Book · 2007 · Vietnam War, 1961-1975
Tree of Smoke
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- podcast
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Tree of Smoke, which is this large sprawling 700-page book set during the Vietnam War, and then all the way on the other end of the spectrum, you have Train Dreams, which is this short but extremely powerful book about this man's life, Robert Grainier.
The best things said about it
He won the national book award for his novel tree of smoke which was a big kind of sprawling Vietnam novel.
Why people recommend it
Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson is a massive, sprawling novel set during the Vietnam War that won the National Book Award for its unflinching portrayal of the conflict. The book was examined on The Book Review podcast in discussions surrounding the author's broader literary legacy. On the February 2026 episode Director Clint Bentley on Adapting 'Train Dreams' for the Big Screen, Gilbert Cruz described the work as a large, sprawling, seven-hundred-page novel set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, contrasting its vast scale with Johnson's shorter, more intimate works like Train Dreams. Earlier, on the July 2024 episode 'The Story of the Jews' Continues, guest Greg Cowles also brought up the novel, noting that Johnson had won the National Book Award for the sweeping epic. Across these podcast appearances, speakers used Tree of Smoke as a benchmark for Johnson's ambitious storytelling capabilities and his significant contributions to American war literature, highlighting its impressive length, thematic weight, and critical recognition within the literary establishment.
Every mention
Gilbert Cruz Tree of Smoke, which is this large sprawling 700-page book set during the Vietnam War, and then all the way… 1
“Tree of Smoke, which is this large sprawling 700-page book set during the Vietnam War, and then all the way on the other end of the spectrum, you have Train Dreams, which is this short but extremely powerful book about this man's life, Robert Grainier.”
Greg Cowles he won the national book award for his novel tree of smoke which was a big kind of sprawling Vietnam novel 1
“he won the national book award for his novel tree of smoke which was a big kind of sprawling Vietnam novel”
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“and then he won a national book award for his novel tree of smoke which I also read and it's kind of a prequel of sorts to Angels”