Stephen Crane

Plot

From Kirkus Reviews An intelligent, beautifully written portrait of ``the first great pyro-technician of the novel, [who] probably wrote more trash than any other serious novelist of his time'' (Alfred Kazin): a strait-laced Methodist minister's rebellious son, who died in 1900, at 28, after a remarkably eventful life. Enriching his own compelling narrative with revealing quotes from contemporaries, critics, and Crane's work, Sufrin details the brief life chronologically, pausing to present novels and other writings and to discuss their significance in literary history. There is much here to fascinate YA readers: Crane attended several colleges but never graduated (he got A`s in English, simply didn't go to other classes, but was always a valued baseball player); he frequented slums like N.Y.C.'s Bowery and bummed his way from one seedy lodging to another while making a precarious living as a journalist; in his one real encounter with war (Cuba, 1898), he displayed daredevil courage. Sufrin is frank and nonjudgmental about Crane's poverty, spendthrift habits whenever he managed to earn or borrow funds, and taste for low life; more important, he makes his literary innovations and accomplishments wonderfully clear, as they were to contemporary admirers like Joseph Conrad and H. G. Wells. An excellent book--Bingo Brown's teacher (see above) should hand it to him when he finishes reading The Red Badge of Courage. Bibliography; b&w photos and index not seen. (Biography. 12+) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. Product Description Explores the twenty-eight-year life of Stephen Crane, who transformed modern literature after rebelling against his father's puritanical view of the world and embarking on exciting journeys that provided him with background for his novels. From School Library Journal Grade 7-12--The Red Badge of Courage is a staple of the high school English curriculum all over the country, and Sufrin's biography of Stephen Crane is a necessary addition to the study of this author. The book is authoritative, well researched, and includes a thorough bibliography of standard sources. It manages to convey a sure sense of Crane without the egregious fictionalizing so common in weaker biographies; every direct quote comes from documented sources. Even better, these quotes are gracefully blended into the story. But by far the best thing about this title is its readability. Crane was a fascinating man, and this offering does absolute justice to the turbulence and honesty of his life. Young adults will read this book for its nonstop narrative drive, but they will close it with a clear understanding of the man, his times, and his place in literary history. --Kathy Fritts, Jesuit High School, Portland, ORCopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.