"The Cynic's Word Book," usually called "The Devil's Dictionary," is a satirical and humorous lexicon penned through the acerbic wit of Ambrose Bierce. This collection of cynical definitions gives a sardonic observation on language, human nature, and societal norms. Bierce, a grasp of wit and sarcasm, redefines words in a manner that exposes the absurdities and contradictions of contemporary way of life. The entries in this lexicon range from witty and incisive to darkly funny, providing readers a biting critique of various components of existence, politics, and human behavior. Bierce's sharp observations, often laced with irony and skepticism, replicate his disdain for hypocrisy and pretension. "The Cynic's Word Book" stands as an undying work of satirical literature, showcasing Bierce's eager intellect and disdain for the superficialities of his generation. Through his smart and often subversive definitions, Bierce invitations readers to impeach the conventions of language and thought, turning in a thought-frightening but exciting exploration of the human circumstance.
Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce was an American short-story writer, journalist, poet, and Civil War warrior. The American Revolution Bicentennial Administration selected his book The Devil's Dictionary one of "The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature". His narrative "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" has been regarded as "one of the most famous and frequently anthologized stories in American literature," and his book Tales of Soldiers and Civilians has been chosen by the Grolier Club as one of the top 100 American books published before 1900. Bierce was born on June 24, 1842, in a log cabin on Horse Cave Creek in Meigs County, Ohio, to Marcus Aurelius Bierce (1799-1876) and Laura Sherwood Bierce. He was descended solely from English ancestors who arrived in North America as part of the Great Puritan Migration between 1620 and 1640. He frequently criticized "Puritan values" and those who "made a fuss" over ancestry. He was the tenth of thirteen children, all of them were named by their father with the letter "A": Abigail, Amelia, Ann, Addison, Aurelius, Augustus, Almeda, Andrew, Albert, Ambrose, Arthur, Adelia, and Aurelia. His mother was descended from William Bradford.
