The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
The book is a collection of linked short stories about a platoon of American soldiers fighting in the Vietnam War. The story is semi-autobiographical, based on the author's experiences in the war. The narrative explores the physical and emotional burdens the soldiers carry during the war, as well as the lingering effects of war on veterans. It delves into themes of bravery, truth, and the fluidity of fact and fiction.
The 259th greatest book of all time
Ranking Details:
Our ranking system awards points to books based on their appearance and position on curated lists. Here's how it works:
Unranked Lists: For lists without specific rankings, each book receives points equivalent to the list's weight. This approach recognizes the book's inclusion on prestigious lists.
Ranked Lists: Books on ranked lists receive points in two ways:
- Base Points: Initially, every book is awarded points equal to the list's weight, acknowledging its significance.
- Bonus Points: Additionally, books earn bonus points based on their ranking. The total bonus pool, equal to 100% of the list's weight, is distributed among the books, with higher-ranked books receiving more points.
Exponential Distribution: The distribution of bonus points follows an exponential model. This means the top-ranked book (#1) receives significantly more bonus points than those further down the list (e.g., #100). Our algorithm ensures that higher placements are rewarded more generously, reflecting the achievement of a top rank on any given list.
This scoring system ensures that each book's ranking reflects both its presence on multiple lists and its positions within those lists, providing a comprehensive measure of its acclaim and popularity.
Total Points: 1572
Since this book was first published in 1990, there is a penalty of 25.6%. The age adjusted score is 1169.57.
This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.
- score: 150 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (Weight: 150)
- score: 126 -- The 75 Best Books of the Past 75 Years (Weight: 126)
- score: 126 -- 200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature (Weight: 126)
- score: 108 -- The Booklist Century: 100 Books, 100 Years (Weight: 108)
- score: 96 -- The Greatest Books of All Time (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers (Weight: 96)
- score: 90 -- Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (Weight: 90)
- score: 90 -- 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime (Weight: 90)
- score: 75 -- A Century of Reading (Weight: 75)
- score: 74 -- 50 Books to Read Before You Die (Weight: 69)
- score: 72 -- What Is the Best Work of American Fiction of the Last 25 Years? (Weight: 72)
- score: 69 -- How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Reading List (Weight: 69)
- score: 69 -- From Zero to Well-Read in 100 Books (Weight: 69)
- score: 66 -- The Complete 500: OCLC (Weight: 66)
- score: 63 -- The 50 Books Everyone Needs to Read, 1963-2013 (Weight: 63)
- score: 39 -- The 100 Greatest American Novels, 1893 – 1993 (Weight: 39)
- score: 39 -- The 80 Books Every Man Should Read (Weight: 39)
- score: 27 -- The New Classics - 100 Best Reads from 1983 to 2008 (Weight: 27)