The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

The Locale: Lori's

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.

The Things They Carried depicts the men of Alpha Company: Jimmy Cross, Henry Dobbins, Rat Kiley, Mitchell Sanders, Norman Bowker, Kiowa, and the character Tim O’Brien, who has survived his tour in Vietnam to become a father and writer at the age of forty-three.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/133518.The_Things_They_Carried

Tim O’Brien

Sarah's Summary:
In a rare move, I am sending around my update from yesterday's meeting within 24 hours!!

Lori, the food was amazing. I know we all appreciated the time and effort you put into making the Vietnamese feast you served. The dessert was delightful as well as your specialty cocktail. Red lotus? As always, I have to ask is this a dinner club or book club?!

We had a great discussion of The Things They Carried and some of us really liked it and others not so much. Kristine was put off mostly by the fact that she thought we were reading a nonfiction book but it was actually fiction. Many of us understood the uneasiness that brought to the novel. It was well written and, as Susan pointed out, although the author skipped around in time a lot, it wasn't difficult to follow as often time hopping books can be. Some of the short stories were difficult to read. I am glad I read it, even though I was in the "not-so-much" crowd.

We missed you, Carmen and Susan. Sadly, during our meeting Lori received a text that Brandy will not be able to continue on with our book club. I am glad she was part of our group the past couple of years and I will miss her sense of humor. Her book selections were The Martian and The Children Act. It's always sad to see someone leave :(

In her place, however, is Laura. I'll let her introduce herself at our November meeting but in a nutshell, she works with Susan H. at DOT, has three boys and is a Trinity Mom. And she's fantastic :) Welcome to the DOTY book club, Laura!

Susan H. presented three books, one fiction and two nonfiction, for our next meeting. It was a runoff with The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara by David Kertzer beating out The Rules of Civility by Amor Towels. Third place was The Battle of Versailles by Robin Givhan. She will let us know when we will meet at her house. Sometime in November.

We will meet at my house on October 9th. I'll send out a reminder a week or so before. And around the same time we should receive selections from Gina for our January meeting.

I've attached the spreadsheet of books from the beginning of time (!). It's always fun to see what we've read and what has been presented. As discussed, I'll rearrange the list to shake things up a bit next year after we get through our "newbies" this time around.

See ya'll in a month,

Sarah

The Vote: Susan H. presented...

• The Battle of Versailles by Robin Givhan 
• The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara by David Kertzer WINS!! 
• Rules of Civility by Amor Towles 

Susan H. will let us know when we will meet at her house. Sometime in November.

Up Next: We meet next on October 9th at Sarah's to discuss A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, Henning Koch.

Next to Present: Gina

Then:
Jessica
Kristine