“Doubt, indulged and cherished, is in danger of becoming denial; but if honest, and bent on thorough investigation, it may soon lead to full establishment of the truth.”

American journalist and short-story writer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Bierce’s work blends dark satire and existential cynicism. He is best known for his collection *The Devil’s Dictionary*, a witty and mordant compendium of definitions, and his haunting, often ambiguous short stories.