Written under the pseudonym Dod Grile, The Fiend's Delight is a collection of essays, stories, poems and reflection, all of which had been previously printed in various California journals and is Bierce's earliest published work in book form. It includes the sections Some Fiction; Current Journaling; Musings, Philosophical and Theological; and Poesy. From the opening of "One More Unfortunate," first story in the fiction section: "It was midnight -- a black, wet, midnight-in a great city by the sea. The church clocks were booming the hour, in tones half-smothered by the marching rain, when an officer of the watch saw a female figure glide past him like a ghost in the gloom, and make directly toward a wharf. The officer felt that some dreadful tragedy was about to be enacted, and started in pursuit ..."

Author Biography

Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce (1842 - 1914) was an American editorialist, journalist, short story writer, fabulist and satirist. He wrote the short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" and compiled a satirical lexicon, The Devil's Dictionary. His vehemence as a critic, his motto "Nothing matters" and the sardonic view of human nature that informed his work, all earned him the nickname "Bitter Bierce."