Devil's Dictionary

Ambrose Bierce, who lived from 1842 to 1914, was an American journalist, short story writer and satirist. He fought in the Civil War, worked for newspapers in San Francisco and wrote horror and war stories, among them An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. In later life he disappeared during a trip to Mexico, and the date of his death is uncertain, which is why some sources give his dates with a question mark.

The Devil’s Dictionary began as a series of newspaper columns in the 1880s and was collected in book form, under the title The Cynic’s Word Book in 1906 and under its final name in 1911. It consists of definitions of ordinary words, arranged alphabetically, in which Bierce replaces neutral explanation with mockery. His targets include politicians, lawyers, clergy and every sort of pretension. The tone is cynical and amusing, with an economy of style that still impresses.

Because each entry is independent, the dictionary can be heard in short sessions or in long stretches, whichever suits you. Many of the jokes have become part of the language of quotation, and later humorists have often followed his lead.

The recording is divided into seventeen chapters, starting with the preface and the letter A, and lasts about eight and a half hours. It is read by several LibriVox volunteers, among them Peter Yearsley, Chip and John Hicken. Their varied voices help to keep the comedy fresh from the first page to the last. Many of its lines have been quoted for over a century, and hearing them aloud, one after another, shows how well Bierce understood timing.