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Rank: Advanced Member
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 Ambrose Bierce (1842)Author of humorous sketches, horror stories, and tales of the supernatural, Bierce was an American journalist, satirist, and short story writer. Among his best known works are the short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" and The Devil's Dictionary, a volume of ironic definitions that showcase his sardonic outlook. In 1913, Bierce traveled to Mexico for a firsthand perspective on its ongoing revolution and disappeared without a trace. What are some theories about how he died? More...
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One of my favourite writers.
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From The Devil's Dictionary:
HIPPOGRIFF, n. An animal (now extinct) which was half horse and half griffin. The griffin was itself a compound creature, half lion and half eagle. The hippogriff was actually, therefore, only one-quarter eagle, which is two dollars and fifty cents in gold. The study of zoölogy is full of surprises.
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A master story teller. I've just read and listened to the short story A Baby Tramp given in the list of short stories in the article on Ambrose Bierce by TFD/Wikipedia Encyclopedia. The story has an audio facility. https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/A_Baby_Tramp
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I'd never heard of him before he featured in so many quotes of the day here. I love his humour. His end remains a mystery. Who knows what happened?
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rogermue wrote:A master story teller. I've just read and listened to the short story A Baby Tramp given in the list of short stories in the article on Ambrose Bierce by TFD/Wikipedia Encyclopedia. The story has an audio facility. https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/A_Baby_Tramp As sad and vivid as "The Little Match Girl". Too real.
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Alone and aging, “the thought of turning into a doddering old man waiting out his final years was reprehensible to him.” With the Mexican Revolution raging south of the border, the 71-year-old Bierce left, ostensibly to observe or participate in the war. His last letter was posted in Chihuahua, Mexico on December 26, 1913, after which there are no confirmed sightings. Because of his supernatural writings (including about disappearances), many believe Bierce met a miraculous end. Others, however, point to more earthly (although in some cases just as fantastic) causes of death: Death Wish Some believe that, from the beginning, Bierce intended this adventure would be his last. He reportedly wrote to his niece: Good bye. If you hear of my being stood up against a Mexican stone wall and shot to rags please know that I think that a pretty good way to depart this life. It beats old age, disease and falling down the stairs. To be a Gringo in Mexico – ah, that is euthanasia! In support of their “death wish” theory, some claim Bierce was “preoccupied with death and dying”[1] as evidenced by the macabre route he took to Mexico, which included visiting a number of the battlefield sites where he had witnessed so much carnage during the Civil War. http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/03/whatever-happened-ambrose-bierce/
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AMBROSE IS A ROSE WITH AMPERAGE.
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