The World Played Chess by Robert Dugoni

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The World Played Chess

by Robert Dugoni

Published by Lake Union Publishing on September 14, 2021
Genres: Historical Military
Pages: 400
Format: Hardcover
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon

“A fearless and sensitive coming-of-age story. I loved it.” —Mark Sullivan, bestselling author of Beneath a Scarlet Sky and The Last Green Valley.
Bestselling author Robert Dugoni returns with an emotionally arresting follow-up to The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell.
In 1979, Vincent Bianco has just graduated high school. His only desire: collect a little beer money and enjoy his final summer before college. So he lands a job as a laborer on a construction crew. Working alongside two Vietnam vets, one suffering from PTSD, Vincent gets the education of a lifetime. Now forty years later, with his own son leaving for college, the lessons of that summer—Vincent’s last taste of innocence and first taste of real life—dramatically unfold in a novel about breaking away, shaping a life, and seeking one’s own destiny.

The World Played Chess by Robert Dugoni is a fantastic book about growing up and the effect we have on each other’s lives. It’s also about Vietnam and PTSD… so if you’re the sort of person that finds reading about war and death unpleasant, this book is not for you. I grew up with a Marine Father who enjoyed teaching me about history, and even though the subjects are complex, I find them important and valuable. The World Played Chess is well-written and thought-provoking, and I took a lot away from the book.

How one summer’s job can change the course of life for Vincent

Vietnam

Vietnam is a rough subject, and Dugoni’s book doesn’t sugarcoat it at all. The author writes in the Acknowledgements that the character of the Vietnam veteran William is based on his own experiences and an amalgamation of veteran’s stories he’s heard and read. The book runs through three timelines, William’s experiences in Vietnam via journal entries, about ten years after Vietnam when William meets recent high school graduate Vincent, and many years later when Vincent’s son is about to graduate. William’s honest, gut-wrenching journal entries on Vietnam are told side by side with the narrative of how it’s affecting him ten years later, and then later how William’s stories affect Vincent and the way he parents. It’s eye-opening to think about how the same sort of effect happens in your own life.

Lessons

While I usually prefer a story where I can connect with the Characters, The World Played Chess was more about the lessons for me. There were many beautifully written points about boyhood and becoming a responsible grown-up, as well as how to help your loved ones, even if it means just listening to them. There are also many passages about loss and coping and moving on. Most of these lessons can’t truly be learned out of a book, and even the author acknowledges that by having his characters learn the hard way.

Five Stars

I give The World Played Chess by Robert Dugoni FIVE STARS, and I really encourage anyone with an interest in history or parenting to pick this one up for themselves!

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The World Played Chess by Robert Dugoni.

Until the next time,

 

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