Tim obrian author biography

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Tim obrian author biography

Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikiquote Wikidata item. American novelist born For other people of the same name, see Tim O'Brien disambiguation. Macalester College Harvard University. Biography [ edit ]. Early life [ edit ]. Military service [ edit ].

First book published [ edit ]. Personal life [ edit ]. Writing style [ edit ]. Personal views on the Vietnam War [ edit ]. Awards and honors [ edit ]. Selected bibliography [ edit ]. Fiction [ edit ]. Memoirs [ edit ]. Other works [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. Gale - Databases Explored. National Book Foundation. Marked with a realistic and straightforward writing style , his writings won universal acclaim.

His word choice and diction speaks about the mastery of his art. That is why most of his works vary between simple and controversial style. A major aspect that separates Tim from other writers is his metafictional writing technique that questions the aspects of reality. His works also use verisimilitude to investigate the question of fiction and reality, often portraying time creating images and characters that do not exist.

The recurring thematic strands in most of his literary pieces are war, guilt, and blame, weakness, willingness and unwillingness, and friendship. In this memoir, O'Brien writes: "Can the foot soldier teach anything important about war, merely for having been there? I think not. He can tell war stories. In alternate years, he teaches several workshops to MFA students in the creative writing program.

In Tim O'Brien's book The Things They Carried , he talks about the difference between "story-truth" the truth in fiction and "happening-truth" the truth in real events. He says that sometimes, what happens in a story can feel more true emotionally than what really happened. In The Things They Carried , some stories seem to disagree with each other, and some are meant to make you question what you believe.

For example, "Speaking of Courage" is followed by "Notes", which explains how "Speaking of Courage" is not completely true. Tim O'Brien has spoken about the Vietnam War, although he doesn't see himself as a spokesperson for it. Reflecting on his hometown and the war years later, he described it as "a town that proudly stays ignorant of the world: a town that sent me to Vietnam.

Comparing the American search for missing soldiers with the large number of Vietnamese casualties, O'Brien criticized what he saw as a double standard:. What if the situation were reversed? What if the Vietnamese demanded we find their missing soldiers? It's impossible due to the numbers: at least ,, if not more. From my own experience in Vietnam, I know many Vietnamese who died remain nameless.

Contents move to sidebar hide. Page Talk. Read Change Change source View history. Tools Tools. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikidata item. Tim O'Brien. Macalester College Harvard University. Early Life and Education. Early Writing Career. Other Notable Works. Awards and Recognition. Personal Life and Family. Teaching and Speaking Engagements.

Writing Style and Themes. Critical Reception and Controversies. Influence on Contemporary Literature. Legacy and Future Works. Interviews and Quotes. Adaptations for Film and Television. Collaborations and Contributions. Charitable and Philanthropic Activities. Public Persona and Media Coverage.