Mencken/Bierce--bravo, sir.

Rather intense scenes--tho' I'd rate HLM as the student (and a rather arrogant one) and Bierce as Maestro. For that matter, Mencken seems merely bleak and cynical, whereas Bierce had a tragic vision, not unlike Hawthorne (though granted AB may have ranted and raved at times). HLM had some good zingers--but no Chickamauga, or Owl Creek, or the Shiloh account (which I prefer to the ghoulie material)--and none of the great muckraking which Bierce did for Hearst (sent Leland $tanford to an early grave, most likely). --I contend the Joseph Cotton figure in Citizen Kane was modelled on Bierce (loosely at least).

Scroll through my blog for some Bierce-related material (tho' you probably are aware of it)

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