The late Carey McWilliams, an astute observer of the national scene, has pointed out that every American should have some familiarity with Ambrose Bierce , that aloof and independent iconoclast who was in the thick of some of the most important developments of our history. Like other gallant young men of his generation, he sacrificed his youth to the military holocaust that blazed through and almost destroyed the United States in 1861-1865. As he grew older, his magnetic personality attracted respect and esteem in England, California, and Washington, D.C. Many of his admirers recorded their impressions of him; and his incisive journalism, witty epigrams, and brilliant stories are now part of the American heritage. Nevertheless, for more than 100 years his life and his writings have resisted easy generalizations.

The reason lies in the fact that Bierce was the completely self-reliant man, whose nonconformity permeated almost every aspect of...