Tim O'Brien (author)
American novelist (born 1946) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tim O'Brien (born October 1, 1946) is an American novelist who served as a soldier in the Vietnam War. Much of his writing is about wartime Vietnam,[1] and his work later in life often explores the postwar lives of its veterans.[2]
Tim O'Brien | |
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Born | William Timothy O'Brien Jr. (1946-10-01) October 1, 1946 (age 77) Austin, Minnesota, U.S. |
Occupation |
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Nationality | American |
Alma mater | |
Genre | Memoirs, war stories, short stories |
Years active | 1973–present |
Notable works | |
Spouse | Meredith Baker |
Children | 2 |
Military career | |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 1968–1970 |
Rank | Sergeant |
Unit | 3rd Platoon, Company A, 5th Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment 198th Infantry Brigade |
Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Awards | Purple Heart |
O'Brien is perhaps best known for his book The Things They Carried (1990), a collection of linked semi-autobiographical stories inspired by his wartime experiences.[3] In 2010, The New York Times described it as "a classic of contemporary war fiction."[4][5] O'Brien wrote the war novel, Going After Cacciato (1978), which was awarded the National Book Award.
O'Brien taught creative writing, holding the endowed chair at the MFA program of Texas State University–San Marcos every other academic year from 2003 to 2012.