Tree of Smoke: A Novel by Denis Johnson Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Tree of Smoke: A Novel
Book Review: A Novel that Towers Over the Pack
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a real novel. It has a long list of unforgettable characters. It is constrcucted with meticulous care. It tells a powerful story that consistently rings true. And it illuminates something (many things, actually)about the human condition.
It is complex and nuanced but easily accesible as well. It builds with grace and nary a stumble.
In one stunning episode, one of the main characters searches for film of the Notre Dame-Michigan State game in 1966 - the classic "Tie One for the Gipper Game." He then overtly, but without preaching, turns this voluntary tie into ametaphor for the war in Vietnam and rails against "leaving the field without a victory." It's a great piece of writing, a great piece of character development and a great piece of zeitgeist.
I had never read Johnson before.I have some catching up to do and look forward to doing so.
Book Review: A long downhill slide
Summary: 1 Stars
I was excited to start Tree of Smoke, having enjoyed other Denis Johnson work. The characters started out relatively interesting, but quickly morphed into stereotypical, cartoonish creations. As a Vietnam vet, and someone who has read lots of Vietnam fiction and knows many vets, it is hard to believe that anyone could have voted for this book to win any award or receive any honor.Book Review: A monumental book. . .
Summary: 5 Stars
Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson is a masterpiece. This book provides more evidence that Johnson is one of the greatest writers at work today. Tree of Smoke captures the utter devastation of war. No one wins in war, and Denis Johnson has done a good job of portraying that in Tree of Smoke. Don't let the size of this book deter you from reading it, it is a fast read filled with great imagery and detail. Tree of Smoke is a must read for anyone who is interested in the Vietnam War. In all reality it is a must read for anyone who enjoys great books. Tree of Smoke is one of my all time favorite books. Thank you Mr. Johnson for writing a book worth my money and time.Book Review: A terrific read
Summary: 4 Stars
Denis Johnson has proven himself in previous works as a writer with a unique voice. With Tree of Smoke he moves into a new level of writer, to sit along side Delillo and Pynchon. I read other reviews here that were very dismissive but I felt this book was a great achievement, very compelling. Highly recommended.Book Review: Ambitious but Ultimately Unsatisfactory
Summary: 3 Stars
"Tree of Smoke" by Denis Johnson follows an unfortunate pattern in today's fiction. It begins beautifully but loses its way some 150 pages before it crawls to an unsatisfactory end. Johnson, inspired by Leonard Gardner and his single, slim yet influential novel "Fat City," is a poet of the despair and failure which define most human lives. In this ambitious novel he is excellent when he describes the JFK assassination and the onset of the war in Vietnam from the point of view of characters whose small lives are affected and sometimes even shattered by big events. He is the weakest when it comes to his central character, the character's role in military intelligence, and crafting a believable spy vs. spy narrative. He also insists that the Naval Post Graduate School is in Carmel, CA. I attended Monterey Peninsula College and can attest to the fact that NPSG is in nearby Monterey.
It is said about intelligence in general that there are three kinds of it in descending order: Human, Animal and Military. That said, military intelligence can be fascinating in its vastness, reach and degree of penetration. Yet those who know it the best are sworn to secrecy and can't write about it. Johnson, even though he was born in a family with some intelligence connection, isn't privy to any information that is not publicly available. Moreover, he lacks the requisite craft and patience to sustain the suspense in the long run.
I believe shorter novels are more in tune with our times. The great long novels of Dickens and Thackeray were often written in serialized form for popular newspapers and magazines. The novelists were far closer to their readership and were informed by it far more frequently than the solitary novelists of today who sometimes labor on a single book for years and may eventually get lost in the fog of their own speculations. Regrettably even some shorter works are not entirely immune to this malady.
To write a novel is indeed a great challenge at a time when facts are so many and so much stranger than fiction. A good novelist should be able to discern the reality of our times without being too boring or depressing.