Going After Cacciato: A Novel

by Tim O'Brien

A CLASSIC FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE THINGS THEY CARRIED

"To call Going After Cacciato a novel about war is like calling Moby-Dick a novel about whales."

So wrote The New York Times of Tim O'Brien's now classic novel of Vietnam. Winner of the 1979 National Book Award, Going After Cacciato captures the peculiar mixture of horror and hallucination that marked this strangest of wars.

In a blend of reality and fantasy, this novel tells the story of a young soldier who one day lays down his rifle and sets off on a quixotic journey from the jungles of Indochina to the streets of Paris. In its memorable evocation of men both fleeing from and meeting the demands of battle, Going After Cacciato stands as much more than just a great war novel. Ultimately it's about the forces of fear and heroism that do battle in the hearts of us all.

Now with Extra Libris material, including a reader’s guide and bonus content

• ISBN10: 0767904427
• ISBN13: 9780767904421
• Publish Date: 1 September 1999 (first published 1 January 1978)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Random House Inc
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 352
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780767904421

Reviews

[Michael @ Knowledge Lost]

It took me awhile to get use the way the book was written and when I finally did, I realized I didn't care what happened to the characters. There was nothing wrong with the story or the why this novel was written. I think it was more my fault I wasn't enjoying the book.

The book follows the story of a group of men chasing after a man who has gone AWOL (Cacciato) but it has becomes apparent that Cacciato doesn't exist, in fact this is playing out in Berlin's mind. A man, who has gone through a lot of trauma in the war and has found a physiological escape.