Ambrose Bierce | Lecturia

Ambrose Bierce: Beyond the Wall

“Beyond the Wall” is a short story by Ambrose Bierce, published in December 1907 in Cosmopolitan magazine. The story begins with a man visiting his old friend Mohun Dampier on a stormy night in San Francisco. Upon arriving at the gloomy and lonely house where Dampier lives, the visitor realizes that his old companion has undergone disturbing changes. In the dim light of a tower battered by wind and rain, a knock on the wall arouses his curiosity. Intrigued, he listens intently to his friend’s story, which reveals a painful memory related to that mysterious signal.

Ambrose Bierce: An Inhabitant of Carcosa

An Inhabitant of Carcosa is a haunting story by Ambrose Bierce, published in the San Francisco Newsletter on 25 December 1886. The story recounts the experience of a man who awakens in a desolate and mysterious landscape populated by withered grasses, dry trees, and ruins that seem to speak of a forgotten past. Lost in these bleak surroundings, the protagonist searches for the path to the ancient city of Carcosa as he ponders the nature of life, death, and his existence, confronting an enigma that transcends time and reality.

Ambrose Bierce: The Death of Halpin Frayser

“The Death of Halpin Frayser” by Ambrose Bierce is a haunting tale of gothic horror. Lost in a forest, Halpin Frayser falls asleep and awakens with one word on his lips, “Catherine Larue.” With no memory of why he uttered that name, he goes back to sleep and has a series of strange and disturbing dreams. At the same time, two men investigate a mysterious cemetery nearby, searching for a criminal. The sinister atmosphere of the forest and cemetery intensifies with each discovery, revealing hidden connections and supernatural presences that defy logic, keeping the reader in constant tension.

Ambrose Bierce: Oil of Dog

“Oil of Dog,” a short story by Ambrose Bierce published in 1890, is a darkly satirical narrative that follows Boffer Bings, a character whose parents run macabre businesses: his father produces oil from dogs, while his mother deals with the disposal of unwanted children. From a young age, Boffer finds himself immersed in these activities, … Read more

Ambrose Bierce: An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

A man stood upon a railroad bridge in northern Alabama, looking down into the swift water twenty feet below. The man’s hands were behind his back, the wrists bound with a cord. A rope closely encircled his neck. It was attached to a stout cross-timber above his head and the slack fell to the level … Read more