Pat, I started watching your videos a few months ago. I am an avid reader, and I currently am a stay-at-home wife and mother who provides 24 hour care to my 5 year old medically complex, dependent son. I have thoroughly enjoyed your videos! Jake and I listen intently. Reading is how I spend my days and late nights, and it brings me such joy! I’ve learned about lots of new books to add to my list to read from you. I’ve learned a lot from your experience and insight. I am now in my early 50s, and my own high school English teacher unlocked a love for reading in my own life, and it still serves me well 35 years later. I wish I could have been in YOUR classroom, but now I sort of feel like I am, and I am glad! Keep bringing your content out into the world! I’m here for it!
Thanks for creating this series. In addition to learning about a book you taught, I enjoyed hearing about how you engaged learners and encouraged them to explore and analyze the ideas and experiences that O'Brien shared.
"The importance of curriculum serving as both window and mirror." Wow! A window and mirror is what I want when reading but I've never been able to express it so concisely and precisely. Thank you, Pat. The concrete and abstract things we carry together and alone, in public and private.
I first read this book in the early 90s, and it blew me away. It's still one of my favorite books. I used to do a similar exercise with my students (university freshmen), having them read the chapter "The Things They Carried" and write about what things they carried themselves. It was always their favorite assignment. What a wonderful opportunity to teach the whole book! How I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when you were teaching this.
Thank you for sharing this...this is a book I had never heard of. When I was in high school, we didn't read anything more modern than The Great Gatsby and I love that you brought these modern classics into your class. Your students were so lucky to have you as a teacher!
@@awebofstories thank you, Melinda, for this lovely comment I was very fortunate to be a part of a very progressive, open-minded department and, really, entire school system. I taught plenty of classics too, and I’ll talk about those too, but I thought I’d start the series off with a few titles from my Contemporary Fiction course. Thanks so much for commenting! 🥰
What a wonderful book, and what a great teacher you have been, so pleased i have found you, i,m 80yrs, love books, from Perth, West. Aust, you have much to teach me thank you, wish you,d been my teacher, all those years ago, you definetly have shaped lives, what a gift. Keep teaching.xx
What wonderful teaching memories you have Pat, all down to you being a wonderful teacher without a doubt. I read this book some years back but hearing you speak about it makes me want to seek it out again. Looking forward to what’s next!
This is probably the most memorable book I read in HS. I plan on rereading this book at some point in the next few years. Amazing choice Pat. Also, I agree with the window/mirror approach. That’s a great metaphor!!!
Thank you so much for this lovely comment. I think I first introduced this book to our curriculum after my nephew told me it was one of the most memorable books that he had read in high school. It is so powerful. The curriculum as window and mirror metaphor belongs to my good friend, Emily Style, whom I met as a very young teacher, but it stayed with me throughout my long career. I think it informed most of what and how I taught. Thanks again for watching and for responding so thoughtfully.
Another beautiful video, Pat. A book I wouldn’t have thought would be one to be studied-but such a beautiful opportunity for young people to learn about “old” history (for them) and still be able to find commonality with the young people from another time that were exposed to unthinkable situations. Thank you-can’t wait for your next book.❤
Thank you so much, Vicki! I actually first got the idea to include this book in our curriculum from my nephew who told me how much he loved it when he read it in his high school English class. That was my introduction to Tim O’Brien. Some of the stories, especially the title one, are in anthologies and are read pretty frequently in high schools and even in college. But we decided to read the whole book with our kids. Definitely worthwhile! 🥰
Wow what an excellent overview of how The Things They Carried was taught in your classroom! It’s an excellent book and it sounds like you were able to elicit a lot of really great insights from your students.
I would have loved to be in your classroom. 🫶🏽. This one has been on my TBR for years. Hearing you talk about it makes me want to pick it up in November for Veterans Day.
Oh that would be a perfect time to read it! I would have loved to have had you in one of my classes because I know what kind of a student you were. But even better, we can be friends here now! And I'm very grateful for that!
Hi Pat, I read this book last month and I have a real appreciation for the book and the collection of stories found within. I found that knowing O'Brian had served in Vietnam, gave this story enormous legitimacy in my mind, and made this book more elevated in my review. Had he not served, and he made up all the stories on his own, I would not have given it as much credence. I think that the projects your students created after they read this book are amazing--truly! You must have been completely enthralled by those presentations in class! We are a middle-class family and all four of our children are college grads. One chose a military career and is now an Army Captain after attending West Point Military Academy. I wonder how many students of yours went to Military Academies? I bet you some may have!
@@carolinesmercantile4290 hi Caroline. Thank you for this lovely comment. Yes, for sure, we had students go to military academies, but not many. Not even one a year. I have very vivid memories of two who went to West Point, two to the Naval Academy, one to the Merchant Marines. I remember one young man who went straight to the Marines right after high school, and one who joined the Navy. Not too many that I am sure of in an almost 40 year career. Im sure there were others, but not many. And I remember these because there were always very impressive ceremonies where officers came to school to make the official appointments at assemblies and what not. Not nearly as many you might think. Thank you for your family’s service.
@@BookChatWithPat8668 Oh yes, when our son was presented his official appointment by a former West Point Grad in front of the entire senior class and faculty, we were so very proud---it's an unforgettable moment. Jacob marched across the stage looking as though he had already been marching in the Army already! However, he had not yet attendent boot camp or anything military affiliated! It's just in his blood! It is not very many that can get accepted into West Point or other military academy. The year Jacob applied, there were 16K applicants! It's a very involved process that took him over a year--he was sooo determined to get in! What a journey that has been for him and our whole family. He graduated in 2018. Thank you for your acknowledgement of his service, we really appreciate the recognition!
@@carolinesmercantile4290 it is an incredibly impressive achievement! I did have a student who may have graduated around the same time as your Jacob. I’m not exactly sure, though, as the years have kind of blurred after almost 40 years of teaching. I’ll try to find out. Thank you again, and thank Jacob for his service. My best friend’s son is in the army now, stationed in Germany. He’s about to come home for an extended visit, with his wife and new baby. He hasn’t been home in two years, so you can imagine the excitement. I consider him my nephew. I wrote to him several times a week when he was in boot camp. I do not take anyone’s service lightly. ❤️
It’s wonderful that you are sharing this. You were clearly an amazing teacher who knew how to connect with students. I wish I had had you as my teacher! Also, I read one of those short stories in my senior year of high school. I believe it was the story about getting drafted and contemplating fleeing to Canada. I’ll have to look out for a copy of this book and read it in full. Thank you for the great video, Pat!
@@joshuacreboreads thank you, Joshua. Yes, that’s a very powerful story where Tim almost goes across to Canada. Thank you, as always, for your kind words. I hope you’re having a good semester.
Hi Pat, I swiped O’Brien’s book off Wyatt’s bookshelf but couldn’t bring myself to read it. Your RUclips episode on teaching it transfixed and moved me. So interesting. I did read Kristin Hannah’s The Women, which rekindled my interest in Vietnam - of which I have a few limited memories: Lt Calley of My Lai on the cover of Life, the POW bracelets - my friend Ellen had one - and the image of the little naked girl running down the street. Many movies, but not the same, so I may have to attempt the Ken Burns book and documentary. Speaking of which, I was wondering about the student who became your in-house expert…and if I knew him! Keep up the great work. ❤
@@Mona07452 Thank you for this lovely comment, Mona. I share your memories of the Vietnam era. I wore one of those POW bracelets until mine actually broke in half. My oldest brother and my older cousins were all of draft age, and I remember my mom and my aunts watching the birthday lottery on TV. Two high numbers and one very low…But thankfully, no one was drafted. Two of my colleagues in the English Dept at GR served during that era. I believe that you do know the “resident expert.” I will tell you privately as I don’t want to put his name here. Thank you for following this series, Mona. You were always one of THE MOST supportive parents, and I remain very grateful. ❤️ Please give my love to Ben and Wyatt.
This sounds awesome! I love the set up. I love short stories and especially ones that are loosely connected. Really like your discussion around curriculum and mirroring content to life. Also love how you had them write about the things they carried…carrying more than just materialistic items…that must have been a really impactful assignment. Thank you for sharing this! I am ordering this book.
@@kevintowle9665 oh Kevin, you will love this book. You Mike like some of Tim O’Brien’s other books too. I loved the metaphor of curriculum as both window and mirror. You want kids to look out (the window) and see new worlds and new experiences outside of themselves, but they also need to see mirrors-see aspects of themselves so they can connect to whatever it is you’re trying to teach. We all need that, I guess. Thank you, as always, for this thoughtful comment. 🥰
@@anotherbibliophilereads Thank you, Greg. I’m hoping to try to keep it going. Yes, “On the Rainy River,” I think, is the one. That is an incredible story as well. The more I read-read that book, the more significant it seems to me. Thanks again, Greg.
Pat, I’m sure you’ve heard this before but holy crap I think you have a gift few educators have! 😅 This doesn’t even sound like a book I’d normally pick up but you make it sound intriguing. I look forward to more of this series.
Thank you, Nicky. I wonder how you would experience this book as someone who has had a military career. I imagine some of it would resonate. It was very powerful for my kids for whom the Vietnam conflict was so remote.
Tom Waits has a great song called Soldier's Things which I'm sure was inspired by this book and always makes me think of it, I read it a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I would have loved to read a book like this at school!
@@AaronReadABook I think you are probably right about Waits’ song. Yes, this was a really powerful book to teach. Thanks for commenting. Hope you’re doing well. 😊
We have a copy of this book at our house. I bought it for Emma for an AP class but the teacher made some syllabus changes and they never read it. I kept it thinking one of might eventually read it. Thanks for discussing it!
This is exceptional Pat. Though I’d been aware of it since it was first published, I didn’t get around to reading The Things They Carried until last year and was, of course, blown away by the writing and the narrative structure. Having grown up during that era, it was also poignantly heartbreaking and resonant, reminding me of the young men in our community, the sons of my neighborhood, the big brothers of my schoolmates, who lived the experience. I loved hearing about how you brought this all to a new generation and how they responded. Really, just stunning.
@@patriciah8579 thank you, my friend. I remember my mom and her sisters watching the draft lottery on tv because they all had sons of draft age, my oldest brother and my cousins. Such a terrible time in our history. Thank you for this beautiful comment. ❤️
I'm new here and thoroughly enjoyed your video. Your students were so fortunate to have such a dedicated and entertaining teacher. In high school and college, I was also fortunate to have a couple of outstanding, imaginative teachers who really fired my already existing love of reading and took it to a much higher level.
As someone who teaches literature at university, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series. Also, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book and teaching it (I could have added another LOVE LOVE LOVE) here. One thing I love about this novel (ish?) is that, as you point out, the narrative structure is very complex; yet, it is so easy to read and accessible. Even students who don't like "war" literature (which was my PhD specialty) like the novel. I also tell students not to read it as history. "Speaking of Courage" is one of my favourite stories.
Steve, thank you so much for this lovely comment. I really appreciate your running in and leaving me such a thoughtful response. I’d love to hear more about your dissertation.
@@BookChatWithPat8668 it focused on WWII and an English writer named Dan Billany (who died in 1943 after escaping from an Italian POW camp). I used his work to question some of the views of the war through the lens of class (Billany, a teacher, was a working-class socialist).
@@stevecloutier8673 very interesting. Do you follow Brian Bruce at Bookish Texan? He just published a book-on Sept 30-entitled MacArthur’s Bloody Butchers based on his uncle’s experience in the Pacific war.
If I didn't already know you must have been a great teacher, hearing you highlight your memories of outstanding work by your students would convince me. Teaching is in no small part about getting through and connecting, and clearly you did that on a deep level. The only O!Brien I have read is Going After Cacciato, which was so very powerful. The Things They Carried has been on my radar a long time. One of these days …
Something by Tim O’Brien was in the apartment this summer - my partner picked it up, and had heard positive things, but gave a negative report, so I never really looked at it. (Neither she nor I can remember the title. 😂) This was an interesting discussion.
He's written quite a bit, but this is his most famous work, I think. Some of the stories are often anthologized, but it's really meant to be read as a novel. Thanks, David. Hope you are doing well.
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Pat, I started watching your videos a few months ago. I am an avid reader, and I currently am a stay-at-home wife and mother who provides 24 hour care to my 5 year old medically complex, dependent son. I have thoroughly enjoyed your videos! Jake and I listen intently. Reading is how I spend my days and late nights, and it brings me such joy! I’ve learned about lots of new books to add to my list to read from you. I’ve learned a lot from your experience and insight. I am now in my early 50s, and my own high school English teacher unlocked a love for reading in my own life, and it still serves me well 35 years later. I wish I could have been in YOUR classroom, but now I sort of feel like I am, and I am glad! Keep bringing your content out into the world! I’m here for it!
Oh my goodness! Thank you for this lovely comment! I’m so glad you’re here, and thank you for letting me know! 🥰
Great discussion! I love the idea of a curriculum being a window and a mirror.
@@revenantreads thanks so much for checking this out, Vin. Yes, that metaphor of curriculum as both window and mirror is a powerful one, I think. 😊
Thanks for creating this series. In addition to learning about a book you taught, I enjoyed hearing about how you engaged learners and encouraged them to explore and analyze the ideas and experiences that O'Brien shared.
Thank you for tuning in and for commenting so thoughtfully. It's a very powerful book, and I was really pleased with the ways my students responded.
"The importance of curriculum serving as both window and mirror."
Wow! A window and mirror is what I want when reading but I've never been able to express it so concisely and precisely. Thank you, Pat. The concrete and abstract things we carry together and alone, in public and private.
Thank you for tuning in and for leaving me this wonderful comment. 💕
I first read this book in the early 90s, and it blew me away. It's still one of my favorite books. I used to do a similar exercise with my students (university freshmen), having them read the chapter "The Things They Carried" and write about what things they carried themselves. It was always their favorite assignment. What a wonderful opportunity to teach the whole book! How I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when you were teaching this.
Thank you! It’s a great book to teach, for sure. Wonderful that you taught it too!
Thank you for sharing this...this is a book I had never heard of. When I was in high school, we didn't read anything more modern than The Great Gatsby and I love that you brought these modern classics into your class. Your students were so lucky to have you as a teacher!
@@awebofstories thank you, Melinda, for this lovely comment I was very fortunate to be a part of a very progressive, open-minded department and, really, entire school system. I taught plenty of classics too, and I’ll talk about those too, but I thought I’d start the series off with a few titles from my Contemporary Fiction course. Thanks so much for commenting! 🥰
I only read the first story as a school assignment. Thanks for the reminder to read the others! What creative students you had! Thanks for sharing. ❤
@@heathersmusic8833 I had many wonderful students over the years. Thanks for this lovely comment! ❤️
This is one of the best books I have read. Very powerful. Great book to teach.
Thanks for commenting. I agree: it's an incredibly powerful book.
What a wonderful book, and what a great teacher you have been, so pleased i have found you, i,m 80yrs, love books, from Perth, West. Aust, you have much to teach me thank you, wish you,d been my teacher, all those years ago, you definetly have shaped lives, what a gift. Keep teaching.xx
Oh my goodness! Thank you for this beautiful comment! Bless you! You’ve made my whole day! 🥰
What wonderful teaching memories you have Pat, all down to you being a wonderful teacher without a doubt. I read this book some years back but hearing you speak about it makes me want to seek it out again. Looking forward to what’s next!
Thank you, Ali, for this very lovely response. 🥰
This is probably the most memorable book I read in HS. I plan on rereading this book at some point in the next few years. Amazing choice Pat. Also, I agree with the window/mirror approach. That’s a great metaphor!!!
Thank you so much for this lovely comment. I think I first introduced this book to our curriculum after my nephew told me it was one of the most memorable books that he had read in high school. It is so powerful. The curriculum as window and mirror metaphor belongs to my good friend, Emily Style, whom I met as a very young teacher, but it stayed with me throughout my long career. I think it informed most of what and how I taught. Thanks again for watching and for responding so thoughtfully.
Another beautiful video, Pat. A book I wouldn’t have thought would be one to be studied-but such a beautiful opportunity for young people to learn about “old” history (for them) and still be able to find commonality with the young people from another time that were exposed to unthinkable situations.
Thank you-can’t wait for your next book.❤
Thank you so much, Vicki! I actually first got the idea to include this book in our curriculum from my nephew who told me how much he loved it when he read it in his high school English class. That was my introduction to Tim O’Brien. Some of the stories, especially the title one, are in anthologies and are read pretty frequently in high schools and even in college. But we decided to read the whole book with our kids. Definitely worthwhile! 🥰
Wow what an excellent overview of how The Things They Carried was taught in your classroom! It’s an excellent book and it sounds like you were able to elicit a lot of really great insights from your students.
@@myreadinglife8816 thanks, Heidi. It was a powerful read…for kids who, for the most part, actually knew little about this whole era in our history.
I would have loved to be in your classroom. 🫶🏽. This one has been on my TBR for years. Hearing you talk about it makes me want to pick it up in November for Veterans Day.
Oh that would be a perfect time to read it! I would have loved to have had you in one of my classes because I know what kind of a student you were. But even better, we can be friends here now! And I'm very grateful for that!
Hi Pat, I read this book last month and I have a real appreciation for the book and the collection of stories found within. I found that knowing O'Brian had served in Vietnam, gave this story enormous legitimacy in my mind, and made this book more elevated in my review. Had he not served, and he made up all the stories on his own, I would not have given it as much credence. I think that the projects your students created after they read this book are amazing--truly! You must have been completely enthralled by those presentations in class! We are a middle-class family and all four of our children are college grads. One chose a military career and is now an Army Captain after attending West Point Military Academy. I wonder how many students of yours went to Military Academies? I bet you some may have!
@@carolinesmercantile4290 hi Caroline. Thank you for this lovely comment. Yes, for sure, we had students go to military academies, but not many. Not even one a year. I have very vivid memories of two who went to West Point, two to the Naval Academy, one to the Merchant Marines. I remember one young man who went straight to the Marines right after high school, and one who joined the Navy. Not too many that I am sure of in an almost 40 year career. Im sure there were others, but not many. And I remember these because there were always very impressive ceremonies where officers came to school to make the official appointments at assemblies and what not. Not nearly as many you might think. Thank you for your family’s service.
@@BookChatWithPat8668 Oh yes, when our son was presented his official appointment by a former West Point Grad in front of the entire senior class and faculty, we were so very proud---it's an unforgettable moment. Jacob marched across the stage looking as though he had already been marching in the Army already! However, he had not yet attendent boot camp or anything military affiliated! It's just in his blood! It is not very many that can get accepted into West Point or other military academy. The year Jacob applied, there were 16K applicants! It's a very involved process that took him over a year--he was sooo determined to get in! What a journey that has been for him and our whole family. He graduated in 2018. Thank you for your acknowledgement of his service, we really appreciate the recognition!
@@carolinesmercantile4290 it is an incredibly impressive achievement! I did have a student who may have graduated around the same time as your Jacob. I’m not exactly sure, though, as the years have kind of blurred after almost 40 years of teaching. I’ll try to find out. Thank you again, and thank Jacob for his service. My best friend’s son is in the army now, stationed in Germany. He’s about to come home for an extended visit, with his wife and new baby. He hasn’t been home in two years, so you can imagine the excitement. I consider him my nephew. I wrote to him several times a week when he was in boot camp. I do not take anyone’s service lightly. ❤️
It’s wonderful that you are sharing this. You were clearly an amazing teacher who knew how to connect with students. I wish I had had you as my teacher! Also, I read one of those short stories in my senior year of high school. I believe it was the story about getting drafted and contemplating fleeing to Canada. I’ll have to look out for a copy of this book and read it in full. Thank you for the great video, Pat!
@@joshuacreboreads thank you, Joshua. Yes, that’s a very powerful story where Tim almost goes across to Canada. Thank you, as always, for your kind words. I hope you’re having a good semester.
Hi Pat,
I swiped O’Brien’s book off Wyatt’s bookshelf but couldn’t bring myself to read it. Your RUclips episode on teaching it transfixed and moved me. So interesting.
I did read Kristin Hannah’s The Women, which rekindled my interest in Vietnam - of which I have a few limited memories: Lt Calley of My Lai on the cover of Life, the POW bracelets - my friend Ellen had one - and the image of the little naked girl running down the street. Many movies, but not the same, so I may have to attempt the Ken Burns book and documentary. Speaking of which, I was wondering about the student who became your in-house expert…and if I knew him! Keep up the great work. ❤
@@Mona07452 Thank you for this lovely comment, Mona. I share your memories of the Vietnam era. I wore one of those POW bracelets until mine actually broke in half. My oldest brother and my older cousins were all of draft age, and I remember my mom and my aunts watching the birthday lottery on TV. Two high numbers and one very low…But thankfully, no one was drafted. Two of my colleagues in the English Dept at GR served during that era. I believe that you do know the “resident expert.” I will tell you privately as I don’t want to put his name here. Thank you for following this series, Mona. You were always one of THE MOST supportive parents, and I remain very grateful. ❤️ Please give my love to Ben and Wyatt.
That was lovely Pat. The variety of projects your students undertook was astounding. I’ve not read this book but I’d like you to teach it to me now 😊
Thank you, Debs. The projects were really well done. 🥰
This sounds awesome! I love the set up. I love short stories and especially ones that are loosely connected. Really like your discussion around curriculum and mirroring content to life. Also love how you had them write about the things they carried…carrying more than just materialistic items…that must have been a really impactful assignment. Thank you for sharing this! I am ordering this book.
@@kevintowle9665 oh Kevin, you will love this book. You Mike like some of Tim O’Brien’s other books too. I loved the metaphor of curriculum as both window and mirror. You want kids to look out (the window) and see new worlds and new experiences outside of themselves, but they also need to see mirrors-see aspects of themselves so they can connect to whatever it is you’re trying to teach. We all need that, I guess. Thank you, as always, for this thoughtful comment. 🥰
I recently reread the title story. It is a great story but I think the one about almost fleeing to Canada is the I’m drawn to.
Keep the series going.
@@anotherbibliophilereads Thank you, Greg. I’m hoping to try to keep it going. Yes, “On the Rainy River,” I think, is the one. That is an incredible story as well. The more I read-read that book, the more significant it seems to me. Thanks again, Greg.
Pat, I’m sure you’ve heard this before but holy crap I think you have a gift few educators have! 😅 This doesn’t even sound like a book I’d normally pick up but you make it sound intriguing. I look forward to more of this series.
Thank you, Nicky. I wonder how you would experience this book as someone who has had a military career. I imagine some of it would resonate. It was very powerful for my kids for whom the Vietnam conflict was so remote.
I’ve read a ton of WWII novels but none about Vietnam. This sounds very moving. Adding to my list. Thanks! ❤
It's an important one in the literature on the Vietnam era. Love to hear your thoughts when you get to it.
Sounds like a very interesting book! One more to add to my TBR.
@@hopep1334 it’s a good one. Thank you for watching!
Congratulations on 2K. Richly deserved.
It is great that your teaching of this book made such a strong impression on your students
@@stuartgriffin1001 thank you, Stuart. Very kind of you!
I liked the book and am amazed by the projects you describe.
@@audreyh7892 thank you! 😊
Tom Waits has a great song called Soldier's Things which I'm sure was inspired by this book and always makes me think of it, I read it a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I would have loved to read a book like this at school!
@@AaronReadABook I think you are probably right about Waits’ song. Yes, this was a really powerful book to teach. Thanks for commenting. Hope you’re doing well. 😊
Watching from behind the couch Pat incase Catcher turns up! Best wishes and happy reading.
Ha! Oh you know it’s coming! 😉
We have a copy of this book at our house. I bought it for Emma for an AP class but the teacher made some syllabus changes and they never read it. I kept it thinking one of might eventually read it. Thanks for discussing it!
Oh that’s too bad that Emma did get to read it in class. It’s a great one. Thanks, Angelia!😊
Incredible book! I loved it. Thanks for another great video.
Thank you, Reney. It is indeed a great book, and it was a wonderful one to teach.
This is exceptional Pat. Though I’d been aware of it since it was first published, I didn’t get around to reading The Things They Carried until last year and was, of course, blown away by the writing and the narrative structure. Having grown up during that era, it was also poignantly heartbreaking and resonant, reminding me of the young men in our community, the sons of my neighborhood, the big brothers of my schoolmates, who lived the experience. I loved hearing about how you brought this all to a new generation and how they responded. Really, just stunning.
@@patriciah8579 thank you, my friend. I remember my mom and her sisters watching the draft lottery on tv because they all had sons of draft age, my oldest brother and my cousins. Such a terrible time in our history. Thank you for this beautiful comment. ❤️
I'm new here and thoroughly enjoyed your video. Your students were so fortunate to have such a dedicated and entertaining teacher. In high school and college, I was also fortunate to have a couple of outstanding, imaginative teachers who really fired my already existing love of reading and took it to a much higher level.
@@binglamb2176 I’m so glad you’re here. Thank you for watching and for leaving me this lovely comment! 😊
Great talk, Pat. One of my favorite books.
@@JamesRuchala thank you, James. It’s a great book.
As someone who teaches literature at university, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series. Also, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book and teaching it (I could have added another LOVE LOVE LOVE) here. One thing I love about this novel (ish?) is that, as you point out, the narrative structure is very complex; yet, it is so easy to read and accessible. Even students who don't like "war" literature (which was my PhD specialty) like the novel. I also tell students not to read it as history. "Speaking of Courage" is one of my favourite stories.
Steve, thank you so much for this lovely comment. I really appreciate your running in and leaving me such a thoughtful response. I’d love to hear more about your dissertation.
I really like that assignment too!
@@BookChatWithPat8668 it focused on WWII and an English writer named Dan Billany (who died in 1943 after escaping from an Italian POW camp). I used his work to question some of the views of the war through the lens of class (Billany, a teacher, was a working-class socialist).
@@stevecloutier8673 very interesting. Do you follow Brian Bruce at Bookish Texan? He just published a book-on Sept 30-entitled MacArthur’s Bloody Butchers based on his uncle’s experience in the Pacific war.
@@BookChatWithPat8668 I do. I don't have a copy of the book yet. I'm in 🇨🇦, and it hasn't been released here yet. I have it on pre-order.
If I didn't already know you must have been a great teacher, hearing you highlight your memories of outstanding work by your students would convince me. Teaching is in no small part about getting through and connecting, and clearly you did that on a deep level. The only O!Brien I have read is Going After Cacciato, which was so very powerful. The Things They Carried has been on my radar a long time. One of these days …
@@Nina_DP thank you, dear Nina! ❤️ You are always so kind and so supportive. ❤️
Another fantastic video by the great and powerful Pat!
You are very kind! 😊
I’m hard of hearing so I appreciate that I can understand every word you say. I do wearing hearing aids but they’re not perfect.
I appreciate that you are tuning in to watch my videos. Thank you!
Something by Tim O’Brien was in the apartment this summer - my partner picked it up, and had heard positive things, but gave a negative report, so I never really looked at it. (Neither she nor I can remember the title. 😂)
This was an interesting discussion.
He's written quite a bit, but this is his most famous work, I think. Some of the stories are often anthologized, but it's really meant to be read as a novel. Thanks, David. Hope you are doing well.