The Red Badge of Courage

The Red Badge of Courage is an 1895 war novel by American author Stephen Crane. Set during the U.S. Civil War, it is a story of cowardice, valour and redemption. The protagonist is 19-year-old Army recruit Henry Fleming, who overcomes initial fears to become a hero on the battlefield. It is a highly influential piece of American literature and is also considered a strong anti-war novel. The book was a massive critical and commercial success, running through two printings in its first year and receiving high praise for its realism. English critic Sydney Brooks remarked that the novel's realism "its realism is nothing short of a miracle." and the Philadelphia Press called the novel "brilliant."