Active Service

By Stephen Crane, 1899

Download Active Service by Stephen Crane. A novel of war, politics, and moral complexity set during the Greco-Turkish conflict. Available in PDF, EPUB, and MOBI formats.

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Active Service Summary

Active Service by Stephen Crane is a dramatic novel set during the Greco-Turkish War of 1897. Through the eyes of American journalist John Warburton and a politically active woman, Marjory, Crane explores war, idealism, and the often absurd consequences of revolutionary fervor. A unique blend of satire, romance, and realism from the author of The Red Badge of Courage.

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Active Service Excerpt

Short Summary: An American journalist becomes swept into a Balkan war while pursuing the story—and the heart—of a revolutionary woman. Together, they confront the absurdities and tragedies of political idealism.

"There is war," said Warburton. "Real war?" asked Marjory. "Yes. With blood, and iron, and mistakes. They say it will cleanse the nation. But it will also soak the land with tears."

"Then it is time for action," she said, her eyes gleaming. "No more talking."

The train shuddered through the mountain passes as soldiers smoked, prayed, and polished their rifles. Somewhere near the front, a paper with Warburton’s name had been stamped “Enemy Sympathizer.”

"We write of courage as if it can be summoned on command," he whispered to his notebook. "But the men here speak of luck more than valor."