Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #101378 in Books
• Published on: 1984-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 496 pages

Synopsis
Treasury of ninety-three short works includes horror stories, realistic narratives of war, and tall tales of the old West.

Customer Reviews

Short story classics - I've never seen them all together
Any reader who only gives this book One Star has to be out of his tiny mind. I've only read two of Bierce's collections of short stories - "In the Midst of Life", and "Can Such Things be?" But these include "An Incident at Owl Creek Bridge", "A Watcher by the Dead," and "The Man and the Snake." The first is one of his great Civil War stories, and the last two are horror, and are to be found in many highly-rated anthologies. I haven't read this collection of his complete stories - but any reader worth his salt, on the strength of those I have mentioned, would want to try them all. So try them!

Fascinating collection of Roald Dahl-esque stories
I was given this book to read whilst researching for my own American Civil War novel by a friend. While not a collection of stories I would readily go out and read, I found them compelling and all with such an unexpected twist (similar to Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected) that I was eager to read through just to find out what this twist would be.

The one that stands out in my mind is the one where a child witnesses the wounded Confederates dragging themselves back from the Battle of Chickamauga, something Bierce would know all about as he was actually there. For those who like this sort of thing - ghost/surreal stories - this is meat and drink to you. They all have a tale to tell, of ordinary people caught up in the terror and destruction of a civil war.

I agree with the comment about giving this a one-star review, whoever this person was must surely not have known what was within these pages and expected an all-action adventure novel. It certainly isn't dull, but don't go expecting a Gods & Generals or Gettysburg type of thing.

Dull
After reading about Ambrose Bierce and his fierce wit this book was a real let down. Too many stories, all of a similar vein. I should have gotten the Devil's Dictionary!!!