The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

This was my first book in the Civil War Challenge (remember I modified it since I started it 6 months behind schedule). I have mixed feelings about the book as of now. I certainly enjoyed reading about the American solider in battle and what he feels and thinks, but at the same time I had a hard time really getting into it.

Henry joins up with the Union army and sets off to war. He begins as a boy wanting to see battle and trying to figure out how he will act in the midst of fighting. He ends as a man, a veteran of war, who is aware of his faults and shortcomings, but who has found courage.

It was a good book and I will probably read it again, if only to grasp more of what I may have missed the first time around. And being that it was short (only 189 pages), it won't take long.

All in all I give this book 4 pens.

Challenges

I decided to take on a few challenges to end out the 2009 year. Luckily one begins on July 1st so I won't miss it but the other began on January 1st so I am little far behind. However, I had already decided to read a few Civil War novels so I won't be struggling to look for any. I added the buttons to the side that link to the challenge blogs.

Let's start with the Everything Austen Challenge.

This runs from July 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009.

You must choose 6 Austen themed things to finish by the date. Austen themed means movies based on her novels (Pride and Prejudice) or books written by her or that are sequels of her novels. Again, luckily I have 3 books to read on my list already.

So the 6 books I am choosing to read are:

1. The Exploits and Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy by Elizabeth Aston
2. The Darcy Connection by Elizabeth Aston
3. Mr Darcy Presents His Bride by Helen Halstead
4. Mr Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll
5. The Darcys and The Bingleys by Marsha Altman
6. The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James

The second challenge I have opted for is the American Civil War Challenge!

Again you must read 12 books in the given time period. This one is from January 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009. So I am 6 months behind. Since I am starting 6 months behind I am modifying this and only reading 6. Sure it isn't the exact challenge but it works for now. Reading through the list of possible books made me laugh. Quite a few of them I have read on my own or for research I did for my Civil War paper in College. I will not use them, nor will I re-read any of the ones I have already read.

So here are the 6 books I am going to read:

1. Battly Cry of Freedom by James McPherson
2. Memoirs of a Soldier, Spy and Nurse by Sarah Emma Edmond
3. The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
4. My Dearest Cecilia: A Novel of the Southern Belle Who Stole General Sherman’s Heart by Diane Haeger
5. Faded Coat of Blue by Owen Parry
6. Shadows of Glory by Owen Parry