'Owl-Creek » ou « l'Homme et le Serpent ».

A tragic but very captivating tale of a monk in the 17th century.