# Books like The Things They Carried

**10** books similar to *The Things They Carried* by Tim O'Brien (War Novel · 880L · grades 11–12), matched on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level. Every pick is grade-appropriate (a reading-level match, not just a topical one) and links to where it is assigned in US schools.

**Themes:** war, memory, guilt and memory, storytelling, mortality
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/similar/the-things-they-carried
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## Similar books

- [All Quiet on the Western Front](https://readinglist.school/book/all-quiet-on-the-western-front) by Erich Maria Remarque _(830L · Grades 9–12)_ — Shares themes of war, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and same genre (War Novel).
- [Our Town](https://readinglist.school/book/our-town) by Thornton Wilder _(Grades 9–12)_ — Shares themes of memory and mortality, both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (9–12).
- [Life of Pi](https://readinglist.school/book/life-of-pi) by Yann Martel _(830L · Grades 9–12)_ — Shares themes of storytelling, both on the AP English Literature & Composition list, and a close reading level (830L vs 880L).
- [The Fault in Our Stars](https://readinglist.school/book/the-fault-in-our-stars) by John Green _(850L · Grades 9–12)_ — Shares themes of mortality, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (850L vs 880L).
- [My Ántonia](https://readinglist.school/book/my-antonia) by Willa Cather _(1010L · Grades 10–12)_ — Shares themes of memory and a close reading level (1010L vs 880L).
- [Hamlet](https://readinglist.school/book/hamlet) by William Shakespeare _(Grades 11–12)_ — Shares themes of mortality, both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (11–12).
- [Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood](https://readinglist.school/book/persepolis) by Marjane Satrapi _(Grades 9–12)_ — Shares themes of war, both on the AP English Literature & Composition list, and overlapping grades (9–12).
- [The Glass Menagerie](https://readinglist.school/book/the-glass-menagerie) by Tennessee Williams _(Grades 11–12)_ — Shares themes of memory, both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (11–12).
- [Divine Rivals](https://readinglist.school/book/divine-rivals) by Rebecca Ross _(Grades 9–12)_ — Shares themes of war and overlapping grades (9–12).
- [A Separate Peace](https://readinglist.school/book/a-separate-peace) by John Knowles _(1110L · Grades 9–11)_ — Shares themes of guilt and memory, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (1110L vs 880L).

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