The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume 08 Negligible Tales, On With the Dance, Epigrams

A compact anthology of Ambrose Bierce’s most incisive, macabre sketches, this volume gathers a dozen “negligible” tales that blend razor‑sharp wit with unsettling irony. The stories flash through ordinary settings—a courtroom, a family kitchen, a dusty frontier town—only to expose the thin line between civility and cruelty. Readers will recognize Bierce’s signature lean prose, where every sentence cuts toward a darker truth hidden beneath everyday chatter.

The opening piece, “A Bottomless Grave,” follows John Brenwalter, a young man confronting the sudden, inexplicable death of his inventive father. When his austere mother calmly suggests that the coroner’s formalities be avoided, John is thrust into a grim task that quickly spirals into legal trouble. His uneasy night in jail, shared with blasphemous clergymen, hints at the absurdity and moral ambiguity that permeate the tale. The story sets the tone for the collection: a haunting mix of dark humor, ethical puzzles, and the unsettling realization that even the most mundane moments can conceal a deeper abyss.