Podcast appearances and mentions of Ambrose Bierce

Welcome to Episode 240! It's another 10th episode, which means we're giving away a book as we do every tenth episode. One lucky newsletter subscriber will receive a copy of CHASING BEAUTY: The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner by Natalie Dykstra. If you're not yet subscribed to our monthly newsletter, you can sign up on our website (go to the “support/subscribe” tab). Dykstra will be our guest on the podcast in October, and we hope many of you will join us in reading her award-winning biography of Gardner. In this episode, Emily recaps her Midwest #biblioadventures, which included quality time at the MADISON PUBLIC LIBRARY and MYSTERY TO ME bookstore in Wisconsin and WILD RUMPUS BOOKS, COMMA, A BOOKSHOP, and OPEN BOOKS in Minnesota. Meanwhile, back in Connecticut, Chris visited KINDRED THOUGHTS BOOKSTORE in Bridgeport and came home with a big stack of new books. We discuss another ghost story: “Nightmare-Touch” by Lafcadio Hearn from The Penguin Book of Ghost Stories: From Elizabeth Gaskell to Ambrose Bierce. Neither of us had heard of this author before, and we enjoyed his story very much. Books we read and talk about include EIGHTY DAYS: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World by Matthew Goodman THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans THE EL by Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. A FAMILY MATTER by Claire Lynch THE GREAT ALONE by Kristin Hannah We also talk about what we're currently reading and hope to read soon, as well as upcoming author events and jaunts. Thanks to this episode's sponsor, Robin Cannon, author of INTO THE SHALLOWS DARKLY. Oh, and a reminder that our Zoom discussion of THE UPSTAIRS HOUSE by Julia Fine is this Sunday at 7 pm ET. Enjoy the show, and Happy Reading! https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2025/episode240

What happens when politics becomes performance and politicians become influencers? In today's Part 2 episode, former Marine and NYT bestselling author Elliot Ackerman joins Ryan to talk about the idea that “everything's a racket,” the collapse of institutional trust, and why restraint used to define real leadership. They talk about how cancel culture morphed into shamelessness as a superpower, why we might be living in a post-shame society, Ambrose Bierce's wild literary exit, and why modern media feels more like professional wrestling than journalism.Elliot Ackerman is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels 2054, 2034, Halcyon, Red Dress in Black and White, Waiting for Eden, Dark at the Crossing, and Green on Blue, as well as the memoirs The Fifth Act: America's End in Afghanistan and Places and Names: On War, Revolution, and Returning. Elliot's books have been nominated for the National Book Award, the Andrew Carnegie Medal in both fiction and nonfiction, and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, among others. He is a contributing writer at The Atlantic, a Senior Fellow at Yale's Jackson School of Global Affairs, and a veteran of the Marine Corps and CIA special operations, having served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart. Be sure to check out Elliot's latest book, SHEEPDOGS. Apple Studios has actually bought the rights to develop the book as a series with Tom Hanks production company. Grab signed copies of Elliot's books 2054 and 2034 at The Painted Porch | https://www.thepaintedporch.com/Follow Elliot Ackerman on Instagram and X @elliot.ackerman

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A elderly man returns to Rocky Point, a place where he was happy and had great exectations. But he's drawn there now by regret and a love that never died. Is it too late for some of those expectations to be met?Lee Clark Zumpe, an entertainment columnist with Tampa Bay Newspapers, earned his bachelor's in English at the University of South Florida. He began writing poetry and fiction in the early 1990s. His work has regularly appeared in a variety of literary journals and genre magazines over the last two decades. Publication credits include World War Cthulhu and The Children of Gla'aki from Dark Regions Press; Through a Mythos Darkly from PS Publishing; Children of Lovecraft Country and Shadows of an Inner Darkness from Golden Goblin Press; and Corridors and The Pickman Papers from Innsmouth Gold. Lee lives on the west coast of Florida with his wife and daughter.  Lee's inclination toward horror manifested itself early in his childhood when he began flipping through the pages of Forrest J. Ackerman's Famous Monsters of Filmland and reading Gold Key Comic classics like Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery and Grimm's Ghost Stories. In his teenage years, he discovered Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Ambrose Bierce, Richard Matheson and other masters of the genre. Lee's work often focuses on character interaction set against a pervading sense of cosmic dread and high strangeness.You can read "Return to Rocky Point" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

Ambrose Bierce (1842 – ¿desaparecido en 1913?) fue un escritor, periodista y satirista estadounidense, conocido por su estilo mordaz, su visión pesimista de la naturaleza humana y su maestría en el relato corto. Es especialmente célebre por: "El diccionario del Diablo", Una obra satírica en la que redefine palabras comunes con sarcasmo e ironía. Ejemplos: Diplomacia: el arte de decir “buen perro” mientras se busca una piedra. Cerebro: aparato con el que pensamos que pensamos. Relatos de horror y guerra: Bierce fue un veterano de la Guerra Civil estadounidense, y muchas de sus historias reflejan el trauma, el absurdo y la brutalidad del conflicto. Entre sus cuentos más destacados están: “Un suceso en el puente sobre el río Owl”: una de las mejores narraciones cortas de la literatura estadounidense, con un sorprendente giro final. “Chickamauga”: un relato sobre la guerra visto desde la inocencia de un niño, que contrasta brutalmente con la realidad de la violencia. Bierce es considerado precursor del realismo psicológico y del horror moderno. Su escritura es aguda, precisa, a menudo sarcástica y con finales inesperados. Influenció a escritores como H. P. Lovecraft y Jorge Luis Borges. En 1913, Bierce viajó a México durante la Revolución Mexicana. Se unió (según se cree) a las fuerzas de Pancho Villa como observador, y nunca más se supo de él. Su desaparición alimentó leyendas y mitos.

En “La cosa maldita” Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) nos presenta un misterio letal: la muerte de un cazador a manos de algo que no podemos ver ni oír. Un tenebroso relato que explora la fragilidad de nuestra percepción, la tensión entre lo visible y lo oculto, y la inquietante idea de que la naturaleza guarda secretos más allá de nuestra comprensión. Ambientado en una atmósfera claustrofóbica —un pequeño grupo reunido en un juicio improvisado, un cadáver mutilado y una teoría “científica” disfrazada de terror— Bierce nos desafía a preguntarnos: ¿qué pasa si lo real es aquello que no podemos percibir? - Narración: Juan Carlos Albarracín - Locución Sintonía: Antonio Runa - Música: Epidemic Sound, con licencia Los Cuentos de la Casa de la Bruja es un podcast semanal de audio-relatos de misterio, ciencia ficción y terror. Cada viernes, a las 10 de la noche, traemos un nuevo programa. Alternamos entre episodios gratuitos para todos nuestros oyentes y episodios exclusivos para nuestros fans. ¡Si te gusta nuestro contenido suscríbete! Y si te encanta considera hacerte fan desde el botón azul APOYAR y accede a todo el contenido exclusivo. Tu aporte es de mucha ayuda para el mantenimiento de este podcast. ¡Gracias por ello! Mi nombre es Juan Carlos. Dirijo este podcast y también soy locutor y narrador de audiolibros, con estudio propio. Si crees que mi voz encajaría con tu proyecto o negocio contacta conmigo y hablamos. :) Contacto profesional: info@locucioneshablandoclaro.com www.locucioneshablandoclaro.com También estoy en X y en Bluesky: @VengadorT Y en Instagram: juancarlos_locutor CONVOCATORIA ABIERTA – Los Cuentos de la Casa de la Bruja. ¿Eres escritor o escritora y te gustaría escuchar uno de tus relatos narrado en el podcast Cuentos de la Casa de la Bruja? Estoy abriendo la puerta a autores emergentes que quieran compartir relatos originales dentro del tono del programa: historias de terror y ciencia ficción con atmósferas inquietantes, elementos fantásticos, oscuros o insólitos, y una cuidada calidad literaria. ¿QUÉ TIPO DE RELATOS BUSCO? • Relatos de terror y ciencia ficción • Con una extensión de entre 3.000 y 4.000 palabras • Con una narrativa sólida, buen uso del lenguaje y que se presten a ser narrados en voz • Textos originales e inéditos (o que al menos no estén vinculados a compromisos editoriales) ¿CÓMO PARTICIPAR? Puedes enviar tu relato en formato Word o PDF a info@locucioneshablandoclaro.com con el asunto: Relato para el podcast. Acompáñalo, si quieres, de una pequeña nota biográfica para que pueda presentarte adecuadamente. IMPORTANTE: La recepción de un relato no garantiza su publicación. La selección dependerá de criterios narrativos, temáticos y de estilo, siempre con el objetivo de mantener la atmósfera y el nivel que caracterizan al podcast. ¡No se trata de emitir juicios definitivos sobre ningún autor o texto! Yo no soy crítico literario, ni pretendo serlo. Se trata de encontrar aquellos textos que mejor encajen con el universo del programa. Si tu relato es elegido me pondré en contacto contigo. En caso contrario agradeceré igual tu confianza y el gesto de compartir tu trabajo. Gracias por hacer crecer esta casa de relatos. ¡Espero leerte! Juan Carlos “Corman” Albarracín Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals

Kate makes contact and Bella Donna is eager to help... but as the threat closes Kate has to risk everything and face the monster to make it out alive. PART TWO OF TWO This story is a sequel to the episode: ADVICE AFTER DARK. BELLADONNA noun. In Italian, a beautiful lady; in English, a deadly poison. A striking example of the essential identity of the two tongues. Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary. Created, Written, Directed, and Sound Designed by Jeff Schmidt FEATURING: CAITLYN ELIZABETH as BELLA DONNA BIX KRIEGER as KATE MICHAEL BENEFIELD as CHET The voice of Ominous Thrill is DONNA FRANK MOORE. Be advised that this devious audio delight includes adult content and language, including graphic violence. Support ⁠OMINOUS THRILL at Ko-Fi⁠ All funds raised go toward the making of Ominous Thrill Visit ⁠OMINOUS THRILL⁠ Website Follow Jeff Schmidt on ⁠INSTAGRAM⁠ Message Jeff at ⁠OMINOUSTHRILL@GMAIL.COM⁠ OMINOUS THRILL is a proud member of the Fable and Folly network of Fiction Audio podcasts. Please support our sponsors and partners here ⁠https://fableandfolly.com/partners/⁠ Psychological horror, psychological suspense, psychological thriller, creature feature, horror stories, scary stories, chilling stories, horror, fiction, thriller, anthology, scary, spooky, creepy, disturbing, suspense, terror, uneasy, ominous, supernatural, supernatural suspense, paranormal, heart pounding, tension, thrilling, drama, full cast, full cast horror, female lead, audio drama, audio fiction, radio drama, immersive, spatial audio, 3D Audio, Dolby Atmos, Dolby. If you like what you've heard, please give us a 5-star rating, a positive review, and tell a friend - it encourages others to listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Desperate to leave a dangerous relationship, Kate goes to extreme lengths to conjure the spirit of dead radio advice host Bella Donna to help her. PART ONE of TWO . This story is a sequel to the episode: ADVICE AFTER DARK. BELLADONNA noun. In Italian, a beautiful lady; in English, a deadly poison. A striking example of the essential identity of the two tongues. Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary. Created, Written, Directed, and Sound Designed by Jeff Schmidt FEATURING: CAITLYN ELIZABETH as BELLA DONNA BIX KRIEGER as KATE MICHAEL BENEFIELD as CHET Additional Voices: TIFFANY MICHELLE BROWN JOHN HENRY RICHARDSON CHANTELLE TIBBS JEFF SCHMIDT The voice of Ominous Thrill is DONNA FRANK MOORE. Be advised that this devious audio delight includes adult content and language, including graphic violence. Support OMINOUS THRILL at Ko-Fi All funds raised go toward the making of Ominous Thrill Visit OMINOUS THRILL Website Follow Jeff Schmidt on INSTAGRAM Message Jeff at OMINOUSTHRILL@GMAIL.COM OMINOUS THRILL is a proud member of the Fable and Folly network of Fiction Audio podcasts. Please support our sponsors and partners here https://fableandfolly.com/partners/ Psychological horror, psychological suspense, psychological thriller, creature feature, horror stories, scary stories, chilling stories, horror, fiction, thriller, anthology, scary, spooky, creepy, disturbing, suspense, terror, uneasy, ominous, supernatural, supernatural suspense, paranormal, heart pounding, tension, thrilling, drama, full cast, full cast horror, female lead, audio drama, audio fiction, radio drama, immersive, spatial audio, 3D Audio, Dolby Atmos, Dolby. If you like what you've heard, please give us a 5-star rating, a positive review, and tell a friend - it encourages others to listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Immerse yourself in captivating science fiction short stories, delivered daily! Explore futuristic worlds, time travel, alien encounters, and mind-bending adventures. Perfect for sci-fi lovers looking for a quick and engaging listen each day.

Welcome to Episode 238 which features an Author Spotlight with the wonderfully creepy Clare Beams! To clarify: it's her work that's creepy, in a good way. As you'll hear in the interview, Clare is lovely, smart, feminist, and fun. We both enjoyed her latest book, THE GARDEN, which is part historical fiction, part ghost story, and part pregnancy horror story all wrapped up in a novel about a woman who finds herself in a place she never imagined with results that . . . well, you'll have to read it yourself to find out. We also talk about what we're currently reading. Chris is enjoying a re-read of SUMMER ON THE LAKES, IN 1843 by Margaret Fuller and Emily is relishing BUCKEYE by Patrick Ryan (pubs on 9/2) Those of you who've been reading along with us in the PENGUIN BOOK OF GHOST STORIES: From Elizabeth Gaskell to Ambrose Bierce will be happy to hear we did our homework. We discuss two stories from the collection: “Thrawn Janet” by Robert Louis Stevenson and “The Open Door” by Margaret Oliphant. In #BiblioAdventures, Emily recaps recent writing workshops she has attended, one with Shuly Cawood and the other with Betsy Lerner. Chris watched the 1997 mini-series adaptation of Stephen King's 1979 novel, THE SHINING, which she compares to the 1980 movie adaptation. Spoiler alert: the novel is best. As always, there's more bookish goodness in the episode than we mention here. We hope you enjoy it and wish you lots of Happy Reading! https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2025/episode238

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Un racconto di Ambrose Bierce pubblicato per la prima volta nel 1890.

This week from Ghost and Horror stories: "Two Military Executions" by Ambrose Bierce and read by Sean O'Hara! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week from Ghost and Horror stories: "Two Military Executions" by Ambrose Bierce and read by Sean O'Hara! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tod ist nicht gleich Tod. Mit: Thomas Sarbacher (Erzähler), Gottfried Breitfuss (Henry), Rudolf Ruch (Jess), Philipp Langenegger (Student 1), Mike La Marr (Student 2) Tontechnik: Fabian Lehmann Regie: Buschi Luginbühl Produktion: SRF 2016 Dauer: 8:26

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We're back with another collection of Ghost and Horror stories. This week: "An Inhabitant of Carcosa" by Ambrose Bierce! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back with another collection of Ghost and Horror stories. This week: "An Inhabitant of Carcosa" by Ambrose Bierce! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adapted from Ambrose Bierce's ghostly short story, a man is summoned home to learn of his mother's mysterious death. Through shifting perspectives — a grieving son, a tormented husband, and a voice from beyond the grave — the story of what really happened on The Moonlit Road slowly unravels… but not everything that walks in moonlight is at rest! | #RetroRadio EP0426Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicateCHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open00:01:50.000 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “Vanity Dies Hard” (April 02, 1976)00:49:54.089 = Philip Marlowe, “Feminine Touch” (May 07, 1949) ***WD01:19:46.109 = The Black Mass, “Moonlit Road” (November 30, 1970) ***WD01:52:26.079 = Beyond Midnight, “The Man Who Sold His Soul” (1968-1970) ***WD02:23:47.129 = MindWebs, “My Object All Sublime” (January 20, 1979)02:49:56.439 = Ellery Queen's Minute Mysteries, “Psychological Error” (1939-1948)02:50:52.001 = Voice In The Night, “Necklace” (June 14, 1948)03:20:56.559 = Mystery In The Air, “Black Cat” (September 18, 1947) ***WD03:46:55.409 = Molle Mystery Theater, “Witness For The Prosecution” (May 31, 1946) ***WD (LQ)04:11:37.879 = Mr. District Attorney, “Wedding Night” (September 07, 1949) ***WD04:35:58.339 = Murder At Midnight, “The Line Is Dead” (May 22, 1950) ***WD(ADU) = Air Date Unknown(LQ) = Low Quality***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing.Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music LibraryABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.= = = = =CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0426

Hundreds died in a jungle commune led by a madman, but what if Jonestown wasn't a mass suicide, but a cover-up for something even darker?Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicateABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.IN THIS EPISODE: Was the Unidentified Cape Cod Murder Victim an Extra in Jaws? Horror author Joe Hill thinks so. (Murder On The Set of Jaws) *** Of the many mysterious and ominous places on earth, many bodies of water are said to be cursed, haunted, or both. For whatever reason these lakes have drawn about them tales of misfortune, terror, and death, and they continue to elude rational answers. I'll share some of the strangest. (Cursed Lakes) *** At the dawn of the 20th Century Ambrose Bierce was one of the most famous writers in America. And then he mysteriously vanished. (The Disappearance of Ambrose Bierce) *** Charles Willey experienced hundreds of fires on his property in the summer of 1948 – but how did they start? (The Macomb Firestarter) *** Two men interested in the same woman – all three spending a day together. Not a good plan from the start. Add a bit of alcohol and you just may have a powder keg ready to explode. (Rum, Jealously, and Murder) *** Over the course of just two years, Christopher Duntsch operated on 38 patients in the Dallas area, leaving 31 paralyzed or seriously injured and two of them dead. It's no wonder he was given the morbid nickname of “Dr. Death”. (Doctor Death) *** A child's game of hide-and-seek turns to terror. (The House At The Front) *** In the Outback of Queensland, Australia, ghostly orbs of light have been frightening people for centuries. What do we know about the mystery of the orbs and what are some of the theories about what they could be? (The Min Min Orbs) *** Are extraterrestrials secretly watching over us and saving us from our own destruction? (Our Alien Protectors) *** Was the mass suicide at Jim Jones' commune in Guyana in 1978 a CIA mind control experiment? (Welcome to Jonestown)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Lead-In00:02:07.459 = Show Open00:04:53.939 = Welcome To Jonestown00:27:03.141 = Murder on The Set of JAWS00:33:15.210 = Cursed Lakes01:01:43.019 = The Disappearance of Ambrose Bierce01:08:03.389 = Our Alien Protectors01:17:39.424 = The Macomb Firestarter01:28:44.629 = The House At The Front01:33:20.206 = The Min Min Orbs01:42:07.771 = Rum, Jealousy, and Murder01:46:38.576 = Doctor Death01:53:43.554 = Show CloseSOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…BOOK: “The Skeleton Crew: How Amateur Sleuths Are Solving America's Coldest Cases” by Deborah Halber: https://amzn.to/3Zv30b4“Welcome to Jonestown” from The Unredacted: https://tinyurl.com/urb3ka9“Cursed Lakes” by Brent Swancer for Mysterious Universe: https://tinyurl.com/vx9d5kx“Murder On The Set Of Jaws” by Orrin Grey for The Line Up: https://tinyurl.com/yx4mjry4“The Disappearance of Ambrose Bierce” by John Davis for Mysterious Writings: https://tinyurl.com/u5m8229“The Macomb Firestarter” by Troy Taylor: https://tinyurl.com/ug42z53“The House At The Front” by AakanKSha from YourGhostStories.com: https://tinyurl.com/qvsm6ch“Our Alien Protectors” from the Alien-UFO-Sightings website: https://tinyurl.com/solj3fx *** CNN Press Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAvqaVQNEk4 *** CNN Interview from “Larry King LIVE”:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=273jcsMQu3M“The Min Min Orbs” by Kimberly Lin for Historic Mysteries: https://tinyurl.com/tk8x73b“Doctor Death” by Caroline Redmond for All That's Interesting: https://tinyurl.com/ycg9q264“Rum, Jealousy, and Murder” by Robert Wilhelm from Murder By Gaslight: https://tinyurl.com/y8gbgwow=====(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: September 2018EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/JonestownCoverUp

Ralph Eugene Meatyard's series of photographs featuring his family in unexpected places and costumes are hard to describe but entirely captivating. He found inspiration for a series of photographs from a book published in 1911 by Ambrose Bierce called ‘The Devil's Dictionary.' After handling one of Meatyard's prints at Sotheby's, Aimee gets to the bottom of what these two things have in common, while discovering what demons were hard at work in old printing workshops.

1082. Copy editor Jim Norrena joins us this week for a conversation about Ambrose Bierce, his famous "Devil's Dictionary," and his darkly funny take on the world. We look at Bierce's fascinating (and tragic) life, his legendary wordplay, and his mysterious disappearance in Mexico. Plus, we share our favorite biting definitions and quirky facts about his life. We'd love to have coffee with him, but we'd never forget that he was also a feared literary critic! Jim Norrena, MFA, has been writing and editing for more than thirty-five years. He's the founder and principal editor at TypoSuction.com, an independent editing/writing service. He taught grammar and copyediting intensives and professional proofreading workshops at Media Alliance and served as events coordinator for Bay Area Editors' Forum (BAEF). You can find him on LinkedIn.

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When David Lang vanished in front of five witnesses he was never seen again – but the mystery only deepened when his voice came back from nowhere.Download The FREE PDF For This Episode's WORD SEARCH Puzzle: https://weirddarkness.com/DavidLangDarkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version of #WeirdDarkness: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicateDISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.IN THIS EPISODE: What if your thoughts, your self, your very awareness… weren't inside your brain at all, but woven into the universe itself? (What If Consciousness Is Everything?) *** Across centuries and continents, there are eerie tales of tiny, otherworldly creatures captured by humans — only for terror, curses, or vanishing acts to follow. (Bagged, Bottled, and Bewitched: True Tales of Captured Fairies) *** On a deserted Scottish road in 1992, two men's terrifying close encounter with a hovering UFO led to missing time, haunting nightmares, and disturbing memories of alien beings. (The A70 Abduction Case) *** When Jake Bird was sentenced to die, he warned the court they'd perish before him — then one by one, they did. (The Hex of Jake Bird) *** One bright afternoon in 1880, David Lang took a step across his field — and vanished forever in front of witnesses who saw it happen. (Portal In The Pasture: The Strange Disappearance of David Lang)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Lead-In00:01:28.802 = Show Open00:03:13.646 = Portal In The Pasture: The Strange Disappearance of David Lang00:18:03.052 = Bagged, Bottled and Bewitched: True Tales of Captured Fairies00:29:37.827 = The Hex of Jake Bird00:38:41.973 = The A70 Abduction Case00:52:45.925 = What If Consciousness Is Everything?01:04:34.996 = Show Close01:05:50.150 = BloopersSOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…“The A70 Abduction Case”: https://www.thenightskyii.org/a70.html“The Hex of Jake Bird”: http://www.executedtoday.com/2012/07/14/1949-jake-bird/, https://www.ranker.com/list/jake-bird-hex-facts/jessika-gilbert, https://www.historylink.org/File/7971, https://www.historylink.org/File/7973“Bagged, Bottled, and Bewitched: True Tales of Captured Fairies”: https://mysteriousuniverse.org/2024/08/Strange-Tales-of-Captured-Fairies-Gnomes-and-Other-Mysterious-Little-People/,“Portal In The Pasture: The Strange Disappearance of David Lang”: https://ckc4me.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/the-difficulty-of-crossing-a-field-an-unsolved-mystery/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kVnBM9roWI,https://www.facebook.com/groups/EmbracetheDarkParanormal/posts/2949512888536517/,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drVAv7w-w4A,https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~we3sumneritesjblcsf/genealogy/langlore.htm, https://vocal.media/history/the-man-who-disappeared-david-lang-1880, https://hoaxes.org/archive/permalink/the_disappearance_of_david_lang/,https://www.historicmysteries.com/history/the-story-of-david-lang/3163/“What If Consciousness Is Everything?”: amzn.to/4jBA0Ya, https://amihart.medium.com/metaphysical-realism-an-overwhelmingly-dominant-philosophy-that-makes-no-sense-at-all-44343a1d8453, medium.com/@scottlape/enjoyed-this-very-much-d772f0523bbd=====(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: May 07, 2025EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/DavidLangTAGS: David Lang, Lang disappearance, Gallatin Tennessee mystery, farmer vanishing, David Lang urban legend, Ambrose Bierce, Difficulty in Crossing a Field, paranormal disappearances, mysterious vanishings, space-time rift, wormhole theory, supernatural phenomena, Lang family, Stuart Palmer, Joe Mulhattan, Ambrose Bierce disappearance, 1880 vanishing, historical mysteries, unexplained events, alien abduction theories, paranormal folklore, American folklore, time portal mystery, field disappearance, Judge August Peck, crop circle mystery, spiritualist message, Fate Magazine, Lang legend, vanishing man story, sinkhole theory, true crime folklore, unsolved mysteries, Tennessee folklore, Bierce vanishing, Pancho Villa connection, paranormal literature

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On Episode 233, we are thrilled to welcome back, MATTHEW GOODMAN! We are so grateful that Zoom and, before them, Skype (remember them?) opened up the world to conversations with authors. That said, there's still nothing like sitting in the same room with other humans talking about books, ideas, and historic happenings. Matthew joined us at Book Cougars HQ here in Connecticut to discuss his new book, PARIS UNDERCOVER: A WARTIME STORY OF COURAGE, FRIENDSHIP, AND BETRAYAL, now available from Ballantine Books. The book is a narrative history about Etta Shiber and Kate Bonnefous, two middle-aged women who smuggled out British servicemen from behind enemy lines, their arrest, Etta's best-selling memoir about their efforts, and the price Kate paid for that book. Don't miss our conversation with Matthew at the end of this episode. Paris Undercover is about history, but it speaks to our current time. Some highlights in this episode: We both have started reading around in THE PORTABLE FEMINIST READER, edited by Roxane Gay, starting with “If Men Could Menstruate” by Gloria Steinem. Chris also read “Being Female” by Eileen Myles. Emily finished the novel FOOD PERSON by Adam Roberts, and Chris read the graphic memoir EPHEMERA by Briana Loewinsohn. It was also time for another ghost story from THE PENGUIN BOOK OF GHOST STORIES: From Elizabeth Gaskell to Ambrose Bierce. We both thought “The Signal Man” by Charles Dickens was “meh,” although it had some good lines and moments. In Biblio Adventures, we recap seeing Maura Casey at Bank Square Books in Mystic, our Independent Bookstore Day jaunts to Breakwater Books in Guilford and R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, CT, and Emily's volunteer experience at Cherry Jubilee in NYC. We had such a fun time recording this episode and hope you enjoy it. Happy Reading! https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2025/episode233

We're back with another collection of Ghost and Horror stories. This week: "A Cold Greeting" by Ambrose Bierce! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back with another collection of Ghost and Horror stories. This week: "A Cold Greeting" by Ambrose Bierce! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[11x6] We complete the From Dusk Till Dawn trilogy with P.J Pesce's straight-to-video sequel The Hangman's Daughter, which reveals the origin story of Santanico Pandemonium in the Old West as a ragtag group consisting of a famous author, a religious couple, and Mexican outlaws find themselves at a brothel full of vampires... And making her first return to the show is film critic Becci Sayce... Hosts: Dan Owen & Hugh McStay Guest: Becci Sayce Editor: Dan Owen "My singular critique of the Good Book is that its covers are too far apart." -- Ambrose Bierce. Subscribe and leave a rating or review to support the show. You can also donate at Ko-fi and follow us on social media platforms here. A proud part of the Film Stories podcast network. Theme music by Nela Ruiz • Episode art by Dan Owen. Podcast art by Keshav. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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We were thrilled to talk with author Eowyn Ivey about her new book, BLACK WOODS BLUE SKY. During our conversation, Eowyn shared her writing habits, including a description of her writing cottage, and tells us about her reading life. Topics ranged from motherhood on the page and in real life, her family's literary life in Alaska, and Proust vs Joyce. In our own reading lives, we both read and discuss “The North Mail” by Amelia B. Edwards from THE PENGUIN BOOK OF GHOST STORIES: from Elizabeth Gaskell to Ambrose Bierce. We gave this one four paws up. Or should it be eight paws? Whatever the rating system should be for cougars, we both enjoyed Edwards's story. It has a good creep factor and atmosphere, both indoors and outside. Other books we've enjoyed include novels HAPPY LAND by Dolan Perkins-Valdez and THE GRIFFIN SISTERS GREATEST HITS by Jennifer Weiner; a quartet of novellas, OLD NEW YORK by Edith Wharton; and two works of nonfiction: STORYWORTHY: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life Through the Power of Storytelling by Matthew Dicks and DEEP WORK: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport. Big thanks to this episode's sponsor, James Crews and Brad Peacock. The new poetry collection they co-edited is available on May 6: LOVE IS FOR ALL OF US: Poems of Tenderness and Belonging from the LGBTQ+ Community and Friends (with illustrations by Lisa Congdon). We also recap a great Biblio Adventure to the Mark Twain House to hear Ethan Rutherford (author of NORTH SUN, OR THE VOYAGE OF THE WHALESHIP ESTHER) in conversation with Amity Gaige about her new novel, HEARTWOOD. Chris also got to attend THE MOUNT'S virtual book club discussion of Edith Wharton's A SON AT THE FRONT and Willa Cather's ONE OF OURS, led by Anne Schuyler and Julie Olin-Ammentorp. As always, there are more books inside this episode than we can fit here! Enjoy, and be sure not to miss our conversation with Eowyn Ivey at the end. Oh, and reminder: our second quarter readalong pick is THE GOOD HOUSE by Tananarive Due (Zoom discussion on 6/8 and also on Goodreads). Thanks for listening, and happy reading! https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2025/episode232 The Good House Goodreads readalong https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2025/episode231 Penguin Book of Ghost Stories Goodreads thread https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/23017532-ghost-stories

After a long drive through a snowy mountain pass, Mark stumbles into a warm, welcoming diner – where the coffee is strong, the cook is stronger, and the only thing on the menu is terror.Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version of #WeirdDarkness: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicateDISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.IN THIS EPISODE: It's #ThrillerThursday where I bring you tales of fictional horror and suspense! CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open00:01:38.861 = Hospitality (Snowstorm Terror at Silver Line Diner), Part 100:13:22.273 = Hospitality, Part 200:27:48.216 = Hospitality, Part 300:45:39.317 = A Holy Terror, Part 100:54:44.978 = A Holy Terror, Part 201:15:30.858 = A Holy Terror, Part 301:22:01.474 = Show Close, Verse, and Final ThoughtSOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…“A Holy Terror” by Ambrose Bierce (public domain): https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/enb8h3bz“Hospitality” by Erik Peabody: https://www.creepypasta.com/hospitality-2/=====(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: April 22, 2021EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/SilverLineDiner

A collection of fifteen stories featuring ghoulies, ghosties, long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night. Expect shivers up your spine, the smell of human flesh, and the occasional touch of wonder. This week we begin with "The Boarded Window" by Ambrose Bierce! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A collection of fifteen stories featuring ghoulies, ghosties, long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night. Expect shivers up your spine, the smell of human flesh, and the occasional touch of wonder. This week we begin with "The Boarded Window" by Ambrose Bierce! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Immerse yourself in captivating science fiction short stories, delivered daily! Explore futuristic worlds, time travel, alien encounters, and mind-bending adventures. Perfect for sci-fi lovers looking for a quick and engaging listen each day.

Welcome to Episode 230 where we talk about some books. As this is another tenth episode, we are also hosting a giveaway! One lucky newsletter subscriber will win a paperback copy of our second quarter readalong pick, THE GOOD HOUSE by Tananarive Due. Newsletter subscribers are automatically entered to win our recurring tenth episode giveaways. Chris unexpectedly read the surprise hot book of the season, CARELESS PEOPLE: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams, and is telling everyone to believe the hype. She also read THE EXTENDED MIND: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain by Annie Murphy Paul, and devoured WOMAN, EATING: A Literary Vampire Novel by Claire Kohda. Emily read two novels that have an unexpected connection, MURDER UNDER HER SKIN: A Pentecost and Parker Mystery by Stephen Spotswood and THE GHOSTWRITER by Julia Clark. She also read two less murdery novels, TELL ME EVERYTHING by Elizabeth Strout and TILDA IS VISIBLE by Jane Tara. One of these she loved and the other was a bit of a departure for a well-loved writer. We discuss the third short ghost story – “The Haunted and the Haunters; Or, The House and the Brain by Edward Bulwer Lytton – in THE PENGUIN BOOK OF GHOST STORIES: From Elizabeth Gaskell to Ambrose Bierce. This one didn't grab us like the last one (pun intended) but we can see how it contributes to the haunted house tradition. In Biblio Adventures, Chris made a guest appearance on Shawn Breathes Books where they discussed FINGERSMITH by Sarah Waters; it is ready for viewing on his BookTube channel. Emily was in Colorado visiting new grandbaby #2, and got to visit two local bookstores: White River Books in Carbondale and Alpenglow Books and Gifts in Glenwood Springs. During a long layover in O'Hare, she also visited several Barbara's Bookstores in the airport. As always, there is more in this episode than we can highlight here, like upcoming reads and jaunts (e.g., THE CAT'S MEOW: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa by Jonathan Losos, All CT Reads with author Monica Wood, and the Willa Cather Spring Conference). We were so happy to be back together talking about books across the table! We hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it. Happy Reading! https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2025/episode230

Immerse yourself in captivating science fiction short stories, delivered daily! Explore futuristic worlds, time travel, alien encounters, and mind-bending adventures. Perfect for sci-fi lovers looking for a quick and engaging listen each day.

On this episode a creepy murder story. Can AI murder ? Read by Robert Crandall. Thanks for listening. All Rights Reserved.

A lone coroner reads from the diary of a dead man while a jury of weathered woodsmen listens, but as the inquest unfolds, the terrifying truth begins to emerge—something unseen, something impossible, has left its mark on the body, and it's still out there.IN THIS EPISODE: It's #ThrillerThursday (a.k.a. “Creepypasta Thursday) and this week I'm bringing you ELEVEN short horror stories of fiction!CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Disclaimer and Show Open00:02:51.594 = The Damned Thing, Chapter 01 (Ambrose Bierce)00:09:15.468 = The Damned Thing, Chapter 02 (Ambrose Bierce)00:16:14.113 = The Damned Thing, Chapter 03 (Ambrose Bierce)00:20:05.874 = The Damned Thing, Chapter 04 (Ambrose Bierce)00:27:06.144 = My Grandmother Left Behind Some Really Dark Secrets (Evelyn Bertrand)00:43:29.144 = The Blood Keeper (Christopher Maxim)01:01:01.763 = A Diner Open 24-Hours a Day (Christopher Maxim)01:23:35.119 = I Followed Her Home (Christopher Maxim)01:39:12.832 = The Monster In The Pantry (Christopher Maxim)01:54:05.378 = My Wife Has a Removable Face (r/NSLewis)02:09:06.305 = The Asylum In The Woods (r/RLRogers)02:24:36.925 = Secret Bar, Part 1 (K. Banning Kellum)02:45:03.580 = Secret Bar, Part 2 (K. Banning Kellum)02:58:33.479 = The Statement of Randolph Carter (H.P. Lovecraft)03:15:24.625 = Show Close, Verse, and Final ThoughtSOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…“The Damned Thing” by Ambrose Bierce: https://tinyurl.com/y6amz952“My Grandmother Left Behind Some Really Dark Secrets” by Evelyn Bertrand: https://tinyurl.com/yy8gx627“I Followed Her Home”, “The Blood Keepers”, “A Diner Open 24-Hours a Day”, and “The Monster in the Pantry” were all written by Christopher Maxim at https://www.reddit.com/r/ChristopherMaxim/ and at http://www.CreepyFiction.com. Christopher is extremely generous to allow me to narrate his stories for free to use in Weird Darkness. Please consider sending him a thank-you donation through PayPal if you enjoyed his stories. You can send a gift to him using PayPal or a credit/debit card by clicking this link: https://tinyurl.com/y3gvvlzg“The Statement of Randolph Carter” by H.P. Lovecraft: https://www.creepypasta.com/the-statement-of-randolph-carter/“My Wife Has a Removable Face” by Redditor N.S. Lewis: https://www.creepypasta.com/my-wife-has-a-removable-face/“The Asylum In The Woods” by Redditor R.L. Rogers: https://www.creepypasta.com/the-asylum-in-the-woods/“Secret Bar” by K. Banning Kellum: https://www.creepypasta.com/secret-bar/ (find more creepiness in K. Banning Kellum's book “Gris Gris and Ju Ju, A New Orleans Horror” https://amzn.to/2EaYeH6)=====Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version. https://weirddarkness.com/syndicateInfo on the next LIVE SCREAM event. https://weirddarkness.com/LiveScreamInfo on the next WEIRDO WATCH PARTY event. https://weirddarkness.com/TV=====(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: September 17, 2020EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/TheDamnedThing

Packed with stories selected and introduced by one of todays leading esoteric scholars, this book will do more than make your toes curl and your skin crawl. These tales reveal hidden truths and forbidden pursuits, and divulge the secrets of magical initiation. Covering topics from rituals to hauntings to the Devil himself, this  one-of-a-kind volume includes selections from: Aleister Crowley, Ambrose Bierce, Arthur Machen, Edgar Allan Poe, Robert W. Chambers, Ralph Adams Cram, H.P. Lovecraft, Dion Fortune , Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton and Bram Stoker. As Lon Milo DuQuette writes in his introduction, horror takes its time. It creeps in, seeps in, and lingers. These stories will stay with you, biting at your heels from the shadows. Don't say we didn't warn you…

Welcome to Episode 228! 2025 is the year of the Ghost Story. We've created a tab on the website to keep you up-to-date on our quarterly readalongs, the schedule for the year-long buddy read of THE PENGUIN BOOK OF GHOST STORIES: From Elizabeth Gaskell to Ambrose Bierce, and there is a downloadable Ghost Story Bingo Card; we would love for you to play along. Be sure to bookmark the page and check back for updates. On this episode we do a deep dive on Shirley Jackson's THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE which is our first quarter readalong. Chris has read the novel numerous times; this was Emily's first time, and she is now a Shirley Jackson devotee. During the conversation, they mention other complimentary readings, podcasts, and film adaptations, including the biography SHIRLEY JACKSON: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin. Chris and Emily both had #CouchBiblioAdventures. Emily watched the movie Lee starring Kate Winslet about photographer Lee Miller. It reminded her of Whitney Scharer's novel THE AGE OF LIGHT. Chris watched Season One, Episode Four of ROAR: The Woman Who Found Bite Marks on Her Skin based on the book of short stories by Cecelia Ahern. Emily also attended an in-person event via RJ Julia's Booksellers in Madison, CT with Kristan Higgins in conversation with Charmaine Wilkerson and her new novel GOOD DIRT. Of course, we also talk about what we're currently reading, hope to read, upcoming jaunts, and scary neighbors, after all it is the year of the ghost story. We wish you lots of Happy Reading! Show notes for the episode: https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2025/episode228

Welcome to Episode 227, featuring an author spotlight with Megan Marshall discussing her new collection of essays, After Lives: On Biography and the Mysteries of the Human Heart. Megan is a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer who turns her writerly gaze and historical imagination on her own life, her family and friends, and the “after lives” of her biographical subjects. After Lives publishes the day this episode drops–purchase your copy post-haste or request it at your library. We have been enjoying a “real” New England winter this season, which has kept us hunkered down and reading on our respective couches. The books in our Just Read segment are: A New Home, Who Will Follow? by Caroline Kirkland The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny Fortune Favors the Dead by Stephen Spottswood How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith by Mariann Edgar Budde My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano (release date 3/4/25) The Vanishing Kind by Alice Henderson (release date 3/4/25) I'll Be Right Here by Amy Bloom (release date 6/24/25) In short stories, we discuss “The Old Nurse's Story” by Elizabeth Gaskell, the first story in The Penguin Book of Ghost Stories: From Elizabeth Gaskell to Ambrose Bierce, which we will be reading throughout 2025 for our year of reading Ghost Stories. Chris also read the ghost story The Inn by Guy De Maupassant. We did get out and about for a Biblio Adventure to the New York Society Library to see a reading of Lord Byron's Manfred by The New Relic Theatre. While there we also watched a virtual event via the Yale Program for the Study of Antisemitism featuring Ruth Franklin in conversation about her new book The Many Lives of Anne Frank. And we had two couch biblio adventures. Emily watched the film The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse based on the book by Charlie Mackesy, and Chris participated in the Women's Prize Book Club with Sarah Waters in conversation with Simon Savidge about her novel Fingersmith. Of course, we also talk about what we're currently reading, hope to read, upcoming jaunts, Simon & Schuster's news about book blurbs, and more. There's a whole lot of yuck in the world now, and we are grateful for good books and bookish friends. Thank you, friends, for listening and connecting with us on social media, email, or Zoom. We wish you lots of Happy Reading! https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2025/episode227

A strange gothic nightmare of a tale from Mr Ambrose Bierce!

This week on Astonishing Legends, we conclude our two-part exploration into the enigmatic disappearance of Ambrose Bierce. Last week, we chronicled his vibrant life and career, culminating in his mysterious 1913 journey into Mexico.  This week, we delve deeper, examining the turbulent backdrop of the Mexican Revolution and how it might have played a role in his vanishing. Was Bierce a casualty of the conflict, caught in the crossfire? Or, as some suggest, did he become a victim of Pancho Villa himself?  We explore these theories, considering his known disdain for aging and his fascination with unsolved mysteries, mirroring themes throughout his own macabre writings.  A missing letter and conflicting accounts spark questions about hidden agendas and the possibility of a meticulously planned exit.  While the Grand Canyon suicide theory persists, we weigh the evidence and consider alternative explanations, including the intriguing, if improbable, fringe theories involving crystal skulls and ancient ruins in the Paquimé region of Mexico.  Ultimately, we're left to ponder whether Bierce's disappearance was a carefully crafted narrative, a tragic accident, or something far more extraordinary.  Join us as we uncover the clues and confront the enduring puzzle of Bierce's final act. Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.

Ambrose Bierce, famed author of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, vanished without a trace in 1913 at the age of 71. Bierce had a long and storied career, having been a soldier in the Civil War, a journalist, and a successful author. He was known for his dark humor and cynical outlook. In part one of this two-part series, we delve into the mystery of Bierce's disappearance and explore the enduring fascination with this literary enigma. Was it a suicide, a murder, or something even stranger? Join us as we try to unravel the strange case of Ambrose Bierce. Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.

Welcome to episode 674. And happy holidays! We have two tales for you this evening. First, we meet a woman with an unusual connection to colour. Then, a man dreams of escape in the face of the hangman's noose.COMING UPGood Evening: 00:01:06Danielle Ackley-McPhail's Ruby Red as read by Summer Brooks: 00:03:07Ambrose Bierce's An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge as read by Douglas Gwilym: 00:10:38PERTINENT LINKSSupport us on Patreon! Spread the darkness.Shop Tales to Terrify MerchDanielle Ackley-McPhailSummer Brooks | Slice of SciFiOriginal Score by Nebulus EntertainmentNebulus on FacebookNebulus on InstagramSPECIAL THANKS TOAmanda CarrilloLestle BaxterOrion D. HegreSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/talestoterrify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In December of 1914,71 year-old decorated CivilWar Major,  accomplished journalist, and  famous author Ambrose Bierce wrote his Niece and his secretary to tell them he was going to Mexico to cover the Mexican insurrection led by Pancho Villa and others.He felt likely thathis fate would be probably be that of being lined up against a wall and shot- as these insurrectionists were quick-tempered killers. Not long after, Bierce disappeared completely, and years of searches have not brought any concrete evidence of what happened to him- but the legend told by those who daid they saw him or knew of him in his last days tells the story very much like the one he envisioned. This is his story.