Download or read book Ambrose Bierce and the Death of Kings written by Oakley M. Hall and published by Penguin Group. This book was released on 2002 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this compulsively readable mystery, the hero is the historical figure Ambrose Bierce, William Randolph Hearst's star reporter and San Francisco's most celebrated writer at the turn of the 20th century. Intelligent, gripping, and often very funny, this wonderfully tangled tale of murder and mystery is sure to satisfy.
Download or read book Ambrose Bierce and the Queen of Spades written by Oakley Hall and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2023-12-22 with total page 391 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Morton Street Slasher has been leaving the corpses of his victims around San Francisco's Union Square. On the women's naked bodies are spade playing cards. The city's infamous newspaperman, Ambrose Bierce, blames the rash of murders on his old enemy, the Southern Pacific Railroad. A naive reporter at Bierce's Hornet pursues the case, uncovering conspiracy at every turn. In a fast-paced novel that is a combination of murder mystery, historical fiction, and quirky biography, Oakley Hall draws the reader into 1880s San Francisco and the changing world that was California in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Local and state politics, the exploitation of the Chinese, the power of the mining and railroad barons, and San Francisco's colorful history provide a backdrop for this irresistible thriller. The novel's chapters are introduced by appropriate excerpts from Bierce's The Devil's Dictionary and narrated by the young reporter Tom Redmond. Redmond is interested in the murders because of his attraction to a woman threatened by the Slasher, and Bierce encourages him because of his personal vendetta against the Big Four of the Railroad. Bierce's misogyny is an influence as well, which Hall uses to advantage in portraying the enigmatic journalist. Hall knows his territory and his characters well. The sights and smells of late-nineteenth-century California are cleverly evoked, and the story's key players are refreshingly authentic. Bierce brandishes his famed cynicism with all the aplomb of the sharp-eyed, sharp-witted newspaperman he was. Cameo appearances by such California worthies as Ina Coolbrith and Joaquin Miller add to the novel's historical richness. Intelligent, gripping, and often quite funny, Ambrose Bierce and the Queen of Spades will satisfy any reader who craves adventure, mystery, romance, and fine writing.
Download or read book Ambrose Bierce and the One eyed Jacks written by Oakley M. Hall and published by Viking Adult. This book was released on 2003 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bierce and his sidekick Tom Redmond follow a trail of murder that leads from a sinister British yachtsman to a photographer of female flesh. Bierce's unraveling sheds a blinding light on parental guilt and fin-de-sicle morality. The third in Hall's Ambrose Bierce series, this is a must-have for fans of Caleb Carr's "The Alienist" and E.L. Doctorow's "The Waterworks."
Download or read book The Devil s Dictionary written by Ambrose Bierce and published by Standard Ebooks. This book was released on 2021-03-16T22:46:04Z with total page 341 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Dictionary, n: A malevolent literary device for cramping the growth of a language and making it hard and inelastic. This dictionary, however, is a most useful work.” Bierce’s groundbreaking Devil’s Dictionary had a complex publication history. Started in the mid-1800s as an irregular column in Californian newspapers under various titles, he gradually refined the new-at-the-time idea of an irreverent set of glossary-like definitions. The final name, as we see it titled in this work, did not appear until an 1881 column published in the periodical The San Francisco Illustrated Wasp. There were no publications of the complete glossary in the 1800s. Not until 1906 did a portion of Bierce’s collection get published by Doubleday, under the name The Cynic’s Word Book—the publisher not wanting to use the word “Devil” in the title, to the great disappointment of the author. The 1906 word book only went from A to L, however, and the remainder was never released under the compromised title. In 1911 the Devil’s Dictionary as we know it was published in complete form as part of Bierce’s collected works (volume 7 of 12), including the remainder of the definitions from M to Z. It has been republished a number of times, including more recent efforts where older definitions from his columns that never made it into the original book were included. Due to the complex nature of copyright, some of those found definitions have unclear public domain status and were not included. This edition of the book includes, however, a set of definitions attributed to his one-and-only “Demon’s Dictionary” column, including Bierce’s classic definition of A: “the first letter in every properly constructed alphabet.” Bierce enjoyed “quoting” his pseudonyms in his work. Most of the poetry, dramatic scenes and stories in this book attributed to others were self-authored and do not exist outside of this work. This includes the prolific Father Gassalasca Jape, whom he thanks in the preface—“jape” of course having the definition: “a practical joke.” This book is a product of its time and must be approached as such. Many of the definitions hold up well today, but some might be considered less palatable by modern readers. Regardless, the book’s humorous style is a valuable snapshot of American culture from past centuries. This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks.
Download or read book Fantastic Fables written by Ambrose Bierce and published by Castrovilli Giuseppe. This book was released on 1898 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Doctor Sleep written by Stephen King and published by Pocket Books. This book was released on 2019-09-24 with total page 656 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Soon to be a major motion picture starring Ewan McGregor! From master storyteller Stephen King, his unforgettable and terrifying sequel to The Shining—an instant #1 New York Times bestseller that is “[a] vivid frightscape” (The New York Times). Years ago, the haunting of the Overlook Hotel nearly broke young Dan Torrance’s sanity, as his paranormal gift known as “the shining” opened a door straight into hell. And even though Dan is all grown up, the ghosts of the Overlook—and his father’s legacy of alcoholism and violence—kept him drifting aimlessly for most of his life. Now, Dan has finally found some order in the chaos by working in a local hospice, earning the nickname “Doctor Sleep” by secretly using his special abilities to comfort the dying and prepare them for the afterlife. But when he unexpectedly meets twelve-year-old Abra Stone—who possesses an even more powerful manifestation of the shining—the two find their lives in sudden jeopardy at the hands of the ageless and murderous nomadic tribe known as the True Knot, reigniting Dan’s own demons and summoning him to battle for this young girl’s soul and survival...
Download or read book Chickamauga written by Ambrose Bierce and published by Modernista. This book was released on 2024-06-13 with total page 11 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: »Chickamauga« is a short story by Ambrose Bierce, originally published in 1889. AMBROSE BIERCE [1842-1914] was an American author, journalist, and war veteran. He was one of the most influential journalists in the United States in the late 19th century and alongside his success as a horror writer he was hailed as a pioneer of realism. Among his most famous works are The Devil's Dictionary and the short story »An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.«
Download or read book The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce In motley Kings of beasts Two administrations Miscellaneous written by Ambrose Bierce and published by . This book was released on 1912 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Monk and The Hangman s Daughter written by Ambrose Bierce and published by Prabhat Prakashan. This book was released on 2024-09-30 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Step into the dark and gripping world of Ambrose Bierce’s "The Monk and The Hangman’s Daughter." This compelling novel unfolds through the pages of an undated diary, chronicling the arrival of three Franciscan monks in Berchtesgaden, including the diary’s writer, Ambrosius. What begins as an ordinary account soon evolves into a profound exploration of human conflict. Through Ambrosius’s eyes, experience his fateful encounters with Benedicta, the hangman’s daughter. Their interactions delve into themes of redemption, the struggle between body and spirit, and the haunting shadows of past sins. Can the power of forgiveness overcome the weight of past wrongs? How does the battle between physical desire and spiritual redemption play out in this tale of tragic consequences? Embark on a journey through Bierce’s meticulously crafted narrative, where each entry reveals layers of moral and emotional complexity. "The Monk and The Hangman’s Daughter" offers a poignant reflection on the struggle for redemption and the human condition. Ready to dive into a story where the stakes are nothing less than the soul’s salvation? Open the pages of "The Monk and The Hangman’s Daughter" and confront the intense clash of body, spirit, and past sins. Don’t miss the chance to explore this classic work of American literature. Purchase "The Monk and The Hangman’s Daughter" today and uncover the depths of human struggle and redemption.
Download or read book The Old Gringo written by Carlos Fuentes and published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. This book was released on 2013-05-14 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The Old Gringo, Carlos Fuentes brings the Mexico of 1916 uncannily to life. This novel is wise book, full of toughness and humanity and is without question one of the finest works of modern Latin American fiction. One of Fuentes's greatest works, the novel tells the story of Ambrose Bierce, the American writer, soldier, and journalist, and of his last mysterious days in Mexico living among Pancho Villa's soldiers, particularly his encounter with General Tomas Arroyo. In the end, the incompatibility of the two countries (or, paradoxically, their intimacy) claims both men, in a novel that is, most of all, about the tragic history of two cultures in conflict.
Download or read book What I Saw of Shiloh written by Ambrose Bierce and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2015-11-26 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ambrose Bierce was an American writer who is best known for his realism. Often compared to Poe for the dark, realistic nature of his short stories, Bierce drew upon his Civil War experience as a soldier to write on a wide variety of subjects, and stories like An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge are still widely read.
Download or read book The Shadow on the Dial written by Ambrose Gwinett BIERCE and published by . This book was released on 1909 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Civil War Stories written by Ambrose Bierce and published by Courier Corporation. This book was released on 2012-03-01 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sixteen dark and vivid tales by great satirist: "A Horseman in the Sky," "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," "Chicakamauga," "A Son of the Gods," "What I Saw of Shiloh," more. Note.
Download or read book A Death in November written by Ellen Joy Hammer and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 1988 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Centering on the events of 1963 in Vietnam that led to the assassinations of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem and his brother Ngo Dinh Nhu, Ellen Hammer's riveting in-depth study demonstrates how this military coup transformed the Vietnam War into an American war. Having visited the embattled nation many times during the period and having interviewed key characters in the drama, she chronicles the series of misunderstandings between Vietnam and representatives of Western societies that preceded the events of 1963. Hammer's compelling account will provide readers with a fuller understanding of American involvement in Vietnam.
Download or read book The Afterlives written by Thomas Pierce and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2018-01-09 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Ridiculously good” (The New York Times) author Thomas Pierce's debut novel is a funny, poignant love story that answers the question: What happens after we die? (Lots of stuff, it turns out). Jim Byrd died. Technically. For a few minutes. The diagnosis: heart attack at age thirty. Revived with no memory of any tunnels, lights, or angels, Jim wonders what--if anything--awaits us on the other side. Then a ghost shows up. Maybe. Jim and his new wife, Annie, find themselves tangling with holograms, psychics, messages from the beyond, and a machine that connects the living and the dead. As Jim and Annie journey through history and fumble through faith, they confront the specter of loss that looms for anyone who dares to fall in love. Funny, fiercely original, and gracefully moving, The Afterlives will haunt you. In a good way.
Download or read book The Dead King Classic Reprint written by Rudyard Kipling and published by Forgotten Books. This book was released on 2018-09-30 with total page 58 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from The Dead King The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming are checked below. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
Download or read book Love War in California written by Oakley Hall and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2014-09-16 with total page 355 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Sweeping Novel of a Twentieth-Century California Life Love and War in California tells the story, through the eyes of Payton Daltrey, of the last sixty years of an evolving America. The award-winning author Oakley Hall begins his newest work in 1940s San Diego, where his endearing, wide-eyed narrator must define his identity in terms of self, family, and World War II. As his classmates disappear into the war one by one, he becomes obsessed with abuses of power and embroiled with the charming, dangerous Errol Flynn; with the Red Baiting of the American Legion; with the House Un-American Activities Committee; and with the Japanese interment at Manzanar. Nevertheless, Payton, too, must go to the war, where he is a part of the invasion of Europe and that proving of the American soldier: the Battle of the Bulge. After war's end and time in New York, he returns to California as a writer and a seeker, whose old, long-lost love rises from the ashes to show him who he really is. Hall has been called a "master craftsman" (Amy Tan) with "one of the finest prose styles around" (Michael Chabon), and he has received the PEN Center USA West Award of Honor and the P&W Writers for Writers Award. Coming on the heels of Hall's San Francisco Chronicle bestseller (a reissue of his classic Western, Warlock), Love and War in California is more than a novel about a young boy who grows old. It's about how the passions of youth become the verities of age, and how we evolve as a nation, a country, and a people during times that are all at once turbulent, dangerous, and stirring.
