The Things They Carried

by Tim O'Brien

in three ragged strips. The wounds at his neck had not yet clotted, which made

My second reading of this book. The last third of the text, with Tim's illusions, dreams, childhood memories, and whatnot didn't interest me as much as my first reading years ago. I love, absolutely feel the physical and emotional pain of the soldiers as they endure day & night in a hostile land, especially because they all know the futility of their presence there. The things they carry--tangible and evanescent--were much too extreme for a government to impose upon a young man.