Tim O'Brien Non-Fiction books in order

Q: "What is Tim O'Brien's most important non-fiction book?"

"'If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home' (1973) is his first and best-known non-fiction work. It is a memoir of his year as an infantry soldier in Vietnam and was one of the earliest personal accounts of the war by an American writer."

Q: "What is 'Dad's Maybe Book' about?"

"'Dad's Maybe Book' (2019) is a memoir O'Brien began writing when his two sons were born. He was in his late fifties at the time and the book reflects on fatherhood, aging, mortality, and the stories he wants to pass on to his children."

Q: "How many non-fiction books has Tim O'Brien published?"

"Tim O'Brien has 9 non-fiction titles, ranging from his 1973 Vietnam memoir to collections and compilations published through 2020."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home	1973	Tim O’Brien	Buy
2	The Things They Carried - Levels of Understanding	2012	Tim O’Brien	Buy
3	Dick Kinzel	2015	Tim O’Brien	Buy
4	Inner Story	2015	Tim O’Brien	Buy
5	Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Baseball Oddities & Trivia - Ball Two!	2016	Tim O’Brien	Buy
6	Buzz Stories at Thirty Thousand Feet	2018	Tim O’Brien	Buy
7	Dad’s Maybe Book	2019	Tim O’Brien	Buy
8	Tim O’Brien’s Roadside Pics & Picks	2020	Tim O’Brien	Buy
9	Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Amusement Park Oddities & Trivia	2020	Tim O’Brien	Buy

Tim O’Brien’s non-fiction work begins with If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home (1973), his memoir about being drafted and serving as an infantryman in Vietnam. The book is an unflinching account of fear, boredom, and moral confusion during the war, and it remains one of the defining memoirs of the conflict.

His later non-fiction is more varied. Dad’s Maybe Book (2019) is a personal reflection on becoming a father in his late fifties, written as a series of letters and stories for his two young sons. The collection mixes memories of Vietnam with thoughts on love, loss, and what it means to leave something behind for your children.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Tim O'Brien's most important non-fiction book?

‘If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home’ (1973) is his first and best-known non-fiction work. It is a memoir of his year as an infantry soldier in Vietnam and was one of the earliest personal accounts of the war by an American writer.

What is 'Dad's Maybe Book' about?

‘Dad’s Maybe Book’ (2019) is a memoir O’Brien began writing when his two sons were born. He was in his late fifties at the time and the book reflects on fatherhood, aging, mortality, and the stories he wants to pass on to his children.

How many non-fiction books has Tim O'Brien published?

Tim O’Brien has 9 non-fiction titles, ranging from his 1973 Vietnam memoir to collections and compilations published through 2020.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order