The Things They Carried
I read this as a recommendation from Chris Garrett, one of my ASL friends. Until now, I’ve never heard of Tim O’Brien.
I’m glad I read it.
O’Brien has written a ‘fictional’ account of his experiences in Viet Nam. I place fictional in quotes because while he notes the book as fiction, it undoubtably contains enough truthful elements to capture the Viet Nam experience. The book has no real plot in a conventional sense. It is a serious of vignettes and anecdotes regarding the men and experiences of being ‘in country’.
The title refers to not only the physical objects being humped by each man, but also the psychological burdens of their experiences and mechanisms for coping with the horror of war. O’Brien is a master at telling an emotionally charged story without resorting to strained prose or obvious emotional ploys. His simple prose is powerful by itself, and you can’t help but feel the power of the experience.
It is a quick and easy read, but disproportionally powerful. It is just as raw as Frontsoldaten or Black Edelweiss: notable books of World War II.
Filed under: Reviews (Books and Movies)
Leave a Reply