For my project, I have chosen In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O’Brien. This is a novel which was written in 1994. From what I can tell from word of mouth and from having done a small amount of research on the topic, this novel is not canonical (although O’Brien’s more famous novel The Things They Carried could be considered to be at least approaching acceptance into canon). This book tells the story of a war veteran, John Wade, who returns home from the Vietnam War to his home and wife and, after a span of time, decides to run for political office. After a harrowing election in which horrifying stories about him from the Vietnam War emerge, John loses the election. He and his wife, Kathy, take some time away from the public and go to live in a small home by a lake. Suddenly, Kathy disappears. Over the course of the novel, O’Brien leaves the reader constantly guessing as to who is guilty for Kathy’s disappearance and what could have happened to her. Additionally, in a theme consistent to the rest of his writing, O’Brien feeds off of his own experience as a Vietnam veteran to narrate the horrors of war and the impact they had not only on John, but on humanity. I chose this novel because I have never encountered a more powerful or unique narration style than that which O’Brien employs to lead the reader in intricate (and often emotionally taxing) circles. I read this book in my senior year of high school and continue to be in awe of the masterpiece that O’Brien created in this work. Furthermore, its emotional impact on me was truly significant. I truly think that this is the best novel I have read, and I am really looking forward to studying O’Brien’s masterful writing and amazing narration in a more in-depth fashion. There are definitely resources which will be adequate to work with this novel. In the Lake of the Woods is a literary masterpiece in my eyes, and I can’t wait to work with it.