The Red Badge of Courage (Abridged) Audiobook

" I've been fixated on the Civil War since watching Ken Burns' PBS Series which also resulted in my having a huge crush on Shelby Foote. But anyway - I've done a ton of fiction and non-fiction reading on the subject and somehow had escaped (or missed) reading this until now. So - here we are in the 21st century reading a turn of the 20th century writer. What a difference 100 years makes. This isn't easy to read in terms of finding a rhythm - the writing is just simply different. The lapses into dialogue actually didn't bother me - I found it fascinating to read. What I didn't like was that Stephen Crane calls Henry "the youth" and writes him in the 3rd person - never actually calling him Henry (unless some other character does). What this did was distance the main character from the reader and so I was never able to get any real emotional connection to Henry so never cared about his struggle or the horrors of the war he experienced. I've actually wondered if this was done on purpose, because while the book was written 35-40 years after the beginning of the war, perhaps the scars of such a war had not healed in the general public - and so by creating that distance between the main character and the reader made it easier to read. It may have worked 100 years ago but it didn't really work now. Another reviewer said that there are probably better examples of Civil War-based historical fiction these days and I'd have to say I agree. But read this anyway -- it's short. "

" To me this books exeplifies the struggles of an American soldier in the past and even in the present although the struggles may be different. I personally think this book was not for me. To me this book was just one of those books your teacher makes you read to pass her class. Although i didn't like this book, you as a reader should try it if you are looking for a "historical-fiction" type novel about the olden war days. "

" Biggest waste of time ever, but I liked the word choices and phrasings. "

" Very dramatic and an avid exploration of a young man's character, "

" I liked it but just one of those ones i felt i had to read...thanks public education!!:( "

" I like to call my period this. "

" I felt I needed to add this book simply to add some diversity to my shelves. Here. Something I can honestly give a mere 2 stars to. I hated this book. The moon hung in the sky like a wafer? Seriously? If you aren't a fan of overdramatic, oversymbolic, war stories, I don't recommend it. "

" Very surprised at the low marks this book has gotten. It's concise, addresses its points very well, and provides a fascinating insight into the values of Civil War-era America. Give it a look, preferably when a sophomore English teacher isn't breathing down your neck. "

" Forced to read in school. I did not enjoy. (And I usually liked what I read for school.) "

" A great anti-war novel that I would want my kids to read. "

" the red badge of boring. "

" Very good book. It is an interesting book about a boy named Henry Fleming and his Civil War experience. If you don't know what to read for school read this one. "

" Was a must read for English Lit - 10th grade lol. I did my report and pulled an 85! "

" This book had a terrible bit of useless babbling. Not for someone who is new to reading or who is a reluctant reader. DO NOT READ THIS BOOK IN A CLASSROOM SETTING IF YOU WANT TO GET THE KIDS READING, THEY WILL HATE IT. "

" Fittingly, I finished this on Veterans' Day. This is not the same book that I read in high school. "

" This is why I reread some things from HS that I didn't give a fair shake--usually, I like them a lot better than I thought I did. In this case, I upgraded this a star. "

" Assigned read for freshman English. Reading this book was like having an organ transplant without anesthesia: a painful, bloody mess. "

" Ahh finally done. Can't believe I actually mustered enough patience to finish this book. "

" Listened to this on a road trip to Missouri. I'd forgotten how descriptive it is. Definitely liked reading it years ago better than listening to it. "

" There's nothing I can say about this that hasn't been said. The story is just kind of awkwardly put together and the symbolism is too bold. Not my favorite. "

" I read this back in highschool and I might appreciate it more now, but I remember hating it at the time and hating the main character. However, I think that might have been because it messed with my idealism. So now that I'm more of a realist maybe I should read it again and appreciate it more. "

" This was an awesome book about the Civil War and its affect on one young man and how he grew up as a soldier. "

" I know it's a classic, but it was hard to follow. "

" Required reading for Civil War or American History buffs. "

" I voted for this book at didn't mean too...oopsThis was one of those books I HAD to read in high-school...hated it it... Sorry Mr. Crane...but maybe if I read it again I might like it.... "

" This was only just ok (probably more a 2.5). I understand that it was trying to give a young persons real experience of war but i just didn't empathise with the young lad and didn't buy into the atmosphere it was trying to generate. I would not recommend. "

" "He had been where there was red of blood and black of passion, and he was escaped." The book still evokes a visceral feel for the terror, confusion, and arbitrariness of the battlefield. "