I favorably mentioned, in the first installment of this series, E. F. Bleiler’s introduction to the collection Ghost and Horror Stories of Ambrose Bierce.
It seems that Don Swaim, proprietor of the justly titled Ambrose Bierce Site, has some unkind opinions on Bleiler’s opinions of Bierce. While he “might accept some of Bleiler’s pungent but snarky literary analysis”, he regards Bleiler’s statement’s on Bierce’s life and character as flat out wrong.
He says Bleiler relied too much on two Bierce biographies: Adolphe de Castro’s Portrait of Ambrose Bierce and Walter Neale’s Life of Ambrose Bierce.
Since I have read no Bierce biographies, I have no opinion on the matter. I will say that I have heard a fan of Bierce the man and his work recommend both.
MarzAat 