Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914) was a short story writer, an editorialist, a satirist and a journalist. He is best known for his Devil's Dictionary. His sardonic view of human nature and his tough stance as a critic earned him the nickname "Bitter Bierce." Despite his reputation Bierce always encouraged young writers. Bierce went to Mexico to get a first hand view of the revolution. He disappeared without a trace. The Shadow On The Dial contains the following essays The shadow on the dial, Civilization, The game The of politics, Some features of the law, Arbitration, Industrial discontent, Crime and its correctives, The death penalty, Religion, Immortality, Opportunity, Charity, Emancipated woman, The opposing sex, The American sycophant, A dissertation on dogs, The ancestral bond, The right to work, and The right to take oneself off.