Civil War Stories (Dover Thrift Editions) [Paperback]

Ambrose Bierce (Author)

Book Description

Series: Dover Thrift Editions | Publication Date: August 1, 1994

Sixteen dark and vivid selections by great satirist and short-story writer. "A Horseman in the Sky," "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," "Chickamauga," "A Son of the Gods," "What I Saw of Shiloh," "Four Days in Dixie" and 10 more. Masterly tales offer excellent examples of Bierce's dark pessimism and storytelling power. Note.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (August 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486280381
• ISBN-13: 978-0486280387
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #146,555 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Americas > United States > Civil War
  • #17 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > Short Stories
  • #70 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Short Stories > General

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly modern, completely enthralling, September 22, 2002

By 

bensmomma "bensmomma" (Ann Arbor, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Civil War Stories (Dover Thrift Editions) (Paperback)

You would never think of these stories as having been written in the 19th century, but they were. Ambrose Bierce was a Civil War veteran who seems almost to have tried to exorcise the horrors of the war he lived by writing about it. The result is gripping and utterly believable; the style is immediate, you-are-there, not-one-word-too-many. Not the flowery elaborate style you might have associated with Victorian prose.

The results convey the horrors of war as well as anything written in your lifetime. The story about the little boy who gets lost near his home when it is surrounded by a battle...I don't think I'll ever forget it. I won't spoil if for you but you've got to read it. If you think that 130+-year-old stories have nothing to say to you, give these a try, you will see otherwise.

Not to mention the Dover version is NOT EVEN TWO DOLLARS at the time of this writing. You spent more than the price of this book on your coffee this morning, I'll bet. What have you got to lose? Add it to a Supersaver order, there won't even be a shipping charge. Best pocket change you will ever have spent on a book.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Arguably the Finest American Short Story Writer of All Time, May 4, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Civil War Stories (Dover Thrift Editions) (Paperback)

I know fans of Poe, Hemmingway, Thurber, and others could argue with me on the above title and the review below. However, please keep in mind that these are simply my opinions and reflect my respect for this excellent writer.

Bierce's Civil War stories are simply the best in that genre, with "An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge" possibly being the most famous American short story ever written. The "surprise ending" was often exercised by him in many of his stories and many first-time readers will undoubtedly be jolted by his prose.

This is a man who personally experienced the horror of the war he so vividly describes and the anguish of its inevitable aftermath. Bierce fought in some of the bloodiest, most ferocious campaigns of the Civil War, nearly losing his life in several of them. He was duly decorated for his heroism, but it certainly left an indelible scar in his mind which is reflected in his writing.

Bierce's stories are not war stories; they are indictments of war and its immense madness. None of them reflect any glamour or glory; they are coldly realistic. The protagonist in each case experiences some form tragedy and/or anguish resulting from the war's effects.

One of Bierce's final Civil War stories entitled, "A Bivouac for the Dead" is not fictitious, but a testimony to the soldiers who fought in the war and a tribute to their memories. It is a rare instance of a positive story coming from a writer who made his reputation as a solemn, sardonic, often negative-thinking person.

No matter what people think of Bierce, every story I've read by him is vivid in their contents: setting, character development, plot. His prose is very succinct and often extremely graphic (ie: the wounded soldiers from "Chiquaumaga"), but doubtless very attention-grabbing.

Bierce's other short stories (horror, tall tales) also carry his signature negativity and often brilliant and biting humor. However, I think his Civil War stories are the true reflection of his storytelling genius. This book highly recommended to Civil War buffs and anyone who wants to read and learn about the short story format.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Soldier's View of the Civil War, October 17, 2005

By 

gac1003 "gac1003" (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Civil War Stories (Dover Thrift Editions) (Paperback)

Ambrose Bierce served during the American Civil War, serving as a cartographer and officer for the Union. In these 16 compelling tales, Bierce conveys the sights and sounds from a soldier's perspective of the war, ranging from being in the heart of battle in "What I Saw of Shiloh" to a young boy lost in the woods in "Chickamauga" to tales of the supernatural and of odd events, including "One of the Missing" -- a chilling tale of a soldier in an abandoned house -- and his famous "An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge." Bierce's no-nonsense style puts the reader in the heart of the action, making the reader take an active part in the events. A great collection of stories from one of America's best writers.