Tim O'Brien

the long version

Tim O'Brien's first-hand experiences fighting in the Vietnam War are reflected in his many popular fiction novels, which are examined in this companion to his works. After growing up in Minnesota and graduating from college, he received a draft notice and joined the war effort in Vietnam. He chronicled his combat experiences in his memoir If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home, and then went on to write the eight novels that are discussed in this volume. The novels reflect their characters' struggle with the effects of place, namely small-town America, in the Vietnam Era.