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Bitter Bierce: A Mystery of American Letters
Hardcover
Literary FiguresLiterary Criticism20th Century United States History
ISBN13: 9781025305486
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 310
Weight: 1.35
Height: 0.75 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Bitter Bierce: A Mystery of American Letters is a compelling biographical study and critical evaluation of one of the most enigmatic figures in American literature. This work explores the life, sharp-witted prose, and the enduring mystery surrounding the final years of Ambrose Bierce-the biting satirist and master of the macabre.
The narrative delves into Bierce's cynical philosophy and his influential career as a journalist, examining the unique psychological depth found in his celebrated short stories. Author C. Hartley Grattan meticulously traces the development of the man who penned the acerbic The Devil's Dictionary and the haunting An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. Beyond his literary contributions, the book addresses the legendary circumstances of Bierce's 1913 disappearance into the chaos of the Mexican Revolution, a vanishing act that remains one of the great unsolved mysteries of the literary world.
This study serves as an essential guide for readers and scholars seeking to understand the complex legacy of a writer who challenged the social and literary conventions of his era with unwavering honesty and a dark, piercing wit. It highlights Bierce's role as a pivotal force in American letters, whose influence continues to resonate with modern audiences fascinated by the intersection of journalism, fiction, and personal mythos.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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