The Things They Carried

By: Tim O'Brien

Narrated by: Bryan Cranston

Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

This modern classic and New York Times best seller was a finalist for both the 1990 Pulitzer Prize and National Book Critics Circle Award and has become a staple of American classrooms. Hailed by The New York Times as "a marvel of storytelling", The Things They Carried’s portrayal of the boots-on-the-ground experience of soldiers in the Vietnam War is a landmark in war writing. Now, three-time Emmy Award winner Bryan Cranston, star of the hit TV series Breaking Bad, delivers an electrifying performance that walks the book’s hallucinatory line between reality and fiction and highlights the emotional power of the spoken word.

The soldiers in this collection of stories carried M-16 rifles, M-60 machine guns, and M-79 grenade launchers. They carried plastic explosives, hand grenades, flak jackets, and landmines. But they also carried letters from home, illustrated Bibles, and pictures of their loved ones. Some of them carried extra food or comic books or drugs. Every man carried what he needed to survive, and those who did carried their shattering stories away from the jungle and back to a nation that would never understand.

This audiobook also includes an exclusive recording “The Vietnam in Me,” a recount of the author’s trip back to Vietnam in 1994, revisiting his experience there as a soldier 25 years before, read by Tim O’Brien himself.

The Things They Carried was produced by Audible Studios in partnership with Playtone, the celebrated film and television production company founded by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and producer of the award-winning series Band of Brothers, John Adams, and The Pacific, as well as the HBO movie Game Change.

For more from Audible and Playtone, click here.

©1990 Tim O'Brien (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Cranston may be the most charismatic embodiment of moral ambiguity we currently possess. There was always something comforting as well as menacing in Walter White's voice, and Cranston attacks O'Brien's sober, sinewy prose with slightly scary authority.... [I]f you were a binge-watcher of Breaking Bad it will be no big deal to spend six hours in his company here." ( The New York Times Book Review)

"Structurally the novel gestures to William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying, while Ryan's sensitive observations on Irish life seem responsive to the work of his compatriot Patrick McCabe. That Ryan does not look out of place in such literary company is a measure of his achievement." ( The Financial Times)

"The best of these stories--and none is written with less than the sharp edge of honed vision--are memory and prophecy. These tell us not where we were but where we are, and perhaps where we will be. . . . It is an ultimate, indelible image of war in our time, and in time to come." ( Los Angeles Times)

"O'Brien's haunting collection of connected stories about the Vietnam War is more alive than ever in this narration. Bryan Cranston's resonant, sometimes formal, performance often leaves the listener reeling. Cranston's voice is deep and patient, laying back to let the characters' collective pain take the fore. Memorable scenes include a man's receipt of his draft notice in "On the Rainy River," battle scenes in "The Man I Killed," and aspects of the war's aftermath in "Speaking of Courage." In all the works, Cranston offers a measured, compassionate voice. O'Brien's stories emphasize the importance of telling the truth of war stories, and Cranston's respect for his intent is clear and comforting. At times, his sonorous tone is hypnotic, but this is more an asset than a liability. All the better to make the listener feel." ( AudioFile)

Bryan Cranston's performance is something special

Bryan Cranston's performance is something special. His voice is very stoic when taking on the role of the narrator while being able to quickly switch gears into different characters.

realities of war

This is not a traditional war story that Hollywood would write. No this is a story of the physical and emotional weight of war and life after the war is done.

I could feel your misery in your voice

Bryan Carnston did a wonderful job narrated this touching stories. and Tim O'Brien voice just left me haunted, in it I could feel his misery...

the author talks to you.

if someone described this book to me I wouldn't have read it. it's really good tho. its visceral real and emotional

A real look

This book reminded me of all those I've ever had the honor of speaking to about thier experience in that conflict not so long ago. It was well written and worth anyone's time to hear the author's story and personnel take on this experience.

Heavy going, but a must read

Any additional comments?

The opening chapter is easily one of the best I've read. The stories are deep and moving, though some are quite heavy and maybe not recommended for the light hearted. The ending is a little drawn out, and I know some that were left confused and a little irritated by a seeming turnabout. This book is nevertheless a must read for everyone, giving a very brutal interpretation on war that is seldom covered in this manner.

Brilliant powerful portrayal

Beautifully written and original narrative. Took me places in this account I never expected. Brilliantly woven and heartrending.

A Must Read

If you could sum up The Things They Carried in three words, what would they be?

Best War Novel

What other book might you compare The Things They Carried to and why?

All Quiet on the Western Front

What does Bryan Cranston bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Bryan Cranston adds a fantastic, believable narration to this contemporary classic. The difference I see is that instead of reading someone's journal or diary entries- the actual person has chosen to sit down with you for awhile and tell you everything about their time in Vietnam. Cranston's narration makes version a joy for newcomers and repeat listeners alike.

Who was the most memorable character of The Things They Carried and why?

Tim O'Brien, or probably Kiowa.

Any additional comments?

My favorite section; "In a true war story, if there's a moral at all, it's like the thread that makes the cloth. You can't tease it out. You can't extract the meaning without unraveling the deeper meaning. And in the end, really, there's nothing much to say about a true war story, except maybe "Oh." True war stories do not generalize. They do not indulge in abstraction or analysis. For example: 'War is Hell' As a moral declaration the old truism seems perfectly true, and yet because it abstracts, because it generalizes, I can't believe it with my stomach. Nothing turns inside. It comes down to gut instinct. A true war story, if truly told, makes the stomach believe."

Insightful

Historical and insightful. Difficult subject matter at times but with an important message. Listening to this book has given me a better understanding of what happened during the Vietnam war.

Through the eyes of a brother.

I just can't bring myself to verbalize a similar experience this is an incredible journey