The Red Badge of Courage: And Selected Short Fiction

Great book. But be sure to read the introduction _after_ you read the book, not before. It gives away too much of the story. :-(

THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE is a classic story about a boy who comes of age as a Union soldier during the Battle of Chancellorsville. You experience the frustrations, fears, illnesses, injuries, defeats and wins through the eyes of an idealistic young man. Crane's writing is remarkable. His use of language is so proficient he portrays the reality of a war he never experienced in the space of a short story. This particular edition with an introduction by Richard Fusco adds much-needed information for readers today. Fusco's notes explain what Crane meant by certain words or phrases that were popular at the time, but which have no meaning, or different meaning, today. His introduction is enlightening. It provides a short biography of Crane, which gives the reader even more insight into the stories. And speaking of stories, in addition to RED BADGE, this edition contains 3 short stories: THE OPEN BOAT (based on Crane's near-death experience), THE VETERAN, and THE MEN IN THE STORM. It also provides commentary from contemporary authors.