Ad Moodium by Ambrose Bierce (1890)
"AD MOODIUM" is a novella written by Ambrose Bierce in 1890. The story follows a man named William Abbott, who has been hired to evaluate the mental state of a wealthy businessman named Roscoe Verringer. As Abbott spends more time with Verringer, he begins to suspect that the man is not insane, but rather a master manipulator who has orchestrated his own downfall. The novella explores themes of deception, power dynamics, and the blurred lines between sanity and madness.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1890 · Genre: Fiction, Satire, Mystery · 328 words
First lines
Tut! Moody, do not try to show To gentlemen and ladies That if they have not "Faith," they'll go Headlong to Hades.
Faith is belief; and how can I Have that by being willing? This dime I cannot, though I try, Believe a shilling.
What this Textopian page supports
Ad Moodium is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1890 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: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Satire, Mystery, Thriller, Horror
- Length: 328 words
- Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Ad Moodium 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 Ad Moodium?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Fiction — The book is a work of fiction created by the author.
- Satire — The author, Ambrose Bierce, uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices.
- Mystery — The book contains elements related to unexplained events and the search for their explanation.
- Thriller — There are aspects of the book that provide suspense, tension and excitement.
Tags
gothic · horror · supernatural · fiction · literature · classic · american · short · story · mystery · thriller · suspense