A Career in Letters
"A Career in Letters" is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce, first published in 1893. The story follows the life of a man named John H. Foster, who has dedicated his life to writing letters. Despite his talent and dedication, Foster finds himself struggling to make a living as a letter writer, as the art form is seen as trivial and unimportant by society. As he navigates the challenges of his career, Foster grapples with the question of whether his passion for writing letters is worth pursuing in a world that does not value it.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1879 · Genre: Non-fiction, Biography, History · 353 words
First lines
When Liberverm resigned the chair Of This or That in college, where For two decades he'd gorged his brain With more than it could well contain, In order to relieve the stress He took to writing for the press.
Then Pondronummus said, "I'll help This mine of talent to devel'p;" And straightway bought with coin and credit The "Thundergust" for him to edit.
What this Textopian page supports
A Career in Letters is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1879 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1879 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Non-fiction, Biography, History, Autobiography, Epistolary
- Length: 353 words
- Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Career in Letters by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Career in Letters?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Non-fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Letters Of Ambrose Bierce by Ambrose Bierce
- To Oscar Wilde by Ambrose Bierce
- Rushes And Reeds by Alice Meynell
- Reflections by Alice Meynell
- When I Have Borne In Memory by Alice Meynell
- Martial To Pliny by Arthur Willis Colton
Genres
- Non-fiction — The book details the professional life of author Ambrose Bierce in the form of his letters, therefore falling under the non-fiction genre.
- Biography — As it provides first-hand accounts and insights into Bierce's career and life, it serves as a partial biography.
- History — The collection of letters accounts for historical situations and timeframes Bierce was part of, therefore it aligns with the genre of history.
- Autobiography — While not a complete life story, the book presents autobiographical elements, as the letters are Bierce's own words about his life and career.
Tags
humor · satire · literary criticism · writing advice · career guidance · autobiography · memoir · biography · history · culture · society · politics