A Cynic Looks at Life edition by Ambrose Bierce Literature Fiction eBooks
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Ambrose Bierce was well known for his biting wit and cynical approach to life. Here is a collection of essays which showcases this great writers outlook on life, love, power and politics.
A Cynic Looks at Life edition by Ambrose Bierce Literature Fiction eBooks
Published in 1912, Bierce cynically (but it would seem fairly accurately) covers a few topics in the course of this brief work and finalizes it with a few of his own epigrams and aphorisms. A quick read that may offer the reader a new, interesting or unconsidered perspective into the topic material. While the primary issue is brevity, I think Bierce was attempting to keep it concise and moving linearly - which in some cases hurts and in others seems to help his argument.(Potential Spoilers)
On Civilization - the general theme of this work implies that England (and Europe in general) is more intelligent and moral than the United States. The latter having adopted the system they were trying to escape but infusing it with the freedom of a variety of `culture' has essentially created only a `competent fool`. Civilization is good only to promote knowledge and increase one's happiness, for happiness is the be-all end-all in our naturally selfish egotism. This section also seems to have a eugenics type lean to it - "If you confess the importance of race and pedigree in a horse and a dog how dare you deny it in a man?" He also speaks of our proclivity for war-mongering.
The Gift O'Gab - An argument against those that use lots of fancy, empty words.
Natura Benigna - A detailing of how people persist to live in places horribly stricken by deadly natural phenomena. Bierce believes people live here because they have no choice - in the end something will get you.
The Death Penalty - Maybe the best argument in this short book. Basically Bierce states how the penal system is often times better than the outside (comfort, amenities, privaleges, etc.) and the only person that the death penalty deters, if it is indeed intended to be a warning or an example to others who would commit the same crime, is the transgressor. No matter what examples are set forth heinous crime will still occur. He argues that Hammurabi's code is completely just, but not practicable.
Immortality - Bierce argues that we need memories to link one life to the next whether or not a corporeal body be attached. To have the memory bonds severed would mean the start of a whole new life and thereby wouldn't equate to resurrection (he accounts for amnesia / Alzheimer's). This issue is entirely a matter of faith - you believe what you put stock in.
Emancipated Woman - Bierce has little issue with emancipated women but instead seems to predominantly attack the men who make their livings off of the cheap labor that women provide. His only issue with a woman worker would be the rising labor issues for men as women add to the work force and remove jobs from them and the subsequent poverty and crime rates rising.
A Mad World - A crazy (read: `normal') Bierce type rant about how we may one day pass, in space, through some type of magnetic field that will erase our minds.
Some of his best epigrams and aphorisms include:
"To dogmatism the Spirit of Inquiry is the same as the Spirit of Evil."
"Women, and foxes, being weak, are distinguished by superior tact."
"Every heart is the lair of a ferocious animal. The greatest wrong that you can put upon a man is to provoke him to let out his beast."
"The most charming view of the world is obtained by introspection."
"Thought and emotion dwell apart. When the heart goes into the head there is no dissension; only an eviction."
"Christians and camels receive their burdens kneeling."
"Although one loves a dozen times, yet will the latest love seem the first. He who says he has loved twice has not loved once."
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A Cynic Looks at Life edition by Ambrose Bierce Literature Fiction eBooks Reviews
Although not a writer of the first rank, Bierce is enjoyable and has something of value to offer today's reader.
Good book.
Published in 1912, Bierce cynically (but it would seem fairly accurately) covers a few topics in the course of this brief work and finalizes it with a few of his own epigrams and aphorisms. A quick read that may offer the reader a new, interesting or unconsidered perspective into the topic material. While the primary issue is brevity, I think Bierce was attempting to keep it concise and moving linearly - which in some cases hurts and in others seems to help his argument.
(Potential Spoilers)
On Civilization - the general theme of this work implies that England (and Europe in general) is more intelligent and moral than the United States. The latter having adopted the system they were trying to escape but infusing it with the freedom of a variety of `culture' has essentially created only a `competent fool`. Civilization is good only to promote knowledge and increase one's happiness, for happiness is the be-all end-all in our naturally selfish egotism. This section also seems to have a eugenics type lean to it - "If you confess the importance of race and pedigree in a horse and a dog how dare you deny it in a man?" He also speaks of our proclivity for war-mongering.
The Gift O'Gab - An argument against those that use lots of fancy, empty words.
Natura Benigna - A detailing of how people persist to live in places horribly stricken by deadly natural phenomena. Bierce believes people live here because they have no choice - in the end something will get you.
The Death Penalty - Maybe the best argument in this short book. Basically Bierce states how the penal system is often times better than the outside (comfort, amenities, privaleges, etc.) and the only person that the death penalty deters, if it is indeed intended to be a warning or an example to others who would commit the same crime, is the transgressor. No matter what examples are set forth heinous crime will still occur. He argues that Hammurabi's code is completely just, but not practicable.
Immortality - Bierce argues that we need memories to link one life to the next whether or not a corporeal body be attached. To have the memory bonds severed would mean the start of a whole new life and thereby wouldn't equate to resurrection (he accounts for amnesia / Alzheimer's). This issue is entirely a matter of faith - you believe what you put stock in.
Emancipated Woman - Bierce has little issue with emancipated women but instead seems to predominantly attack the men who make their livings off of the cheap labor that women provide. His only issue with a woman worker would be the rising labor issues for men as women add to the work force and remove jobs from them and the subsequent poverty and crime rates rising.
A Mad World - A crazy (read `normal') Bierce type rant about how we may one day pass, in space, through some type of magnetic field that will erase our minds.
Some of his best epigrams and aphorisms include
"To dogmatism the Spirit of Inquiry is the same as the Spirit of Evil."
"Women, and foxes, being weak, are distinguished by superior tact."
"Every heart is the lair of a ferocious animal. The greatest wrong that you can put upon a man is to provoke him to let out his beast."
"The most charming view of the world is obtained by introspection."
"Thought and emotion dwell apart. When the heart goes into the head there is no dissension; only an eviction."
"Christians and camels receive their burdens kneeling."
"Although one loves a dozen times, yet will the latest love seem the first. He who says he has loved twice has not loved once."
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