Ambrose Bierce

Born in Ohio in 1842, Ambrose Bierce served in the Union Army during the American Civil War, an experience that shaped much of his writing. After the war he became a journalist, critic, and columnist known for a style that was funny, biting, and often merciless.

He is especially remembered for short stories such as An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge and for The Devil's Dictionary, a collection of brilliantly cynical definitions that showed off his gift for satire. His fiction often mixes precise realism with dread, irony, and sudden violence, which helped make him a lasting influence on later horror and short story writers.

In 1913, late in life, Bierce traveled to Mexico and then disappeared, leaving behind a mystery that has fascinated readers for generations. That strange ending only adds to the legend of a writer whose work still feels startlingly modern.