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The Enlarged Devil's Dictionary (Penguin Modern Classics)
 
 
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The Enlarged Devil's Dictionary (Penguin Modern Classics) (Paperback)

by Ambrose Bierce (Author) "A. The first letter in every properly constructed alphabet ..." (more)
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
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The Enlarged Devil's Dictionary (Penguin Modern Classics) + The Devil's Dictionary (Thrift Editions) + The Complete Short Stories of Ambrose Bierce
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Product details

  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Classics; New Ed edition (28 Jun 2001)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0141185929
  • ISBN-13: 978-0141185927
  • Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 13 x 2.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 102,183 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #72 in  Books > Art, Architecture & Photography > Criticism & Theory > Modernism

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Product Description

Product Description
An incomparable satirist, Ambrose Bierce became the "laughing devil" of the San Francisco news media, for he was about as discreet as a runaway locomotive, according to H.L.Mencken, and nowhere are his uninhibited irony and gift for verse parody more in evidence than in this "dictionary".

About the Author
AMBROSE BIERCE (1842-1913) American satirist, critic, short story writer, editor and journalist. He is perhaps most famous for his serialized mock lexicon, THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY in which, over the years, he scathed American culture and accepted wisdom by pointing out alternate, more practical definitions for common words.
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A. The first letter in every properly constructed alphabet. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars A witty dictionary for word lovers, 9 Oct 2007
By kimbofo (London, UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)   
The Enlarged Devil's Dictionary, written by 19th century journalist Ambrose Bierce, is not something you would normally sit down and read cover to cover, unless, of course, you have a penchant for reading dictionaries in their entirety. As much as I love using dictionaries I'm not so nerdy about words that I would take something like this to bed with me for a little light reading.

However, The Enlarged Devil's Dictionary is not your usual run-of-the-mill dictionary. It's a full-scale satire -- and despite being written more than 100 years ago it contains some very funny entries as Bierce makes light work of religion, marriage, politics and society. Here are some of my favourites:

Brandy, n. A cordial composed of one part thunder-and-lightning, one part remorse, two parts bloody murder, one part death-hell-and-the-grave, two parts clarified Satan and four parts holy Moses! Dose, a headfull all the time. Brandy is said, by Emerson, I think, to be the drink of heroes. I certainly should not advise others to tackle it. By the way, it is rather good.

Christmas, n. A day set apart and consecrated to gluttony, drunkenness, maudlin sentiment, gift-taking, public dullness and domestic behaviour.

Dentist, n. A prestidigitator, who puts metal into your mouth and pulls coins out of your pocket.

See what I mean about it still being rather relevant?

But the best bit about this book is the story of how it came about: the introduction by Ernest Jerome Hopkins explains how Bierce's work, largely written between 1881 and 1886 when he was one of the most powerful journalists working in America, came to be published in one volume.

The original idea for a satirical dictionary was born in 1869 when Bierce was working as a columnist for a small financial magazine in San Francisco called the News Letter. He normally filled 'The Town Crier' page with satirical comment and criticism, but during one particularly "dead" week in which topics seemed to have dried up, Bierce penned a piece about the Webster's Unabridged dictionary and how a comic dictionary would be much more fun to read.

Fast forward a few years and Bierce began writing that dictionary and publishing various instalments in whatever newspaper he happened to be editing at the time. It wasn't until he was editor of William Randolph Heart's Examiner that he finally managed to compile all the entries that he could find into a book for publication.

This Penguin Classic version of the dictionary, first published in 1967, brings together a whole host of entries that were lost or forgotten (hence it is subtitled With 851 Newly Discovered Words and Definitions Added to the Previous Thousand-Word Collection). It will delight anyone who appreciates wit, rather than humour, and revels in word play and doesn't mind the odd bit of poetry (Bierce was also an accomplished poet). In fact, Bierce himself said it would be ideally suited to those "enlightened souls who prefer dry wines to sweet, sense to sentiment" -- and I tend to agree.

While a little long-winded and trying-too-hard-to-be-clever in places, I know this book is going to be one of those titles I will dip into whenever I'm in search of some much-needed cheer. I defy anyone to read it without smirking at least once.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An acid classic, 26 Sep 2000
This review is from: The Enlarged Devil's Dictionary (Twentieth Century Classics) (Hardcover)
"Dictionary: A malevolent literary device for cramping the growth of a language and making it hard and elastic."

Before he disappeared into Mexico in 1913, never to be heard of again, the acerbic Ambrose Bierce had left behind a great body of journalism, satire and fiction, but 'The Devil's Dictionary' is what he'll be remembered for.

It's a bleak satirical work, taking apart received ideas and redefining ordinary words to give an acid, ironic view of human affairs. Whether Bierce is throwing off a quick quip "Brute: see Husband" or looking at something from a wholly original angle (the definition of the cross for example), what emerges is a deeply cynical, darkly humourous view of the world.

Whether you dip in and out for some sardonic entertainment, or read it cover to cover (perhaps keeping something like P.G. Wodehouse to hand for when Bierce's bile becomes too overwhelming, this is a book to be treasured, a sheer slice of black philosophy.

Surrounded by humbug and spin, it's a relief to read someone who couldn't be naive if he tried.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Satire is alive and kicking, 17 April 2009
By Paper Tiger "Paper Tiger" (Brisbane, Australia) - See all my reviews
Two years short of its centenary, this book is as relevant as ever it was, and wickedly funny to boot. Try this for size:
POLITICS, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.

Now if that's not relevant to today's political arena, then I'm a lawyer.
LAWYER, n. One skilled in circumvention of the law.

Essential reading. Enough said.
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