Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce, a renowned American writer, journalist, poet, and Civil War veteran, was born on June 24, 1842. His notable works include the book "The Devil's Dictionary", which was recognized as one of the "100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature" by the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration.
Bierce's short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is considered one of the most famous and frequently anthologized stories in American literature. His book "Tales of Soldiers and Civilians" was named by the Grolier Club as one of the 100 most influential American books printed before 1900.
As a prolific and versatile writer, Bierce was regarded as one of the most influential journalists in the United States and a pioneering writer of realist fiction. He was ranked alongside Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft for his horror writing, and S. T. Joshi speculated that he may be the greatest satirist America has ever produced.
Bierce's war stories influenced prominent writers such as Stephen Crane, Ernest Hemingway, and others, and he was considered an influential and feared literary critic. In recent decades, he has gained wider respect as a fabulist and for his poetry.
In late 1913, Bierce told reporters that he was traveling to Mexico to gain first-hand experience of the Mexican Revolution. He was reported to have accompanied Pancho Villa's army as far as the city of Chihuahua. His last known communication with the world was a letter he wrote to a close friend on December 26, 1913. He disappeared and was never seen again.
