Tim O'Brien (1) (1946–)

Tim O'Brien's semi-autobiographical work on the Vietnam War is a collection of beautifully written, melancholy short stories set both during the conflict and decades years later.

My brother recommended this book years ago. He has a habit of enjoying books that are poetic and lyrical, reflective and very sad. So I put it off, deciding I needed to be in the right mood. This year, my library's book discussion choices were the final push I needed to finally put it on the top of the "to read" show more list. I am really glad I did. It is very sad, and violent at times, which I expected. I was not prepared with how bowled over I was, by the characters, the writing, the exploration of "truth" vs. "fact," the working through of a terrible war by writing stories. I found myself slowing down, reading only two or three stories at a time so that I could really take each one in. Each story is placed carefully, so they each tell a story and they each illuminate the others. I have so much to think about and talk about in discussion tomorrow, and I took far more copious notes than I usually do, even for a book discussion book. Highly, highly recommended. show less

“The human desire for certainty collides with our love of enigma…Would it help…to issue a reminder that death itself resolves into uncertainty, and that out of such uncertainty arise great temples of tales of salvation?” – Tim O’Brien, In the Lake of the Woods

As this book opens in 1986, John Wade, a politician, has suffered a landslide defeat in his bid for the US Senate. He had previously led in the polls, but recent adverse publicity led to his defeat. He has retreated with his show more wife, Kathy, to a cabin at the Lake of the Woods in Minnesota near the border of Canada. Within 36 hours of arriving at the cabin, Kathy disappears.

The narrative offers different hypotheses of what may have happened to Kathy. It also flashes back to John’s childhood, relationship history, hobbies, Vietnam service, and career in politics. Chapters consisting of evidence are sporadically inserted. Ironically, the evidence chapters do not always lend clarity – they just create more questions. This story is complex and layered. It appears the author is involved, years later, in trying to piece together what happened. Themes include relationships, suppression of horrible memories, appearances versus reality, and the psychological scars of war.

The tone of uncertainty is maintained to a degree I would not have imagined possible. Throughout the story, the reader will question whether or not John was involved in his wife’s disappearance. As a warning, it includes detailed gory descriptions of the war-related carnage against civilians, which is part of John Wade’s past and is integral to the plot. I put aside everything else I was reading to finish this book. I found it fascinating. show less

Read for ... well, I don't even remember how many times I've read this book. But this WAS the first time I've read it since I got back from war myself. And shockingly, it isn't the war parts that got me - it's the truth parts; it's the parts that suggest a story can save a life and be more true even when it is made-up. It's telling a deeper story and letting the details be imagined from that pure spot of memory and emotion. This is now, as it has always been - beautiful. But more than that, show more now. Now, it's personal.

Read it. show less

I have read. I think, six O'Brien books and enjoyed them all, but THE THINGS THEY CARRIED is the one I keep coming back to. I first read these stories over 25 years ago and then re-read some of them a few times since. Found this copy in the local thrift store a couple months ago, and I couldn't bear to leave it there. Fifty cents. Have been dipping into it now for past few weeks, and remembering once again what a very personal, gut-wrenching thing it must have been for O'Brien to set these show more stories down, sometimes more than once, from different points of view, with slight or major changes variations, always contemplating the awful and mysterious finality of death, which he witnessed often and even caused himself during his time in the war.

The Broadway Books edition I have now is from 1998 and is fronted with eight solid pages of glowing praise in blurbs from all over this country. So what could I possibly add? What it all amounts to is a book in which a very talented writer, who also happens to be a tortured veteran of a misbegotten and pointless war, literally pours out his heart, his soul, and his guts. He remains, all these years later, haunted by what he saw and did in that war, unable to forget any of it. This is a beautiful book, richly deserving of its reputation as a classic of war lit. This time I'll hang on to it, because it is a book worth revisiting. My highest recommendation.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the Cold War memoir, SOLDIER BOY: AT PLAY IN THE ASA show less