cells, reproduce quickly. Other cells, like nerve cells, grow slowly. Both normal cells and cancer cells go through a sequence of steps, or phases, when they form new cells. This is called the cell cycle.
On a cold, foggy morning, an army wakes on the banks of a river. A tall soldier named Jim Conklin begins his day by washing his shirt, and rushes back to camp to report a rumor he has overheard: the regiment will move into battle the next day.
Tim O'Brien is the narrator who never wanted to fight in the Vietnam War and remains haunted by memories even 20 years after he returns to America. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is a solitary, pensive platoon leader who cares about his men.