# Stephen Crane

## Biography

Stephen Crane was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1871, the youngest of fourteen children to a Methodist minister and a devout mother. His family background, with both parents and brothers involved in writing and journalism, fostered his early interest in literature. Crane briefly attended Lafayette College and Syracuse University but found formal academics less engaging than the study of humanity, which led him to leave school and pursue writing and reporting in New York City.

His groundbreaking novella, *Maggie: A Girl of the Streets*, was published in 1893, a stark depiction of slum life that is considered a pioneering work of American Naturalism. International fame followed with his Civil War novel, *The Red Badge of Courage*, in 1895, a psychological exploration of a young soldier's experience in battle. Crane also wrote numerous influential short stories like "The Open Boat." He later worked as a war correspondent, covering conflicts in Greece and Cuba. Despite his prolific output and critical acclaim, Crane's life was cut short by tuberculosis at the age of 28 in 1900.

## Books

- [Maggie: A Girl of the Streets](https://samolit.com/books/95994)
- [The Red Badge of Courage: An Episode of the American Civil War](https://samolit.com/books/95988)