"This volume gathers together the 850 fables written by Bierce over his forty-year career, including more than 400 fables never reprinted from the magazines and newspapers in which they originally appeared." "Bierce's fables are distinguished for their biting wit and their cynical reflection of the political and social events of his time. Local and national political figures; corrupt lawyers, judges, and clergymen; and even incidents in the Spanish-American War are all mercilessly lampooned. The fables not only testify to Bierce's hatred of "hypocrisy, cant, and all sham" but provide a window into late nineteenth-century American society. S. T. Joshi has provided extensive commentary explaining historical and literary reference in the fables."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved