I bought this trade paperback book (Broadway Books: New York, 1990) at the Friends of the Library book store in Wheaton, Maryland. Inside the book, I found a pamphlet indicating that this book was part of The JMU (James Madison University) Freshman Reading Program (no year indicated).

This book was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. It won France's Prix du Meilleur Livre Etranger and the Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize.

From the back of the book:
"They carried malaria tablets, love letters, 28-pound mine detectors, dope, illustrated Bibles, each other. And, if they made it home alive, they carried unrelenting images of a nightmarish war that history is only beginning to absorb. Since its first publication, The Things They Carried has become an unparalleled Vietnam testament, a classic work of American literature, and a profound study of men at war that illuminates the capacity, and the limits, of the human heart and soul."

Begin International Bookray: 09/18/05
SqueakyChu (Maryland) done
LarkOnaPost (Oregon) done
perfcangel (California) done
cantreadenuff (Maryland) done
Xanthe-pup (UK) done
sqdancer (Canada) done
cowgirl-up and her boyfriend (Ohio) done -- 1 year of travel
Suefitz (California) done
ostarcio (San Diego, California--US/int'l) -- 2 years of travel
kaila-ann (South Carolina, USA--US) -- Stop #10 -- 3 years of travel
End International Bookray: 10/17/09

ETA - 10/17/09: Bookray ended because this book seems not to be travelling any more after leaving South Carolina while another copy of the same book *is* travelling. The first copy traveled for 3 years and had 10 stops in three contries, including 5 states in the USA.

ETA: I got to see Tim O'Brien in person at the National Book Festival in Washington, DC on September, 26, 2009. He had me laughing and crying with his oral presentation of Letter to Timmy, an older father's letter to his very young son. What a way with words this man has!

ETA: I also *very* highly recommend Tim O'Brien's Going After Cacciato. By the way, I just added Tim O'Brien to my list of favorite authors.

I loved this book. It's exceptional writing and an amazing collection of "war stories" blending both fact and fiction into a great feel for both the horrors and beauty of the Viet Nam war.

The book is now in the mail to LarkOnaPost.

This book has arrived safely in Cove. I have 4 pages left in my current book, so the timing is excellent. I'll start it immediately. Thanks for sharing!

I forgot to write my comments: I thought this book was very well written. I am having a hard time describing it. I thought if I gave it some time I'd come up with something to say about the book but so far I've thought of nothing except it's a good book about the Vietnam/American war.

I received this in the mail a couple of weeks ago. Have just started reading it.

Interesting book. I'm not very much a fan of war stories, but I liked this book because it gave me a lot to think about. I enjoyed how the author calls your attention to the blurred line between fiction and reality and makes you question whether or not it really matters.

I have tried pm'ing Becca-mo a couple times with no response, so I'll move on to the next in line.

Received earlier this week, and it's a sad day when the mail piles up such that a book doesn't get ripped open right away :-o

Am really looking forward to this, and needed just such a book to get me back to reading after getting hooked on Sudoku...there, I've come clean.

I'm really glad I read this book. Tim O'Brien is a great writer. This book was less about the war though it was full of war stories, but more about men and coping with war. I really liked the opening and how O'Brien's descriptions of the things they carried evolves. At the end, you understand one of the things O'Brien carried to the war, which was a bit surprising to me. Many of the chapters were published individually as short stories, like my favorite, In the Field. He then puts short chapters to lead you from one story to another, and I really liked that--you understand how years later, he's still processing the war. But it's not all blood and guts and didn't even make me hate war any more, which I somewhat expected it to do.

After a description of all kinds of weapons they carried: "They carried all they could bear, and then some, including a silent awe for the terrible power of the things they carried."

"--and for all the ambiguities of Vietnam, all the mysteries and unknowns, there was at least the single abiding certainty that they would never be at a loss for things to carry."

"They would repair the leaks in their eyes." (I love this sentence--profound yet economical use of language.)

"...the illumination rounds, the white phosphorus, the purply orange glow of napalm, the rocket's red glare. It's not pretty, exactly. It's astonishing. It fills the eye. It commands you. You hate it, yes, but your eyes do not."

"When a man died, there had to be blame. Jimmy Cross understood this. You could blame the war. You could blame the idiots who made the war. You could blame Kiowa for going to it. You could blame the rain. You could blame the river. You could blame the field, the mud, the climate. You could blame the enemy. You could blame the mortar rounds. You could blame people who were too lazy to read a newspaper, who were bored by the daily body counts, who switched channels at the mention of politics. You could blame whole nations. You could blame God. You could blame the munitions makers or Karl Marx or a trick of fate or an old man in Omaha who forgot to vote."

I must admit that after receiving this book, someone RABCK'd another O'Brien book to me, that was judged to be not as good as this one, so I put this aside to finish it. I definitely liked this one better, but I'm not sure it's better, just different and an easier read. This goes off to Xanthe-pup today--I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Thanks for thinking of me Squeaky Chu and starting this off! (Oh, and I've conquered the Sudoku beast!)

Received today - one and a half before it - should be started by the middle of next week.

Incredible book, about one man's Vietnam war, but also about how we change our life stories depending on who we are telling them to and why. Beautifully written, difficult to describe exactly why I was so captivated. It is also impossible to tell where his truth starts and ends, as we are offered so many versions of the same truths. Wonderful.

All Tim O'Brien's books will be added to my wish list.


24/02 - Edited to add:

Having some trouble getting hold of tabbystripes. Will try her regular e-mail address.

11/03 - edited to add

Tabbystripes asked to be skipped, so this is now on the way to sqdancer in Canada.

Has arrived safe and sound. I have two rings ahead of it, but I should have it on the move again within a month.

Thanks for sharing SqueakyChu, and thanks for mailing to Canada, Xanthe-pup.

Like LarkOnapost, I'm having trouble articulating my reaction. Suffice it to say, I'm very glad I read this book. Thanks, SqueakyChu!

Sorry for the delay in getting this in the mail, I've had trouble getting to the P.O.

Off this afternoon via surface mail.

The book arrived safely. I have one ring I'm currently reading and then this one will be up.

This book is extremely powerful and sticks with you long after you're finished reading. At first I found the style difficult to follow, but after just a few chapters I was hooked. I really enjoyed the way the technical stories were intertwined with the emotional and personal stories of the war.

With permission from SqueakyChu, my boyfriend (read: US history nut) is now reading the book before I pass it along on the list. He's just as hooked as I was so it shouldn't stall the ray too long.

My boyfriend also loved this book. He's not usually a voracious reader, but he's added more books by this author to his Christmas list this year.

I mailed the book off today to Suefitz. I hope you enjoy it as much as we both did!

Looks like it could be an interesting read.

RELEASE NOTES:

Releasing to next in line ostarcio in CA.

4/28/07

Just received in the mail will be next on my list to read. thanks! suefitz

PM received from ostarcio that this copy of the book has been found! It is still in San Diego, California. If the second copy that's now circulating is actually lost, perhaps we can get this first copy circulating again. How confusing!! :)

I advised ostarcio to PM spaceystacey about this issue.

I enjoyed this book thanks for letting me be apart of the book ray. I apologize for it taking me soooo long to read the book was misplaced, My father passed away shortly after receiving the book and the book traveled with me to Duluth, Mn. then we left there and traveled to where it was misplaced or forgotten in Plymouth, Mn. Where I recently discovered it and brought it back to San Diego with me and finished it. Some of the stories I found more interesting than others, but what I really liked was the way he would tell you one version an then another to share his thought processes on writing and how he mixed fiction and non-fiction to create an incredible story. I was left with not knowing which was which. I am grateful and waiting for a response form Squeekychu to see what to do next I am hoping the book will be able to continue on its journey as the other book Secretariat! so graciously started has stalled and this one has shown up just in time!:)

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I contacted spaceystacey and she wanted to be skipped at this time. I was able to reach Kaila-Anne she sent her address and it is off to her today. I really enjoyed parts of this book some of the stories are fantastic can't put the book down. Some I couldn't waite to get through. I hope you enjoy it Kaila-Anne ostarcio

Got this in the mail today and I will be starting it very shortly. Thanks for including me!

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Great book, will post a link to my review soon.

Thanks for including me!