The Red Badge of Courage and Other Stories (Penguin Classics)
by Stephen CraneSign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of this book.
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Read in January, 2008
This is one of those books that I know a lot about and have read excerpts from, but to my embarrassment have never actually read cover-to-cover. I am not a huge Crane fan, but I like him well enough. I like him a bit more after reading this one, but it's not necessarily my cup of tea; 19th century Realism never has been. I enjoyed taking part in "the youth's" thought processes as he tries to make sense of something that is so obviously senseless. It is a fast read, but it is not nec...more
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Read in September, 2008
This book makes you contemplate a soldier's decision to join up during war-time and the gammet of emotions he must go through when faced with the consequences of this decision. Having a brother in the military as well as family members who fought in Vietnam and WWII, the consequences of this choice and the reality of war really hit home with me. Some of the passages in this book were heartbreakenly beautiful.
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Read in January, 2008
I liked this a lot, although I feel like I need to read it again to really grasp the mechanics of it. There was a great tension between action and reflection, and it's clear that Crane sees that two as intertwined: meaningful action cannot occur without deep reflection and yet reflection is empty without some intense impetus.
Also, the intro with Crane's biography is just about as good as the book itself.
Also, the intro with Crane's biography is just about as good as the book itself.
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recommended to Darcie by:
grantsville high school
recommends it for: nobody
recommends it for: nobody
I really disliked this book, it was so hard to get into. Maybe it was because the book was to discripted.
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Read in October, 2008
it's not a red badge -- it's blood! once i learned this, i expected more vampires. alas, no vampires.
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Read in May, 2008
recommends it for:
Anyone who wants to be well-read in the classics
Another classic I should have read long before but didn't. It's quite short. Although I didn't enjoy it a ton--it certainly couldn't be called entertaining--I'm glad I've now read it. War is a sad thing. I really thought the protagonist was going to die at the end, and it was a pleasant surprise to find he didn't. Three stars because it just wasn't that interesting.
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Read in September, 2008
I can't believe this book was written over 100 years ago. I especially enjoyed the dialect. This is the first book written by Crane that I have read, it won't be the last!
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Read in October, 2008
Very well written. His use of epithets for naming characters is powerful, and I liked the subtle color-imagery throughout. A very good "war novel" but also a powerful "coming-of-age, loss-of-innocence" story as well.
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Read in June, 2007
Reads like a modern novel despite being over 150 years old. Theme deals with the stuff of Courage. General de Bellarie (sp?) noted it as a seminal classic in his book on eminent recipients of the Victoria Cross.
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recommends it for:
those facing an important decision
"But he said, in substance, to himself that if the earth and the moon were about to clash, many persons would doubtless plan to get upon the roofs to witness the collision."
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