Ambrose Bierce

Write It Right (eBook, ePUB)

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

Amusing and thought-provoking, this A-to-Z compendium outlines common oral and written gaffes. Ambrose Bierce, a celebrated literary wit, assembled his informative compilation in 1909 from many years of observations and notes. He advocates precision in language, offering alternatives to grammatical lapses and inaccurate word choices.*Moneyed* for *Wealthy*: "The moneyed men of New York." One might as sensibly say, "The cattled men of Texas," or, "The lobstered men of the fish market."*Name* for *Title and Name*: "His name was Mr. Smith." Surely no babe was ever christened Mister.*Juncture* means a joining, a junction; its use to signify a time, however critical, is absurd. "At this juncture the woman screamed." In reading that account of it, we scream, too.Times and usages have changed considerably in the past century. Bierce's strict rules remain, however, a timeless source of interest for wordsmiths and lovers of language.Bierce wrote this little book as a guide to improving writing. He states that precision is the key. Choosing the exact word and using it correctly is essential. Colloquialisms and vulgar language have no place is serious writing. A writer must use his values in determining what is appropriate. The lessons Bierce gives in this book are as appropriate today as they were a century ago.Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914) was a short story writer, an editorialist, a satirist and a journalist. He is best known for his devil's Dictionary. His sardonic view of human nature and his tough stance as a critic earned him the nickname "Bitter Bierce". Despite his reputation Bierce always encouraged young writers. Bierce went to Mexico to get a first hand view of the revolution. He disappeared without a trace.Despite his reputation as a searing critic, Bierce was known to encourage younger writers, including the poets George Sterling and Herman George Scheffauer and the fiction writer W. C. Morrow. Bierce employed a distinctive style of writing, especially in his stories. His style often embraces an abrupt beginning, dark imagery, vague references to time, limited descriptions, impossible events, and the theme of war.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Midwest Journal Press
• Erscheinungstermin: 2. Dezember 2016
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781365579479
• Artikelnr.: 47148373

Autorenporträt

Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce was an American short story writer, journalist, poet, and American Civil War warrior who lived from June 24, 1842, in Meigs County, Ohio, to Marcus Aurelius Bierce and Laura Sherwood Bierce. Between 1620 and 1640, his ancestors immigrated to North America as a result of the Great Puritan Migration. At age 15, he left home to work as a printer's devil for a nearby newspaper. Ambrose Bierce engaged in combat in the Battle of Shiloh during the American Civil War. He worked for General William Babcock Hazen and received a first lieutenant appointment. He had a catastrophic head injury in June 1864 while on leave from his active duty. On December 25, 1871, he wed Mary Ellen "Mollie" Day, and they had three kids. His daughter Helen passed away from pneumonia, and both of his boys passed away before to him. They split up in 1904. The next year, Mollie Day Bierce passed away. His most well-known tales were produced quickly between 1888 and 1891. His frequently mentioned book The Devil's Dictionary, which debuted in book form in 1906, is among his most well-known works.More than 50 novels, short tales, films, TV series, stage plays, and comic comics have fictionalized Bierce.