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The Red Badge of Courage Audiobook
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(2.95) - 71 listener ratings
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The Red Badge of Courage was published in 1895, when its author, an impoverished writer living a bohemian life in New York, was only twenty-three. It immediately became a bestseller, and Stephen Crane became famous. Crane set out to create "a psychological portrayal of fear." Henry Fleming, a Union Army volunteer in the Civil War, thinks "that perhaps in a battle he might run....As far as war was concerned he knew nothing of himself." And he does run in his first battle, full of fear and then remorse. He encounters a grotesquely rotting corpse propped against a tree, and a column of wounded men, one of whom is a friend who dies horribly in front of him. Fleming receives his own "red badge" when a fellow soldier hits him in the head with a gun. "The idea of falling like heroes on ceremonial battlefields," Ford Madox Ford remarked later, "was gone forever." Shelby Foote, author of The Civil The Modern Library has played a significant role in American cultural life for the better part of a century. The series was founded in 1917 by the publishers Boni and Liveright and eight years later acquired by Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer. It provided the foundation for their next publishing venture, Random House. The Modern Library has been a staple of the American book trade, providing readers with afford- able hardbound editions of impor- tant works of literature and thought. For the Modern Library's seventy- fifth anniversary, Random House redesigned the series, restoring as its emblem the running torch- bearer created by Lucian Bernhard in 1925 and refurbishing jackets, bindings, and type, as well as inau- gurating a new program of selecting titles. The Modern Library continues to provide the world's best books, at the best prices.
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"An excellent book about the fog and confusion of war as seen through the eyes of a boy who wants to become a man. Very descriptive and interesting. This is a re-read for me, but like other books I read as a teen, it was like reading it for the first time."
— Jake (5 out of 5 stars)
The Red Badge of Courage Listener Reviews
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" I didn't know what to expect with this book; I appreciated the intro that described the "nameless hero" conceit as it was used here. It's interesting to imagine all different kinds of people in that protagonists role. "
— Sheri, 2/16/2014 -
" I didn't know what to expect with this book; I appreciated the intro that described the "nameless hero" conceit as it was used here. It's interesting to imagine all different kinds of people in that protagonists role. "
— Sheri, 2/16/2014 -
" Red this in junior high - can't remember too much about it. "
— Rob, 2/14/2014 -
" Red this in junior high - can't remember too much about it. "
— Rob, 2/14/2014 -
" I enjoyed this book. Amazingly Stephen Crane is said to have had no experence of war himself. He makes the descriptions, both physical and emotional, seem very real. "
— Peter, 2/3/2014 -
" I enjoyed this book. Amazingly Stephen Crane is said to have had no experence of war himself. He makes the descriptions, both physical and emotional, seem very real. "
— Peter, 2/3/2014 -
" Read along with students. Looking forward to their papers on Monday. "
— Todd, 1/28/2014 -
" Read along with students. Looking forward to their papers on Monday. "
— Todd, 1/28/2014 -
" It's not bad. Crane deserves credit for looking at some emotional and psychological effects of war. But, his "story" has very little direction and even some of the emotional issues he brings up are not really pushed or explored in the last third of the book. And then of course there is the writing style - very dry, little conversation, and too many big words. In 1895 perhaps this was cool, now, not so much. "
— Jelly, 1/18/2014 -
" It's not bad. Crane deserves credit for looking at some emotional and psychological effects of war. But, his "story" has very little direction and even some of the emotional issues he brings up are not really pushed or explored in the last third of the book. And then of course there is the writing style - very dry, little conversation, and too many big words. In 1895 perhaps this was cool, now, not so much. "
— Jelly, 1/18/2014 -
" "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. "
— Tony, 12/23/2013 -
" "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. "
— Tony, 12/23/2013 -
" A book about the details of war written by a man who was never a soldier. And then the ending with the farm - that was just weird. "
— Kyrie, 12/17/2013 -
" A book about the details of war written by a man who was never a soldier. And then the ending with the farm - that was just weird. "
— Kyrie, 12/17/2013 -
" I have mixed feelings about this book. The insight into the psychology of a soldier was fantastic, but I wasn't crazy about the main character. I liked the book, but didn't love it. "
— Matt, 12/11/2013 -
" I have mixed feelings about this book. The insight into the psychology of a soldier was fantastic, but I wasn't crazy about the main character. I liked the book, but didn't love it. "
— Matt, 12/11/2013 -
" Slow read, but moving and well written. Rings true to war even today "
— Allison, 12/10/2013 -
" Slow read, but moving and well written. Rings true to war even today "
— Allison, 12/10/2013 -
" 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. "
— Taylor, 12/3/2013 -
" 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. "
— Taylor, 12/3/2013 -
" A classic short story. I read this as an eBook. The tale follows the psychology of a young soldier's coming of age in the Civil War. "
— Mike, 11/29/2013 -
" A classic short story. I read this as an eBook. The tale follows the psychology of a young soldier's coming of age in the Civil War. "
— Mike, 11/29/2013 -
" this book is trash... Crane was a fool writing about something he knew nothing about. "
— Dustin, 11/25/2013 -
" this book is trash... Crane was a fool writing about something he knew nothing about. "
— Dustin, 11/25/2013 -
" This is another of those books I should revisit. So many books so little time. "
— Paula, 9/28/2013 -
" This is another of those books I should revisit. So many books so little time. "
— Paula, 9/28/2013 -
" Crane's "The Veteran" is a great short story to read after the book. "
— Bryan, 9/26/2013 -
" Crane's "The Veteran" is a great short story to read after the book. "
— Bryan, 9/26/2013 -
" This was an awesome book about the Civil War and its affect on one young man and how he grew up as a soldier. "
— Dj, 8/13/2013 -
" This was an awesome book about the Civil War and its affect on one young man and how he grew up as a soldier. "
— Dj, 8/13/2013 -
" Don't know which was worse, suffering through it the first time, or having to read it again. Both times for school. "
— Ginny, 7/26/2013 -
" Don't know which was worse, suffering through it the first time, or having to read it again. Both times for school. "
— Ginny, 7/26/2013 -
" I liked the book but I perfer stories about the World Wars more so then the Civil War, having been in the military and also in the Gulf War, I could relate distantly to some of the emotions or trials the story related to the reader. "
— Patrick, 4/16/2013 -
" I liked the book but I perfer stories about the World Wars more so then the Civil War, having been in the military and also in the Gulf War, I could relate distantly to some of the emotions or trials the story related to the reader. "
— Patrick, 4/16/2013 -
" Read this in elementary school. I found it to be a bit much. "
— Rainey, 4/9/2013 -
" Read this in elementary school. I found it to be a bit much. "
— Rainey, 4/9/2013 -
" An excellent book about the fog and confusion of war as seen through the eyes of a boy who wants to become a man. Very descriptive and interesting. This is a re-read for me, but like other books I read as a teen, it was like reading it for the first time. "
— Jake, 11/4/2012 -
" Made it to page 44. "
— Elise, 1/1/2012 -
" Made it to page 44. "
— Elise, 1/1/2012 -
" Not sure what all the fuss was about with this book. It basically just shows why herosim isn't all it's cracked up to be. On the plus side, I felt like it showed a side of combat that isn't explored very often. That being the sheer panic and disorientation and how it affects the troops. "
— Shawn, 8/18/2011 -
" Not sure what all the fuss was about with this book. It basically just shows why herosim isn't all it's cracked up to be. On the plus side, I felt like it showed a side of combat that isn't explored very often. That being the sheer panic and disorientation and how it affects the troops. "
— Shawn, 8/18/2011 -
" Dull, colloquial, whiny, and patriotic: this book is all the things I hate. Needless to say, I hated this book too. The gore at the end was pretty cool though. "
— Hilary, 8/6/2011 -
" Dull, colloquial, whiny, and patriotic: this book is all the things I hate. Needless to say, I hated this book too. The gore at the end was pretty cool though. "
— Hilary, 8/6/2011 -
" 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. "
— Kathi, 5/17/2011 -
" 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. "
— Kathi, 5/17/2011 -
" 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. "
— Allegra, 5/13/2011 -
" 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. "
— Allegra, 5/13/2011 -
" 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. "
— Angillham, 5/10/2011 -
" This was an awesome book about the Civil War and its affect on one young man and how he grew up as a soldier. "
— Dj, 5/10/2011 -
" 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. "
— Angillham, 5/10/2011 -
" This was an awesome book about the Civil War and its affect on one young man and how he grew up as a soldier. "
— Dj, 5/10/2011 -
" I know it's a classic, but it was hard to follow. "
— Michele, 5/9/2011 -
" I know it's a classic, but it was hard to follow. "
— Michele, 5/9/2011 -
" Required reading for Civil War or American History buffs. "
— Horton, 5/8/2011 -
" Required reading for Civil War or American History buffs. "
— Horton, 5/8/2011 -
" I voted for this book at didn't mean too...oops<br/>This 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.... "
— Rebecca, 5/6/2011 -
" I voted for this book at didn't mean too...oops<br/>This 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.... "
— Rebecca, 5/6/2011 -
" 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. <br/> "
— Andy, 5/2/2011 -
" 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. <br/> "
— Andy, 5/2/2011 -
" "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. "
— Tony, 4/26/2011 -
" "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. "
— Tony, 4/26/2011
About Stephen Crane
Stephen Crane (1871–1900) was an American novelist, poet, and journalist. He worked as a reporter of slum life in New York and a highly paid war correspondent for newspaper tycoons William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. He wrote many works of fiction, poems, and accounts of war, all well received but none as acclaimed as his 1895 Civil War novel, The Red Badge of Courage. Today he is considered one of the most innovative American writers of the 1890s and one of the founders of literary realism.
About Scott Brick
Scott Brick, an acclaimed voice artist, screenwriter, and actor, has performed on film, television, and radio. He attended UCLA and spent ten years in a traveling Shakespeare company. Passionate about the spoken word, he has narrated a wide variety of audiobooks. winning won more than fifty AudioFile Earphones Awards and several of the prestigious Audie Awards. He was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine and the Voice of Choice for 2016 by Booklist magazine.