“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” by Ambrose Bierce is a haunting piece of literature. Often, stories that dark must come from someone’s haunted mind. Bierce, by some estimation, lived in a haunted world himself, dying under strange circumstances. But, what happened to Ambrose Bierce? And why is his disappearance so strange? Dissecting his death is actually quite revealing: we find a man who lived through traumatic warfare, and a man who committed himself to literary works of bravery, honor, and death.
Continue reading The Life, Works, and Strange Disappearance of Ambrose BierceCategory Archives: Literary Bios
Biography: Author Robert Bloch
Author Robert Bloch’s most famous work has now been transformed into a successful film franchise and a successful television show. Both of these sources showcased the delusions, murderous tendencies, and maternal issues of one Norman Bates. The world knows Psycho (1959) for its many incarnations (films and TV shows); however, its author is just as well known, Bloch, as it stands, is not necessarily a one-trick pony in the literature and writing field.
Continue reading Biography: Author Robert Bloch
The Rough and Rustic Writings of Jack London
Tales of exploration, violence, and humanity’s struggle against nature permeate the writings of Jack London. In a past post, we discussed a fantastic story by the author, but, today, we are going to look at London’s life and times to glean some of the significance of his upbringing, which, hopefully, will help us better understand how his experiences impacted his work as a vivid storyteller and weaver of adventures.
Continue reading The Rough and Rustic Writings of Jack London
An Author in Many Forms: Richard Matheson
Richard Matheson is a great, unsung hero of literature. While he is well-known in writerly circles, he often seems vacant from mainstream discussion. Nevertheless, he may be one of the most talented horror authors and genre writers of all time. This is because he writes in a modern, straightforward way that speaks to a universal audience. His style is utilitarian, and has no frills or accoutrement. Putting it plainly, he is just a brilliant writer with an equitable style. In this post, we will analyze his history and his style.
Continue reading An Author in Many Forms: Richard Matheson
James Joyce: Author of “Finnegans Wake” and “Ulysses”
James Joyce falls right in line with modernist literature, although his work can be difficult to digest, unlike other modernist writers. However, as we know, just because literature can be difficult doesn’t mean we should discard it. For today’s post, let’s take a look at Joyce’s life and a few major works.
Continue reading James Joyce: Author of “Finnegans Wake” and “Ulysses”
A Look at the Life and Times of L. Frank Baum
In order to understand a novel, we have to understand everything about the book. These factors include the author, the society, and the history to truly understand the nuances and messages we are supposed to take away as readers. In this post, we are going to look at the life and times of L. Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz.
Continue reading A Look at the Life and Times of L. Frank Baum
Writer Henry James’ Social and Psychological Writing Style
We have discussed the gothic genre and death on this blog many, many times. It is definitely a pervasive element in horror and the gothic horror genre. Likewise, it is also a very interesting subject. Writer Henry James tackled this subject very well in his novel Turn of the Screw, which features some spooky imagery and atmosphere. In this post, we are going to examine James’ background and influences to better understand how he wrote a classic of the horror genre.
Continue reading Writer Henry James’ Social and Psychological Writing Style
A Short Biography of Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson, the renowned Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer, left an important mark on literature with his timeless tales. In this post, we are going analyze the life of Robert Louis Stevenson in a short biography.
Continue reading A Short Biography of Robert Louis Stevenson
Phillis Wheatley Biography: The First African American Poet
Phillis Wheatley was a dynamic poet and author who lived a tragic life of oppression and slavery in the American colonies. Though shackled in many aspects of her life, Wheatley accomplished a monumental amount of writing. In this post, we examine Phillis Wheatley through a biography of the first Black poet in the United States.
Continue reading Phillis Wheatley Biography: The First African American Poet
Biography of George Bernard Shaw: Socialist, Critic, Playwright
George Bernard Shaw’s name looms large amongst the litany of famous authors. Both fascinating and contentious, he has all the makings of a literary icon. Likewise, he has many shared traits with other authors. Moreover, his sheer volume of work along, puts him in the pantheon of influential authors. In this George Bernard Shaw biography, we are going to dig into his life, times, and literary works.
Continue reading Biography of George Bernard Shaw: Socialist, Critic, Playwright
You must be logged in to post a comment.