In 'In the Lake of the Woods', Tim O'Brien crafts a mesmerizing tale of mystery and psychological suspense set against the backdrop of a serene Minnesota lake. The story revolves around John Wade, a Vietnam veteran and aspiring politician, and his wife Kathy, whose sudden disappearance unravels a web of secrets and hidden traumas. O'Brien masterfully interweaves elements of political intrigue, personal tragedy, and the lingering shadows of the Vietnam War. The novel explores themes of memory, guilt, and the elusive nature of truth, challenging readers to question the reliability of perception and the complexities of human relationships. 'In the Lake of the Woods' is a haunting exploration of the darkness that can lie beneath the surface of even the most idyllic settings.
Alex Vernon's 'Peace is a Shy Thing' delves into the life and literary journey of Tim O'Brien, a prominent American writer known for his compelling war narratives. The biography explores O'Brien's formative years, his experiences as a soldier in the Vietnam War, and his evolution into a celebrated author. Vernon examines the profound impact of O'Brien's personal experiences on his writing, revealing the intricate connections between his life and his fictional works. The book provides insights into O'Brien's creative process, his struggles with identity and morality, and his enduring commitment to exploring the human condition. Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, 'Peace is a Shy Thing' offers a comprehensive and nuanced portrait of a literary icon.
In America Fantastica, Tim O'Brien delivers a scathing and darkly humorous commentary on contemporary American society, celebrity culture, and the pursuit of fame. The novel follows Boyd Halverson, an everyman thrust into a world of media frenzy and moral ambiguity after a chance encounter with a celebrity. O'Brien employs sharp wit and biting satire to expose the superficiality and excess of American culture, questioning the values and obsessions that drive our society. Through Halverson's journey, the novel explores themes of identity, authenticity, and the corrosive influence of fame. America Fantastica is a provocative and unsettling examination of the American dream gone awry.
In 'If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home,' Tim O'Brien offers a raw and unflinching account of his time as a soldier in the Vietnam War. Through vivid and personal anecdotes, O'Brien explores the themes of fear, courage, and the dehumanizing effects of combat. The memoir captures the day-to-day realities of war, from the boredom and camaraderie to the terror and moral dilemmas. O'Brien reflects on the psychological toll of his experiences, grappling with questions of duty, patriotism, and the meaning of war itself. The book is a powerful and honest portrayal of the Vietnam War, offering a unique perspective on the human cost of conflict. It challenges readers to confront the complexities of war and its lasting impact on those who serve.
While the podcast mentions "For Whom the Bell Tolls" in relation to a John Donne sermon, it's important to note that the title is most famously associated with Ernest Hemingway's novel. Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is set during the Spanish Civil War and follows Robert Jordan, an American volunteer fighting alongside the Republicans. The novel explores themes of war, love, and sacrifice against the backdrop of political conflict. Jordan's experiences and relationships highlight the complexities of war and the human cost of ideological battles. The novel's powerful prose and exploration of universal themes have cemented its place as a classic of 20th-century literature.
A collection of interconnected short stories exploring the psychological and emotional toll of the Vietnam War on soldiers.
The first literary biography of Tim O'Brien, the preeminent American writer of the war in Vietnam and one of the best writers of his generation, drawing on never-before-seen materials and original interviews.
"Vietnam made me a writer." —Tim O'Brien
Featuring over one hundred interviews with family, friends, peers, and others—not to mention countless exchanges with Tim O'Brien himself—Peace is a Shy Thing: The Life and Art of Tim O'Brien (St. Martin's Press, 2025) provides a nearly day-by-day, gripping account of O'Brien's thirteen months as an infantryman in Vietnam and gives equal diligence to reconstructing O'Brien's writing process.
This meticulously researched biography explores the life and journey that turned O’Brien into a literary icon and a household name. It includes an unpublished short story about O'Brien from a college girlfriend, documentation of his comical involvement with the Washington Post's coverage of Watergate, and a 1989 attic exchange between American and Vietnamese writers on the eve of the publication of O'Brien's most beloved book, The Things They Carried, years before the two countries normalized relations.
Peace is a Shy Thing is as much a history of the era as it is a story of O'Brien's life, from his small-town midwestern mid-century childhood, to winning the National Book Award and his status as literary elder statesman. A story which Vernon, a combat veteran of the Persian Gulf War and a literary scholar trained by officers and professors of the Vietnam era, is uniquely suited to tell.
Guest: Alex Vernon (he/him) graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (the only literature major in his class of over a thousand), served in combat as a tank platoon leader in the Persian Gulf War, and earned a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. The recipient of an Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Book Award and a National Endowment of the Humanities Fellowship, he is the M.E. & Ima Graves Peace Distinguished Professor of English at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas.
Host: Jenna Pittman (she/her), a Ph.D. student in the Department of History at Duke University. She studies modern European history, political economy, and Germany from 1945-1990.
Scholars@Duke: https://scholars.duke.edu/pers...
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jennapittman
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