The Things They Carried was the 2007 selection for the Eden Prairie Reads initiative (epreads.org). I was a little hesitant at first, unsure of how well I’d enjoy a collection of Vietnam War stories. The book is less about gunfire and battles won or lost, and more of a peek inside the head of the men involved – doubt, terror, obsession, camaraderie, death, survival instinct, the psychological turmoil of going home, and ultimately, for some, closure.

Although considered a work of fiction, one gets the feeling that all of the stories have some basis in reality. In fact, several times the author refers to himself as being present in the stories. As a reader, I felt some frustration in not being able to determine what was true.

posted Jul 7, 2008 at 8:48PM

The 2007 Eden Prairie Reads selection.

posted Nov 9, 2008 at 9:59AM

Read this for english. It was well-written and the author has a knack for description... and confusing people. I would have liked this book if it weren’t for the fact that war stories kind of gross me out. If you do read this, definitely pay attention or you will have NO idea what it going on.

posted Sep 4, 2009 at 2:30AM

Well, I also read this for English class. The beginning was extremely confusing and I did not like it very much. However, as I proceeded to later and later chapters, all of the plots made sense in a beautiful stream of conscious. I would suggest it even to those who are not interested in history or english. It is a great read and you will not believe that it is fiction.

posted Apr 20, 2010 at 7:50PM

This is the second time I’ve read this book. O’Brien is certainly a talented writer. Frankly, I didn’t know it was fiction until I just read other people’s reviews. Still, he certainly captures the very essence of being in Vietnam. Overall, you really feel the complete waste that comes with war.

posted Jul 5, 2010 at 3:07PM

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