Book · 1990 · Fiction
The Things They Carried
A Work of Fiction
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien has been mentioned in 7 episodes across 5 podcasts (0 episodes recommend it and 7 episodes discuss it), through . Most frequently brought up by Ben Bowlin (1 episode), David Wyatt (1 episode) and Greg Cowles (1 episode) on The Book Review (3 episodes), EconTalk (1 episode) and No Stupid Questions (1 episode).
- episodes
- 7
- podcasts
- 5
- people
- 6
- episodes recommend it
- 0
I felt I learned a lot about the Vietnam War for example when I read Tim O'Brien's extraordinary novel The Things They Carried which gave me a sense of what it was like.
Questions about The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
Who has discussed The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien on podcasts?
No speaker in our archive has explicitly recommended The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien; Ben Bowlin (1 episode), David Wyatt (1 episode), Greg Cowles (1 episode), Margaret MacMillan (1 episode) and Pamela Paul (1 episode) have discussed it across 5 podcasts (6 people in all).
Which podcasts mention The Things They Carried the most?
The Book Review (3 episodes), EconTalk (1 episode), No Stupid Questions (1 episode), People I (Mostly) Admire (1 episode) and Stuff They Don't Want You To Know (1 episode).
Is The Things They Carried recommended, or only discussed?
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien was recommended in 0 episodes and discussed without a recommendation in 7 episodes, as of 2025-08-25.
What do people say about The Things They Carried?
Margaret MacMillan on The Book Review (2021-01-01): "I felt I learned a lot about the Vietnam War for example when I read Tim O'Brien's extraordinary novel The Things They Carried which gave me a sense of what it was like."
When was The Things They Carried last mentioned on a podcast?
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien was last discussed on EconTalk by David Wyatt on 2025-08-25.
What they say about it
- Novel or short stories“whether that should be evaluated as a cohesive novel”2
The best things said about it
The Things They Carried is the most anthologized reprinted story I think written in the 20th century.
A great debate covering The Things They Carried is whether that should be evaluated as a cohesive novel or whether it's a series of interrelated short stories.
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien which I don't think anyone would call that a funny book.
The best summary on the apparent human need to exaggerate I have heard comes from the short story sweetheart of the song trong which is part of Tim O'Brien's book The Things They Carried so I thought I would share a short quote with you among the men in Alpha Company rat had a reputation for exaggeration and overstatement.
Where and when it comes up
Most episodes, by podcast
6 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien is a renowned collection of interrelated stories that explores the psychological burdens and realities of American soldiers during the Vietnam War. David Wyatt brought up O'Brien's work on EconTalk to illustrate Ernest Hemingway's lasting influence on later writers. Ben Bowlin discussed the book on Stuff They Don't Want You To Know, using it as an example for the literary debate over whether it functions as a cohesive novel or a collection of short stories. Margaret MacMillan, Greg Cowles, and Pamela Paul talked about the book on The Book Review, examining its depiction of the Vietnam War and its use of dark humor. A host on No Stupid Questions shared a quote from the book to illustrate the human tendency to exaggerate, and Reginald Dwayne Betts mentioned the work on People I (Mostly) Admire as a significant text included in a prison library collection.
Every mention
Ben Bowlin for instance uh you know a great a great debate uh covering the things they carry is whether that should be… 1
“for instance uh you know a great a great debate uh covering the things they carry is whether that should be evaluated as a cohesive novel or whether it's a series of interrelated short stories”
“For instance uh you know a great a great debate uh covering the things they carry is whether that should be evaluated as a cohesive novel or whether it's a series of interrelated short stories”
David Wyatt I just read a biography of Tim O'Brien, you know, the author of The Things They Carried. Who is probably th… 1
“I just read a biography of Tim O'Brien, you know, the author of The Things They Carried. Who is probably that story? The Things They Carried is the most anthologized reprinted story I think written in the 20th century.”
Greg Cowles Greg the whole time that you're talking about this I'm thinking of Tim O'Brien The Things They carry which… 1
“Greg the whole time that you're talking about this I'm thinking of Tim O'Brien The Things They carry which came out far later”
Margaret MacMillan I mean I felt I learned a lot about the Vietnam War for example when I read Tim O'Brien's extraordinary nov… 1
“I mean I felt I learned a lot about the Vietnam War for example when I read Tim O'Brien's extraordinary novel The Things They Carried which gave me a sense of what it was like”
Pamela Paul even like uh The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien which I don't think anyone would call that a funny book 1
“even like uh The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien which I don't think anyone would call that a funny book”
Reginald Dwayne Betts yesterday actually I was having lunch with somebody and he said the things they carry and I was like of cou… 1
“yesterday actually I was having lunch with somebody and he said the things they carry and I was like of course we have Tim O'Brien in the collection”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker1
“the best summary on the apparent human need to exaggerate I have heard comes from the short story sweetheart of the song trong which is part of Tim O'Brien's book The Things They Carried so I thought I would share a short quote with you among the men in Alpha Company rat had a reputation for exaggeration and overstatement”