--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would wish this book could take the…" description: "\"“I would wish this book could take the form of a plea for everlasting peace, a plea from one who knows... Or it would be fine to confirm the odd belief..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/tim-o-brien-1818_books_i-would-wish-this-book-could-take-the-fo_285619.jpg" --- # I would wish this book could take the form of a plea for… ![“I would wish this book could take the form of a plea for everlasting peace, a plea from one who knows... Or it would be fine to confirm the odd beliefs about war: it's horrible, but it's a crucible of men and events and, in the end, it makes more of a man out of you. But, still, none of these…” quote by Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/tim-o-brien-1818_books_i-would-wish-this-book-could-take-the-fo_285619.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/tim-o-brien-1818_books_i-would-wish-this-book-could-take-the-fo_285619.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/tim-o-brien-1818_books_i-would-wish-this-book-could-take-the-fo_285619.jpg) > ““I would wish this book could take the form of a plea for everlasting peace, a plea from one who knows... Or it would be fine to confirm the odd beliefs about war: it's horrible, but it's a crucible of men and events and, in the end, it makes more of a man out of you. But, still, none of these notions seems right. Men are killed, dead human beings are heavy and awkward to carry, things smell different in Vietnam, soldiers are afraid and often brave, drill sergeants are boors, some men think the war is proper and just and others don't and most don't care. Is that the stuff for a morality lesson, even for a theme? Do dreams offer lessons? Do nightmares have themes, do we awaken and analyze them and live our lives and advise others as a result? Can the foot soldier teach anything important about war, merely for having been there? I think not. He can tell war stories.”” [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War is both horrific and formative; it shapes character but also raises moral ambiguity and trauma. **In simple terms:** War changes people, but it's terrible and confusing. Key Takeaway Seek peace, question heroism. Themes war morality trauma growth Mood reflective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - combat - military training - post‑war life - storytelling Key Concepts human experience conflict ethics Questions to Reflect On - Can personal stories convey war’s truth? - What peace can be learned from suffering? A Different Perspective War’s lessons are conflicted and often incomplete. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Drill sergeant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drill-sergeant/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-stories/) ## Related quotes > [Can the foot soldier teach anything important about war, merely for having been there? I think not. He can tell war stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/can-the-foot-soldier-teach-anything-important-about-war-merely-for/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Anyone who has been in business can tell war stories about the bumps in the road. But if they've outlasted the competition, ask for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/anyone-who-has-been-in-business-can-tell-war-stories-about-the-bumps/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [I will not let her speak because I love her, and when you love someone, you do not make them tell war stories. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/i-will-not-let-her-speak-because-i-love-her-and-when-you-love-someone/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [The same people that are with me for not going to Vietnam because I saved them and their children.The same people will give me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/the-same-people-that-are-with-me-for-not-going-to-vietnam-because-i/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [In any war story, but especially a true one, it's difficult to separate what happened from what seemed to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/in-any-war-story-but-especially-a-true-one-it-s-difficult-to-separate-2/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [If a story seems moral, do not believe it. If at the end of a war story you feel uplifted, or if you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/if-a-story-seems-moral-do-not-believe-it-if-at-the-end-of-a-war-story/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [ \[Y\]ou can tell a true war story by its absolute and uncompromising allegiance to obscenity and evil. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/y-ou-can-tell-a-true-war-story-by-its-absolute-and-uncompromising/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [A true war story is never moral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/a-true-war-story-is-never-moral/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [“The American intellectuals, in their preoccupation with reality, seem to have forgotten that the real enemy is War rather than imperial Germany. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randolph-bourne/the-american-intellectuals-in-their-preoccupation-with-reality-seem/) [Randolph Bourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randolph-bourne/) > [I will tell you what war is. War is a psychosis caused by an inability to see relationships. Our relationship with our fellowmen. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/i-will-tell-you-what-war-is-war-is-a-psychosis-caused-by-an-inability/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [Wisdom born of experience should tell us that war is obsolete. There may have been a time when war served as a negative good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/wisdom-born-of-experience-should-tell-us-that-war-is-obsolete-there/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I think it's a lot easier to tell a war story about two sides of a conflict with one another as opposed to one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/i-think-it-s-a-lot-easier-to-tell-a-war-story-about-two-sides-of-a/) [Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/) > [“He heard the Baymen tell of war, but they never said it could be harnessed, its head held down, and made to run in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/he-heard-the-baymen-tell-of-war-but-they-never-said-it-could-be/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“Tell me about the war,” he pressed cautiously. She smiled again and began, “Well . . .” The sentence ended there. Her tongue moved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-fishman/tell-me-about-the-war-he-pressed-cautiously-she-smiled-again-and/) Boris Fishman > [Let me tell you something ass-eyes, let me tell you ALL something: war has made me very PARANOID! and when you get to eye-balling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-wayans/let-me-tell-you-something-ass-eyes-let-me-tell-you-all-something-war/) [Damon Wayans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-wayans/) ## More by Tim O'Brien > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [It's very hard to articulate the things that are important about writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/it-s-very-hard-to-articulate-the-things-that-are-important-about/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [The thing about a story is that you dream it as you tell it, hoping that others might then dream along with you, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/the-thing-about-a-story-is-that-you-dream-it-as-you-tell-it-hoping/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Fiction, maybe art in general, is a tentative, uncertain enterprise; it's not science, it's an exploration, but you never find much in the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/fiction-maybe-art-in-general-is-a-tentative-uncertain-enterprise-it-s/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [“I learned that words make a difference. 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You could put fancy spin on it, you could make it dance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/on-occasions-the-war-was-like-a-ping-pong-ball-you-could-put-fancy/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [“They were afraid of dying, but they were even more afraid to show it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/they-were-afraid-of-dying-but-they-were-even-more-afraid-to-show-it/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [“Forty-three years old, and the war occurred half a lifetime ago, and yet the remembering makes it now. And sometimes remembering will lead to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/forty-three-years-old-and-the-war-occurred-half-a-lifetime-ago-and/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [“He thought about the difference between good times and bad times, and how funny it was that he could not state the difference, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/he-thought-about-the-difference-between-good-times-and-bad-times-and/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [A lie, sometimes, can be truer than the truth, which is why fiction gets written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/a-lie-sometimes-can-be-truer-than-the-truth-which-is-why-fiction-gets/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [My life is storytelling. I believe in stories, in their incredible power to keep people alive, to keep the living alive, and the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/my-life-is-storytelling-i-believe-in-stories-in-their-incredible/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [With a hangover and with fear, it is difficult to put a helmet on your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/with-a-hangover-and-with-fear-it-is-difficult-to-put-a-helmet-on-your/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [“Peace never bragged. If you didn't look for it, it wasn't there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/peace-never-bragged-if-you-didn-t-look-for-it-it-wasn-t-there/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) [Explore all 201 Tim O'Brien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I would wish this book could take the form of a plea for everlasting peace, a plea from one who knows... Or it would be fine to confirm the odd beliefs about war: it's horrible, but it's a crucible of men and events and, in the end, it makes more of a man out of you. But, still, none of these notions seems right. Men are killed, dead human beings are heavy and awkward to carry, things smell different in Vietnam, soldiers are afraid and often brave, drill sergeants are boors, some men think the war is proper and just and others don't and most don't care. Is that the stuff for a morality lesson, even for a theme? Do dreams offer lessons? Do nightmares have themes, do we awaken and analyze them and live our lives and advise others as a result? Can the foot soldier teach anything important about war, merely for having been there? I think not. 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