The Things They Carried By Tim O'Brien
By Tim O'Brien
This book was excellent, the writing superb and affecting.
On the surface, and at the beginning, the story tells us about the physical things the grunts in Vietnam carried, their weapons, ammunition, supplies, and personal items. Then the story delves into the deeper emotional things they carried.
Tim O'Brien recounts his experiences with the members of his platoon and specific stories that circle back and fold into one another. His own story about the man he killed are constant refrains woven into the narrative of the other stories.
The different personalities of the young men in the platoon are extremely interesting. Some seem to enjoy the war, while others are horrified by what they see and do. Some can't handle the way it has changed them when it's over.
The stories themselves are engrossing, but it's the writing that elevates them. This is the only book I've read by O'Brien, but I find his style to be moving and elegant. I liked the repetition of phrases, which spoke to the constant playing of the traumatic events in his and the other soldier's minds. Just masterful executuion.
This is an easy and strong 4 stars.
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