The World Played Chess

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• War literature is a rich and extensive genre. Vietnam war literature from an American perspective includes books like The Women, The Things They Carried, and Watchmen. Books about the conflict from a Vietnamese perspective include The Sympathizer, Dust Child, and The Sorrow of War. How does this novel compare to others in its genre? Does it offer more or less nuance than other books from an American perspective?
• Though Vincent tries to reunite with William in the 2010s, they just miss each other. Why do you think the author made the choice not to have them reunite in person?
• Were any parts of the book, particularly the wartime violence, difficult to read? Why? Did anything about William’s depiction of the war and Vincent’s reactions surprise you?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• What did you know about the Vietnam War before reading this book? Has your perspective on the war changed after finishing it?
• Two years after initially receiving William’s journal, Vincent finds out about a terrible action William committed in the war, which he spent his entire life recovering from. If you were Vincent, how would you receive this news? Can William be forgiven, do you think this action irredeemable, or would your reaction be more complicated than that?
• Vincent learns important life lessons through his interactions with William, someone from another generation, rather than his peers. Do you have an elder in your life who was vital to your growth? How does their aid compare with how William helps Vincent?
• Vincent is the character who is both shaped by older generations (William), and must consider how he can best use his life and wisdom to shape future generations (like his son, Beau). How do you think about your role in shaping future generations (whether or not you have children)? What types of lessons do you want to leave behind?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• Through William’s diary, it is revealed that in 1968, he became disillusioned with the American narrative about the war. What is this “narrative” that he grows disillusioned by? How does the popular American narrative about Vietnam stack up with reality as it is experienced by William?
• How is Vietnam “othered” in this text? What is the effect of this othering, within the text itself? Do you think this othering presents any potential dangers or negative effects that the readers of the book should be aware of?
• How is PTSD represented throughout this story? Compare this representation with reliable medical sources about PTSD, particularly in veterans. Do you think this representation is helpful and accurate?
• How do Vincent’s actions before meeting William represent traditional and outdated types of gendered socialization for boys? What about traditional masculinity does Vincent unlearn after meeting William? What cues this unlearning?

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• The story unfolds across three timelines: 1) Vincent and William’s meeting in 1979, 2) Vincent’s adulthood when he has his own son, and 3) the story of William’s time in Vietnam in 1968, told in his diary, which Vincent is reading in his adult timeline. What is added to the book through this three-timeline structure? What would be taken away if any of these timelines weren’t included?
• How does the topic of trauma shape the character growth of William, Vincent, and Beau, and how are the traumas and character development of these three characters related? Why, for instance, does learning about William’s wartime violence paradoxically cause Vincent to reject youthful displays of aggressive masculinity?
• How does the symbol of William’s journal (and what Vincent finds out is not included in the journal) explain the larger idea of an unreliable narrator? Why might a character be an unreliable narrator? Are there any other unreliable narrators throughout this text?
• In terms of theme and character development, why do you think the novel includes the details about Beau’s friend Chris being killed in a drunk driving accident? Why is this important for the novel as a whole?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• Despite his disillusionment, William knows he has to banish his morals and conscience to stay alive. With the privilege of hindsight, which William did not have, do you think this is true? Imagine potential pathways William might have taken to abide by his moral compass. Consider bringing in stories of real American soldiers who openly defied the American narrative about the conflict.
• This novel follows several different characters at several different points in their life. If this novel were being adapted into a film, who would you cast as teenage Vincent and adult Vincent? What about young William and older William?

Need more inspiration for your next meeting? Browse all of our Book Club Resources.