Occurrences at the Edge of Life

As a teenager, I read Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” a short story published in 1891 about the hanging of a Confederate sympathizer during the American Civil War. Ever since, I’ve been fascinated by the idea that a person at the point of death might have an elaborate vision in which a compelling wish is fulfilled. Ambrose Bierce was a soldier in the American Civil War, and is renowned for his short stories set in that period. “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” is about Peyton Farquhar, a southern plantation owner about to be hanged for attempting to destroy Owl Creek bridge, a Yankee stronghold. The rope is around his neck and his last heartfelt desire is to return to his wife and home. The plank under his feet tips...

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