Readers often find Tim O’Brien’s books unforgettable. He writes about war, particularly the Vietnam War, and he makes you think about truth and storytelling. His books are not just about battles. They are about memory, trauma, and what war does to people.
If you like authors who write about similar things, and have a similar feel to their writing, you might enjoy this list.
Karl Marlantes is an author who writes deeply personal stories inspired by his own experience serving in Vietnam. His novel “Matterhorn” captures the raw reality of combat and the everyday struggles of American soldiers in Vietnam.
Marlantes is a Marine Corps veteran who brings genuine authenticity to the story of young Lieutenant Waino Mellas and his company, stationed near a hilltop called Matterhorn.
The soldiers face relentless obstacles: dense jungle terrain, conflicts within their ranks, and the tension of awaiting inevitable combat. Marlantes weaves emotional depth into scenes of both battle and brotherhood, painting a vivid picture of what war truly costs.
For readers who appreciated Tim O’Brien’s honest portrayal in “The Things They Carried,” Marlantes’ “Matterhorn” offers another powerful and realistic window into the lives changed by war.
Ernest Hemingway writes with simple, straightforward honesty about war, courage, and human weakness. If you enjoyed Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried,” Hemingway’s “A Farewell to Arms” can offer a similar experience.
The book follows Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver in World War I, who faces the brutality of warfare and finds unexpected love. Hemingway doesn’t shy from showing how war changes people. His sentences are clear and powerful.
Readers who connect with O’Brien’s personal experiences of soldiers, fear, friendship, and loss may find Hemingway’s work just as meaningful.
Kurt Vonnegut is an American author known for novels full of dark humor, satire, and profound insights into war and human nature. Readers who appreciated Tim O’Brien’s blend of storytelling and war reflections might be drawn to Vonnegut’s classic novel, “Slaughterhouse-Five.”
This novel follows Billy Pilgrim, a soldier who becomes unstuck in time after surviving the Dresden bombing of World War II.
Shifting randomly between different points in Billy’s life, the story captures absurdity, tragedy, and the surreal experience of time travel, all conveyed with sharp wit and heartbreaking honesty.
Vonnegut’s powerful storytelling invites readers to think deeply about war, fate, and the delicate sense of humanity within chaos.
Readers drawn to Tim O’Brien’s portrayal of war, absurdity, and dark humor may find Joseph Heller a perfect fit. Heller served in World War II himself, and his experiences shaped the satire in his novel “Catch-22.”
The story follows Captain John Yossarian, a bombardier stationed in Italy, who desperately tries to avoid missions to stay alive.
But there’s a twisted rule—the infamous Catch-22—that states pilots who claim insanity in order to escape dangerous missions are proven sane by virtue of their self-preservation instincts.
Heller explores wartime bureaucracy and the surreal nature of military logic through sharp humor and vivid characters, capturing the chaos and frustration soldiers experience in combat.
If you enjoy Tim O’Brien’s powerful narratives about war and its lasting impact, you may appreciate Sebastian Junger’s “War.” Junger is a journalist who takes readers into the daily lives of soldiers deployed in Afghanistan’s dangerous Korengal Valley.
The book closely follows the experiences of infantrymen in a remote outpost, describing the routines, pressures, fears, and bonds that form between them in extreme circumstances.
There’s no romanticizing here—Junger writes about war’s physical and emotional realities with clarity and authenticity. Like O’Brien, he captures not only what happens on the battlefield but also how these moments stay with soldiers after they leave combat behind.
If you enjoy Tim O’Brien’s powerful reflections on war, you might appreciate Philip Caputo and his memoir “A Rumor of War.” Caputo served in Vietnam and gives a raw, unfiltered look at what soldiers experience on the battlefield.
In his memoir, he describes joining the Marines with an idealistic spirit, eager to serve his country. Soon, reality hits: chaos, fear, and moral ambiguity fill his days.
Caputo honestly portrays how war changes people, showing courage, confusion, and regret side-by-side in the lives of soldiers. The way he writes about his experiences feels honest and deeply personal.
Readers who connect with the humanity and emotion in books like “The Things They Carried” by O’Brien will likely find Caputo’s story equally meaningful.
Norman Mailer was an American author famous for his powerful war narratives and vivid storytelling. If you enjoyed Tim O’Brien’s honest look at soldiers’ lives, you might also appreciate Mailer’s “The Naked and the Dead.”
This novel follows an American platoon during World War II as they face brutal combat and harsh island conditions in the Pacific. Mailer explores the fears and ambitions of individual soldiers, drawing you into their personal struggles alongside the battles they fight.
His characters are realistic and flawed, people you can relate to even in extreme circumstances. “The Naked and the Dead” is not just about war but about how war pushes people to their limits.
John Steinbeck is a classic American novelist known for his empathy toward ordinary people caught in tough circumstances. Readers drawn to Tim O’Brien’s thoughtful reflections on war and humanity might appreciate Steinbeck’s novel “Of Mice and Men.”
Set in California during the Great Depression, Steinbeck tracks two migrant workers, George and Lennie, as they travel from job to job with hopes of someday owning their own land.
Lennie is physically strong but child-like and depends on George, who feels responsible to protect him. The story explores friendship, dreams, and struggles for dignity in difficult times, themes that resonate with the emotional depth often found in Tim O’Brien’s narratives.
If you enjoy Tim O’Brien’s thoughtful exploration of memory and truth, you’ll find a similar depth in Tobias Wolff’s work. Wolff is a master storyteller who writes with honesty and clarity.
His memoir, “This Boy’s Life,” is a striking account of his challenging upbringing in the 1950s, trapped between an unstable home life and dreams of escape.
Wolff navigates through tough situations with clever humor, confronting family hardships and his own youthful misadventures. His vivid stories linger with you, capturing the delicate balance between youthful innocence and hard-earned wisdom.
E.L. Doctorow is an author you’ll appreciate if you’re drawn to Tim O’Brien’s storytelling. Doctorow is known for weaving historical elements into vivid fictional narratives. His novel “The March” brings readers directly into General Sherman’s march during the Civil War.
It captures the perspectives of soldiers, slaves, and civilians on both sides of the conflict. Doctorow creates realistic, layered characters whose lives intersect and diverge against the backdrop of history.
If you value how O’Brien humanizes wartime experiences in “The Things They Carried,” you’ll find similar depth in Doctorow’s thoughtful exploration of war’s impact and chaos.
Books by Kevin Powers often explore war and its aftermath through raw, personal storytelling. Powers is an Army veteran whose novel “The Yellow Birds” captures experiences in the Iraq war with vivid realism and emotional honesty.
The story follows two young soldiers, Private Bartle and Private Murphy, as they navigate not only the physical toll of war but also the heavy emotional burden they carry home.
Powers unpacks the memories that haunt veterans, the bond that forms between soldiers, and the struggle of returning to civilian life.
For those who appreciate Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried”, Powers’ honest depiction of combat and its lasting effects can resonate deeply.
Readers who enjoy Tim O’Brien’s vivid storytelling about characters caught in the stress and chaos of war might also appreciate David Benioff. In his novel “City of Thieves,” Benioff provides a tense, vivid portrayal of the siege of Leningrad during World War II.
The story is about two young men, Lev, an awkward teenager, and Kolya, a spirited Russian soldier, who must venture through war-torn streets on an absurd, dangerous quest.
The strange demand of a powerful colonel injects unexpected humor into the harshness of a brutal winter and constant threat of danger.
Benioff combines authentic historical detail with sharp dialogue and emotional depth, making the struggles of his characters feel both personal and unforgettable.
Books by Ben Fountain offer a fresh take on the complexities of war and its human impacts, a theme readers of Tim O’Brien will appreciate.
In “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,” Fountain presents nineteen-year-old soldier Billy Lynn and his Bravo Squad during a brief but surreal American victory tour.
Set against a lavish Thanksgiving Day football game, the novel contrasts the glamour of patriotic spectacle with the harsh realities Billy experienced overseas.
Sharp humor and insightful commentary make this story memorable and emotionally engaging, giving readers much to reflect upon.
Readers who enjoy Tim O’Brien’s stories about war and memory might appreciate Pat Barker’s work. In her novel “Regeneration,” Barker explores the psychological impact of World War I on British soldiers.
She weaves a powerful narrative around real-life poet Siegfried Sassoon, who is sent to a military hospital after protesting the war. The story focuses on Sassoon’s interactions with psychologist Dr. Rivers, who tries to help his patients confront their traumatic experiences.
Barker’s careful and moving portrayal reveals the internal battles soldiers face beyond the trenches.
Michael Herr was an American writer and war correspondent known for his vivid depictions of the Vietnam War. In his book “Dispatches,” he shares a powerful firsthand account of his experiences as a journalist in Vietnam.
Herr captures the chaos, fear, and surreal atmosphere of wartime. His encounters with soldiers and vivid descriptions of combat zones create an intense, immersive reading experience.
Readers familiar with Tim O’Brien’s storytelling approach in “The Things They Carried” will appreciate Herr’s authentic, emotional portrayal of the Vietnam conflict.