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The Red Badge of Courage | 
 enlarge | Author: Stephen Crane
Publisher: Prestwick House Inc.
Category: Book
List Price: $3.99
Buy New: $1.26
You Save: $2.73 (68%)
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Rating:  24 reviews
Sales Rank: 26281
Media: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
Pages: 152
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 8.8 x 6 x 0.5
ISBN: 1580495869
Dewey Decimal Number: 809
EAN: 9781580495868
ASIN: 1580495869
Publication Date: September 2004
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Condition: Brand New! Immediate Shipment!
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Product Description
Following its initial appearance in serial form, Stephen Crane s The Red Badge of Courage was published as a complete work in 1895 and quickly became the benchmark for modern anti-war literature. PAlthough the exact battle is never identified, Crane based this story of a soldier s experiences during the American Civil War on the 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville. Many veterans, both Union and Confederate, praised the book s accurate representation of war, and critics consider its stylistic strength the mark of a literary classic. PThis Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Edition includes a little-known section entitled The Veteran, which depicts Henry Fleming as an old man discussing his experiences in the Civil War with his grandson. Additionally, a glossary and reader s notes are provided to help the reader understand the language of 19th century America.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 19 more reviews...
 Not a Good Read for High School Age and Under November 16, 2008
Karly
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
The Red Badge of Courage is a piece of literature that has been recognized as a classic book by many people for decades. I acknowledge this book as being incredibly insightful to the perils of the Civil War and how humans act when placed in perilous situations. I am also very aware of how intelligent Stephen Crane was to write this short novel, especially because he was never in a war himself. Yet, he still managed to capture the feeling of battle so well. However, I read this book last year in my honors eighth grade reading class, and I was not at all fond of it. Though I absolutely love reading, I found Crane's writing style to be tedious, and I disliked how simple descriptions stretched out into entire pages. It was very difficult for me to appreciate the aptitude of this novel when my main motivation for reading the entire 100 pages was to pass the quizzes and the test I would eventually have to take. I know descriptions enhance writing, but I was, and still am, unable to appreciate exactly how much detail the author put into this book. I am sure that five-star reviewers such as Karen Chung are absolutely correct when writing that this novel relates to human thoughts and actions, and I know that if I read this book in ten or fifteen years I will probably really enjoy it. On the other hand, I cannot agree with anyone who believes this book is a good read for all ages. This is because it is definitely difficult for students, high school age or younger, to appreciate this book's fine qualities. The writing style does not reflect what a majority of kids today look for in an interesting book. This is understandable, because the book was written in the 1800's. Therefore, it is my opinion that this book should not be read until the reader can truly understand the complexity of it. This would mean waiting until college age, at the very earliest, to launch into Crane's Civil War tale.
 Not the dull book you might expect October 27, 2008
Neal C. Reynolds (Indianapolis, Indiana)
This is one of those books that are on class reading lists and therefore I imagine many avoid it because it sounds like one of those dull "important" books. However, I think this stands as a true book for our times as well as for the time in which it was written.It does take some slow reading, but it is a short novel and therefore not that much of a labor. There is a stark reality to it and I don't see how anyone can avoid identifying with the young protagonist. This isn't a rah rah book about war. The Civil War is not glamorized neither does the author take sides as to who's right and who's wrong. It is a grim portrait of youth fighting a bitter war and has much to say from that viewpoint.This book is so well known that I don't think a lengthy exposition of the story is necessary. But it is worth reading for all who haven't yet read it. And if you happen to be a student who has this on a reading list, don't be afraid of it. Give it a good serious reading and I believe this will be one you'll long remember.
 Thanks for help with my budget October 13, 2008
Lyn Loheed (Des Moines, IA)
I bought all the books on my daughter's AP English class list from Amazon.com's associate bookseller's program after running all over town just to find the first one on the list. All the books were better quality than described and I got the whole list (a long one) for $60 including shipping. Everybody shipped promptly from all over the world, and she has what she needs. Thanks, Amazon!
A very flawed classic--in no wise a masterpiece... August 10, 2008
C. Brandt
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I reckon Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage will still be present in the national consciousness a hundred years from now. (It will be referenced more than read, however.) For a twenty-two-year-old guy to write a book with that kind of longevity is pretty remarkable...but I'd also reckon that no one will seriously ascribe the designation of "masterpiece" to it even then, perhaps because Stephen Crane WAS so young and unseasoned. br / br /Under the Volcano is a masterpiece. Lolita is a masterpiece. The Red Badge of Courage is a worthy (second echelon) inclusion into American literature, but it is not in any way supernal. br / br /My edition (Washington Square Press) suffered from a dreadful job of proofreading (typos, sentence-repeats, etc.), and Crane's sentences can, at times, be wholly pedestrian. The immaturity is apparent, despite the obvious gifts of the author, and the book is--apart from two passages--rather tedious. br / br /Those two passages are sump'n else, though: The expiry of Jim Conklin may be the best death scene I've ever read. Crane here achieves transcendence in a way that is nowhere present in the rest of the book. We get a glimpse of Crane's potential: What if he could muster that magic on a more consistent basis? What kind of book might The Red Badge of Courage have been had Crane been ten years older when he wrote it? br / br /The other superior passage relates the charge of the Union soldiers on the second day of battle. Crane captures, distills, and bottles the essence of battle: the confusion, smoke, distorted sensory perception, etc. br / br /That still leaves about one-hundred and fifty pages, however. Those pages aren't bad...but, well, they won't have you burning the midnight oil, either. br / br /But this is still a book that SHOULD be read--moreso if you're an American--and it won't tax your time overmuch to finish it.
Great book. Very interesting. January 4, 2008
The reason I liked this book was because it described the life of a soldier in great detail. The main thing I enjoyed was that it really made me feel like one of the soldiers and described a soldier's life in a way that felt real. There was one thing I didn't like, however. It took too long sometimes to get to the next point, making me wonder, "When will I ever get to the next interesting part?" But the good news is you'll never be too far from the next one. One part I liked was when his friend died, because it reflected on the sorrow many people faced from loss of friends family, and possessions. Overall I really liked the book.
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