Reviews

The Red Badge of Courage / The Veteran by Stephen Crane

erinrouleaux's review against another edition

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2.0

I finally finished this book. I started it Oct 26, 2006 and finished it October 27, 2007. It is one of the shortest books out there, yet I just couldn't get through it. Some pages I had to read about 5 times because my mind would just wander. But I finally forced myself to pick it up again and just finish it.

Despite how uninterested I was in it, his writing style is AMAZING. He really does have such a unique style and he was able to pinpoint a lot of emotions and ideas through his descriptions.

twomoon71's review against another edition

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5.0

The best book about war ever. Really. In its simplicity it does more to explain the experiences of Civil War soldiers than a whole college course on the subject. It is required in most schools and it should be.

jelsea's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced

2.5

loganberryzoo's review against another edition

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3.0

More required reading. Not a fan. I think I could appreciate it more now, but it seemed painfully slow at the time I read it, although I've never been a fan of war stories. Has some interesting psychological insight though. Still better than Huck Finn!

kelli_314's review against another edition

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3.0

I read this for school--the writing style was fantastic but the plot was a little dry.

rjsheets's review against another edition

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4.0

I can’t believe the author was only 22 when he wrote this. came to this book very skeptical of how Crane would depict the psychology of men at war, but it stands up just fine next to the likes of a modern author interested in these themes, like Tim O’Brien.

sarahbc93_'s review against another edition

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3.0

I don’t know if it’s just because I don’t know too much about the American Civil War or if it’s something else entirely, but I am not too sure what to make of this book.

It’s definitely an exploration of the psychological effects of war on the soldiers that fight in it and it does deal in the harsh realities of that war but, and this will sound so strange, not a lot happened in it.

So, yeah. I’m not too sure about this one at all.

thechapterhouse's review against another edition

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4.0

Anthony Heald frankly made this book/listen for me. Fantastic narrator.

The story is vague enough that it could exemplify many a battle/war; few specific details are given.

Insightful, thoughtful work that is well worth a listen.

hollireads's review against another edition

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3.0

The moral of the story in my opinion is that war is stupid and men romanticize it too much. Well written reflection on expectations of war and how ugly it really is 

jtellis's review against another edition

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2.0

Nah. I bailed toward the end. I can understand why this was an important novel in its time, and I respect it, but it is as dull as can be.