"That's what stories are for. Stories are for joining the past to the future. Stories are for those late hours in the night when you can't remember how you got from where you were to where you are. Stories are for eternity, when memory is erased, when there is nothing to remember except the story."This is truly one of the best books I have ever read. The praise at the beginning of the book calls it "a vital, important book" which cannot be honestly stated about too many books, but it is true in this case. It took me longer than it should have to read this book because I didn't want to read it when I was tired, or preoccupied or when the TV was on in the background. I only wanted to read it when I could dedicate my whole mind to it and immerse myself in it.Listed as a collection of short stories regarding Mr. O'Brien's time in the Vietnam war, I felt it read more like a novel, there was a strong continuity throughout the stories. The stories were honest, passionate and beautifully written without the need for fancy, lyrical writing."The Things They Carried" is honestly one of the best pieces of literature I have ever read, and I recommend it to everyone.( 

Question: How was the book's story perceived?
Answer: Stories are for joining the past to the future