I was first introduced to this book as a college student. At the time, I had taken a course on the literature that stemmed from the conflict in Vietnam and I mistakenly thought that "The Things They Carried" was another novel in the same tradition. It is not. From the very first chapter it is clear that O'Brien's novel is not another novel about Vietnam. Instead, he has captured what it means to reflect on moments of difficulty and he uses writing as a medium for self-exploration and understanding. "The Things They Carried" is a study in character development and storytelling. O'Brien is at the top of his craft.