Memorable stories. Vivid language. Brilliant structure. I imagine this is one of those war books that people who passionately hate war books can tolerate, if not enjoy.O'Brien's straddling the line of fiction and non-fiction is done skillfully and makes this book what it is. This is all true, he tells the reader, but it's not. Except that it is. Commentary on "what is truth" aside, I have a feeling many of O'Brien's Vietnam stories are more true than he leads on.Despite having enjoyed The Things They Carried I doubt I will return to Tim O'Brien anytime soon. His other novels largely deal with the same subject and it's been so masterfully done in this one that the others would pale in comparison.
