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ayarezk's review against another edition
4.0
One of the most hilarious things I've ever laid my eyes upon
ailsabmit2nobody's review against another edition
1.0
Incredibly racist and sexist. What a shame. I've been dying to read this book for years. I tried to excuse the incessant discrimination by saying that it was written in 1911 but even then it's unbearable. Just because it's a classic, doesn't make it okay.
gvenezia's review against another edition
4.0
Recommended reading for the cynical and satirical.
ABSURDITY, n. A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion.
ACADEME, n. An ancient school where morality and philosophy were taught.
ACADEMY, n. [from ACADEME] A modern school where football is taught.
APOLOGIZE, v.i. To lay the foundation for a future offence.
BOUNDARY, n. In political geography, an imaginary line between two nations, separating the imaginary rights of one from the imaginary rights of the other.
CHRISTIAN, n. One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor. One who follows the teachings of Christ in so far as they are not inconsistent with a life of sin.
CONSERVATIVE, n. A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others.
EDUCATION, n. That which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding.
FRIENDLESS, adj. Having no favors to bestow. Destitute of fortune. Addicted to utterance of truth and common sense.
FRIENDSHIP, n. A ship big enough to carry two in fair weather, but only one in foul.
MAN, n. An animal so lost in rapturous contemplation of what he thinks he is as to overlook what he indubitably ought to be. His chief occupation is extermination of other animals and his own species, which, however, multiplies with such insistent rapidity as to infest the whole habitable earth and Canada.
MONUMENT, n. A structure intended to commemorate something which either needs no commemoration or cannot be commemorated.
PAST, n. That part of Eternity with some small fraction of which we have a slight and regrettable acquaintance. A moving line called the Present parts it from an imaginary period known as the Future. These two grand divisions of Eternity, of which the one is continually effacing the other, are entirely unlike. The one is dark with sorrow and disappointment, the other bright with prosperity and joy. The Past is the region of sobs, the Future is the realm of song. In the one crouches Memory, clad in sackcloth and ashes, mumbling penitential prayer; in the sunshine of the other Hope flies with a free wing, beckoning to temples of success and bowers of ease. Yet the Past is the Future of yesterday, the Future is the Past of to-morrow. They are one—the knowledge and the dream.
PHILOSOPHY, n. A route of many roads leading from nowhere to nothing.
PRAY, v. To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy.
SCRIPTURES, n. The sacred books of our holy religion, as distinguished from the false and profane writings on which all other faiths are based.
SELFISH, adj. Devoid of consideration for the selfishness of others.
VOTE, n. The instrument and symbol of a freeman's power to make a fool of himself and a wreck of his country.
ABSURDITY, n. A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion.
ACADEME, n. An ancient school where morality and philosophy were taught.
ACADEMY, n. [from ACADEME] A modern school where football is taught.
APOLOGIZE, v.i. To lay the foundation for a future offence.
BOUNDARY, n. In political geography, an imaginary line between two nations, separating the imaginary rights of one from the imaginary rights of the other.
CHRISTIAN, n. One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor. One who follows the teachings of Christ in so far as they are not inconsistent with a life of sin.
CONSERVATIVE, n. A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others.
EDUCATION, n. That which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding.
FRIENDLESS, adj. Having no favors to bestow. Destitute of fortune. Addicted to utterance of truth and common sense.
FRIENDSHIP, n. A ship big enough to carry two in fair weather, but only one in foul.
MAN, n. An animal so lost in rapturous contemplation of what he thinks he is as to overlook what he indubitably ought to be. His chief occupation is extermination of other animals and his own species, which, however, multiplies with such insistent rapidity as to infest the whole habitable earth and Canada.
MONUMENT, n. A structure intended to commemorate something which either needs no commemoration or cannot be commemorated.
PAST, n. That part of Eternity with some small fraction of which we have a slight and regrettable acquaintance. A moving line called the Present parts it from an imaginary period known as the Future. These two grand divisions of Eternity, of which the one is continually effacing the other, are entirely unlike. The one is dark with sorrow and disappointment, the other bright with prosperity and joy. The Past is the region of sobs, the Future is the realm of song. In the one crouches Memory, clad in sackcloth and ashes, mumbling penitential prayer; in the sunshine of the other Hope flies with a free wing, beckoning to temples of success and bowers of ease. Yet the Past is the Future of yesterday, the Future is the Past of to-morrow. They are one—the knowledge and the dream.
PHILOSOPHY, n. A route of many roads leading from nowhere to nothing.
PRAY, v. To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy.
SCRIPTURES, n. The sacred books of our holy religion, as distinguished from the false and profane writings on which all other faiths are based.
SELFISH, adj. Devoid of consideration for the selfishness of others.
VOTE, n. The instrument and symbol of a freeman's power to make a fool of himself and a wreck of his country.
snowynight's review against another edition
3.0
A bit boring than expected. Perhaps because I'm not into this band of humour
lem119's review against another edition
5.0
I would love, as I have seen some reviewers here do, to come up with some obscenely clever riff on the style of this book, defining "review" or "dictionary" or "Ambrose Bierce" in a witty, irreverent way. Instead, I will simply say that I found this book to be often insightful, frequently cynical, and always hilarious. Here are a couple of my favourite definitions:
ACADEME, n. An ancient school where morality and philosophy were taught.
ACADEMY, n. [from ACADEME] A modern school where football is taught.
FUTURE, n. That period of time in which our affairs prosper, our friends are true, and our happiness is assured.
HAPPINESS, n. An agreeable sensation arising from contemplating the misery of another.
IMAGINATION, n. A warehouse of facts, with poet and liar in joint ownership.
RADICALISM, n. The conservatism of to-morrow injected into the affairs of to-day.
ACADEME, n. An ancient school where morality and philosophy were taught.
ACADEMY, n. [from ACADEME] A modern school where football is taught.
FUTURE, n. That period of time in which our affairs prosper, our friends are true, and our happiness is assured.
HAPPINESS, n. An agreeable sensation arising from contemplating the misery of another.
IMAGINATION, n. A warehouse of facts, with poet and liar in joint ownership.
RADICALISM, n. The conservatism of to-morrow injected into the affairs of to-day.
eveyv's review against another edition
2.0
Actual rating: 2,5 stars
While I enjoyed some definitions and found myself smiling/laughing at some bits of satire and sarcasm, other definitions left me unimpressed or I just disliked them. Overall, it wasn't as great as I thought it would be.
While I enjoyed some definitions and found myself smiling/laughing at some bits of satire and sarcasm, other definitions left me unimpressed or I just disliked them. Overall, it wasn't as great as I thought it would be.
erin_boyington's review against another edition
5.0
Anyone who likes the sarcastic humor of Kurt Vonnegut will love the sly and subversive definitions provided by celebrated misanthrope Ambrose Bierce. For example: MARRIAGE, n. The state or condition of a community, consisting of a master, a mistress and two slaves, making in all, two.