The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I'm not sure when I first heard of this book as it's one of those that always been around for years. Of course this has been around since the early 90's so I guess it has been. Recently I read the authors memoir "If I die in a combat zone box me up and ship me home" which renewed my interest in the authors work. The clincher was seeing Tim O'Brien on the Ken Burns documentary on the Vietnam War which I found very interesting and compelling.

The book is set in during America’s war in Vietnam with no particular year or place though some are mentioned throughout the book. The initial chapter (or I’ve seen described as vignettes) is self-titled “The Things They Carried” in which following a platoon in the jungles of Vietnam. Described are the significant characters you will hear more of throughout the rest of the book. Not only do we learn of the things they carried physically in great detail but also emotionally. They may all be in the same place or situation but as we learn further they do not all carry the same things.

“The things they carried were largely determined by necessity. Among the necessities or near-necessities were p-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment Certificates, C rations and two or three canteens of water.” (page 2)

Some of the things they carried were unique to the individual. The Platoon Leader, LT Cross, carried photographs of a girl he pined for but she did not return the same feelings. One soldier carried extra rations of peaches. Another carried a toothbrush, dental floss and extra soap stolen from a hotel while on R&R. Another always carried tranquilizers. Another carried condoms. Another had comic books. One carried a New Testament Bible. The list goes on.

The first vignette serves as an introduction and a jumping off point to the other stories that follow. It doesn’t follow a hard plot line or flow in chronological order. One story maybe the author writing as a middle aged father revisiting Vietnam with his sometimes bewildered daughter. Then we look into the childhood of the fictional author, also named Tim O’Brien. The use of the author’s name as the focal character gives the book an impression of a memoir but it in reality it is not. I had recently read the author’s actual memoir “If I die in the combat zone” so I already knew it wasn’t but even I had to remind myself it wasn’t autobiographical. I have no doubt though the author drew upon his own experiences in writing this book.

If one is expecting hardcore details of battles or gritty hardcore close combat this will probably disappoint although many details that are gory and unpleasant but it doesn’t dwell on the bloodshed or heroics. It’s a series of vignettes using the Vietnam War as a backdrop and drawing on the different soldiers to tell a series of separate stories loosely connected. Some are more believable than others but it is fiction. One often gets the feeling of underlying themes that are not obvious on the surface and require more thought. I can see myself reading this again and seeing stuff I missed previously.

I recommend this highly. Not just for those looking for books of war or combat but of excellent writing and storytelling. It makes you dive in and think about what you’re reading and into the minds and motivations of the characters. I already look forward to reading this again.



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