The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

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As we pause today to honor the service and sacrifice of the men and women of the armed services and their families, we are featuring The Big Read radio show for The Things They Carried, an honest and thoughtful portrayal of the American soldier by writer and Vietnam veteran Tim O'Brien. (Visit The Big Read website to learn more about O'Brien and his novel.) As O'Brien writes, "War is hell, but that's not the half of it, because war is also mystery and terror and adventure and courage and discovery and holiness and pity and despair and longing and love." To help troops and their families come to terms with their wartime experiences, in 2004 the NEA partnered with the Department of Defense to create Operation Homecoming to help U.S. troops and their families write about their wartime experiences. Through this program, some of America's most distinguished writers have conducted workshops at military installations and contributed to educational resources to help active duty personnel, veterans, and their families share their stories. Please visit the Operation Homecoming website to learn more about this historic program.

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