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Devil's Dictionary
Devil's Dictionary | Ambrose Bierce
14 posts | 11 read | 1 to read
Born in Ohio in 1842, journalist, short-story writer and critic Ambrose Bierce developed into one of this country's most celebrated and cynical wits - a merciless "American Swift" whose literary barbs were aimed at folly, self-delusion, politics, business, reliegion, literature and the arts. In this splendid "dictionary" of epigrams, essays, verses and vignettes, you'll find over 1,000 pointed definitions, e.g. Congratulation ("The civility of envy"), Coward ("One who in a perilous emergency thinks with his legs") and Historian ("A broad-guage gossip"). Anyone who likes to laugh will love "the Devil's Dictionary." Anyone looking for a bon mot to enliven their next speech, paper or conversation will have a field day thumbing through what H.L. Mencken called "some of the most gorgeous witticisms in the English language."
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psalva
The Devil's Dictionary | Ambrose Bierce
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I hope this is in keeping with #weirdwords. Occasionally, I enjoy dipping into the tagged book. Thinking about what word to pick for today sent me back to it. (I know this is out of left field a bit, but it‘s where my mind is today). A lot of the language is dated or problematic but there are a lot of gems. Here‘s the entry for Dentist:

“A prestidigitator who, putting metal into your mouth, pulls coins out of your pocket.”

@CBee

IndoorDame 🤣🤣🤣 2y
CBee This is GREAT 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 (edited) 2y
dabbe This reminds me of S. Johnson's prescriptive dictionary! ❣️🤣❣️ 2y
15 likes3 comments
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TheEllieMo
Devil's Dictionary | Ambrose Bierce
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Gina
Devil's Dictionary | Ambrose Bierce
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I learned something today. And now I am sharing my knowledge with you. You are welcome (takes a deep bow).

Bklover I like the second origin story the best! Thank you for sharing your new knowledge! Bows deeply back. 5y
Gina @Bklover hehehehehe... your my kinda people! 5y
8 likes2 comments
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Jilly6183
The Devil's Dictionary | Ambrose Bierce
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@jmofo Thank you so much!! This was just what I needed after a crappy Monday. So excited about Never Let Me Go, and this dictionary is AMAZING. You're the sweetest ❤️ #lasagnahoggiveaway

Lcsmcat I loved Never Let Me Go! 6y
jmofo Yay! I‘m glad they got there! Enjoy! Thanks for playing! Sorry your day was crappy. (edited) 6y
52 likes2 comments
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Megara
The Devil's Dictionary | Ambrose Bierce
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You‘re coming home with me tonight.

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BooksAndChopsticks
Devil's Dictionary | Ambrose Bierce
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A little late, but the #wordoftheday, ha! ?

"If we do now make our atonement well, / Our peace will, like a broken limb united, / Grow stronger for the breaking."
-- William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2, 1623

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elkeOriginal
Devil's Dictionary | Ambrose Bierce
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Well, my #FolioSociety sale distress last night got me to the Devil's number of followers.
That's some silver lining 😕
#FolioFreaks

emilyhaldi 🤣 Hope you have recovered this morning!! 7y
elkeOriginal @emilyhaldi I think my power going out last night was the only thing that saved me from placing an order... 7y
rubyslippersreads With that number, now you have a little 😇 on one shoulder, telling you to be good and not place an order, and on the other shoulder, 😈 📚📚📚 ... 7y
Jess_Read_This Omigosh! Omninous number.. especially with the power outage! -cue Twilight Zone music- 7y
57 likes4 comments
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elkeOriginal
Devil's Dictionary | Ambrose Bierce
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aeeklund 😱 7y
DeborahSmall Because they sold out of A Clockwork Orange they told me to pick a book of my choice, excluding limited editions. They don't know when or if they will reprint A Clockwork Orange. So I picked........ you'll see when I get it 😘 7y
elkeOriginal @DeborahSmall I am glad you got the Fairy books - 2 of those are low stock too! I like how you are skirting the book ban with this replacement book 😏 7y
50 likes3 comments
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elkeOriginal
Devil's Dictionary | Ambrose Bierce
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And this answers the big question from @Moray_Reads - it is illustrated at each chapter opening / letter section. The guillotine in the center spot is my favorite 💕
#FolioSociety #FolioFreaks

LeahBergen Ooo! 💕💕 7y
Moray_Reads Lovely! 7y
58 likes1 stack add2 comments
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elkeOriginal
Devil's Dictionary | Ambrose Bierce
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This #FolioSociety post from my sale box is for #FolioFreak @Moray_Reads - pretty, isn't it?

rubyslippersreads Gorgeous! 😍 7y
50 likes2 comments
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CogsOfEncouragement
Devil's Dictionary | Ambrose Bierce
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Mehso-so

For some reason I expected this to make me chuckle at definitions which poke fun at human nature. There were a few gems dispersed throughout, (like neighbor) but overall I found it to be bitter and mean-spirited. Not as entertaining as I had hoped. To be fair, the title gives proper warning.

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CogsOfEncouragement
Devil's Dictionary | Ambrose Bierce
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#LibraryHaul One to continue a series with my son (which I felt lucky to find waiting on the shelf), one interlibrary transfer (due to a @MrBook recommendation) and two I hope my girlie will find worth reading.

25 likes2 comments