The Things They Carried [Viet Nam War]
O'Brien, Tim
- Publisher: Houghton Mifflin / Seymour Lawrence
- Date published: 1990
- ISBN: 9780395515983
Boston: Houghton Mifflin / Seymour Lawrence, 1990. First Edition, First Printing. Hardcover with Dust Jacket. Fine/Fine. A Fine Hardcover in a Fine Dust Jacket. A Giftable Book. Black cloth-backed paper boards, lettering in gilt, with the dust jacket. First Edition, First Printing. 8vo;8.5 inches tall; 273 pages. Book appears unread; the dust jacket has the price of $19.95. Tim OâBrienâs The Things They Carried is more than just a collection of war storiesâit is a meditation on memory, truth, and the weight of experience. With a narrative style that blurs the line between fiction and reality, OâBrien plays with the readerâs perception, challenging them to consider whether truth lies in facts or in the emotions a story evokes. His writing does not simply recount events; it forces readers to question the very nature of storytelling itself. At its core, the book offers a deeply introspective look at the Vietnam War, not just as a historical moment but as a psychological and emotional burden carried by those who lived it. Through the lives of his characters, OâBrien reveals the unseen weight of warâthe guilt, the fear, the longing for homeâturning each soldierâs experience into something profoundly personal and universally human. His use of metafiction and fragmented storytelling draws the reader into the characters' minds, making their trauma and uncertainty feel immediate. Through shifting perspectives and recurring motifs, he creates a layered, haunting narrative that lingers long after the last page is turned. Beyond its literary artistry, The Things They Carried has left an enduring mark on American literature, reshaping how war stories are told. By expanding the boundaries of personal and historical narratives, OâBrienâs work stands as a powerful exploration of how we carry our pastâboth in our memories and in the stories we tell.
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