You are reading a Bierce story and hit a word that he clearly means differently from the dictionary. Is "editor" a neutral job title, or a jab? Bierce wrote his own answers in The Devil's Dictionary, and this ebook ties that dictionary to his fables, stories and poems so you can look a word up while you read.
Quick facts
- Publisher: E-dition
- Format: a Windows ebook with its own install and uninstall
- Platforms: Windows XP and Vista
- File size: about 3.56 MB
- Price: 19.95 US$
Key features
Stories that link to the Devil's Dictionary
Most of the stories are hyperlinked to the Devil's Dictionary as far as possible. Click a word and you get Bierce's own meaning. The dictionary entries are cross-linked too. Reading the entry for "hatchet", for example, you can jump from "peace" to its entry.
Fables, stories and poems in one place
The ebook includes a biography and bibliography of Ambrose G. Bierce. It also has his fables, stories and poems. The texts include Fantastic Fables, Can Such Things Be and An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge and Other Stories. A table of contents lets you jump to the stories, the dictionary or the poems.
Three bookmarks to return to your place
You can set three bookmarks and go straight back to where you stopped reading.
A built-in notepad and full-text Find
You can take notes from inside the ebook with the integrated notepad. You can also Find a word or sentence across the whole ebook.
Printable pages
Each page can be printed, which helps if you prefer to study on paper.
Who it's for
This suits students of American literature and curious readers who want to understand what Bierce meant by his word choices. The publisher describes it as an ebook for the student and the curious.
Pros and cons
- Pro: the dictionary links make Bierce's irony easier to follow.
- Pro: notes, bookmarks and search are built in.
- Pro: the file is small, and it installs and uninstalls cleanly.
- Con: it is a selection of works, not the complete Bierce.
- Con: it is a Windows program, listed for XP and Vista, rather than a file for e-readers.
- Con: it needs Internet Explorer 4.x or better.
FAQs
Which Bierce works are included?
Fantastic Fables, Can Such Things Be and An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge and Other Stories. It also has poems, a biography and a bibliography, all tied to the Devil's Dictionary.
Can I look up a word while reading?
Yes. Most stories link to the Devil's Dictionary, and you can also search the whole ebook for a word or sentence.
Can I print pages?
Yes, each page is printable.
How big is it?
About 3.56 MB.
System requirements
- Windows XP or Vista
- SVGA 800x600, 16M colors
- 64 MB RAM
- Internet Explorer 4.x or better