Super Short Summary

Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson follows Skip Sands, a newly minted CIA agent, as he navigates the complexities and horrors of the Vietnam War alongside other characters such as infantry private James Houston, his brother Bill, and Kathy Jones, an employee of a Canadian NGO. Events unfold between 1963 and 1970, with an epilogue set in 1983, illustrating the disarray and aftermath of the conflict. The story explores themes of culpability, violence, and chance through Sands's interactions with his uncle, a famous war hero, and various figures within Vietnam. The novel contains portrayals of war violence and loss.