The Things They Carried- Jake Germaine
 Tim O'Brien
233
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
 Review:

Tim O’Brien shares with us his incredible experience in, The Things They Carried. In this eye-opening story you feel and see what the people serving in Vietnam went through. Tim O’Brien introduces us to multiple soldiers, and as we follow them in their lives we learn what mental and physical things you carry throughout war. O’Brien informs the reader what war is like most of the time, but also makes sure that the reader knows that war is constantly changing and it is impossible to predict a war. Due to that it shows how incredibly strong each soldier is. We follow O’Brien he is also struggling with the guilt of war and each decision made. Near the end of the story many different stories are told by soldiers. Finally O’Brien explains why he started telling stories and how they helped him.

This book is extremely unique to me. For one I noticed that the entire story is not in chronological order. To me that is very unique because the author is purposely choosing to write it like this. For me it gives me an idea of how war felt for these soldiers. I also found this story unique because the meaning of the book evolves so much from the beginning to the end. I noticed at first “the things they carried” was just meaning all of their physical resources. But by the end the men were also carrying multiple feelings and thoughts. Over all I think this is one of the most hooking and unique stories I have read. Especially knowing that we are getting a peak into the author's actual life.

One of my favorite parts in the story was on the last page of the entire story. I loved when Tim wrote this part “"Well, right now," she said, "I'm not dead. But when I am, it's like ... I don't know, I guess it's like being inside a book that nobody's reading." "A book?" I said. "An old one. It's up on a library shelf, so you're safe and everything, but the book hasn't been checked out for a long, long time. All you can do is wait. Just hope somebody'll pick it up and start reading."” (O’Brien page 232) I love this part of the book specifically because all of this book has lead up to a few simple words. Those words are put together so creatively and the entire meaning to this book is revealed. I love how O’Brien wrote this story and the different writing techniques he used.

I would strongly suggest this book. It is a very hooking book, and I gained so much more empathy for the soldiers and what they carry. It is very fascinating to see how Tim O’Brien a Vietnam war veteran shares his stories. If you like a good story that makes you think very deep and recognize very little details this is the book for you.