The Top 20 Questions at the recent book club devoted to “Steel Rain, the ’68 Tet Offensive”
1. What do you feel was the most emotional event in the book? Why did it affect you so deeply?
2. Why did the author include so many stories that were really funny?
3. Which character in the book would you most like to meet?
3. Why are the two stories so different, “The Day the Smith Died” and “Cone of Violence”?
4. What do you think motivated the author to share his story?
5. How did you respond to the author’s “voice”?
6. Do you think the author is trying to elicit a certain response from the reader, such as sympathy? How has this book changed or enhanced your view of the Vietnam War?
7. Discuss the book’s structure and the author’s use of language and writing style. How does the author draw the reader in and keep the reader engaged? Does the author convey his or her story with comedy, self-pity, or something else?
8. Compare this book to other memoirs your group has read. Is it similar to any of them? Did you like it more or less than other books you’ve read? What do you think will be your lasting impression of the book?
9. Were you glad you read this book? Would you recommend it to a friend? Do you want to read more works by this author?
10. Discuss the character’s relationship with the military. Do they enjoy being part of the military, or does their attitude toward the military change through the book?
11. How does the military training affect the character’s ability to survive or succeed in their mission?
12. How accurate do you think the book’s depictions of the military were. If there were mistakes or inaccuracies, what were they?
13. What surprised you the most when you read the book?
14. What motivated the main character to act the way he did? Why didn’t he identify Smith?
15. Does the book’s setting contribute to the book? Would you like to visit Vietnam?
16. Does the main character change throughout the book?
17. What is the turning point of this book? What was your reaction to that pivotal moment?
18. Whose point of view was the book told from? How did the narrator’s opinions affect the book?
19. What was your favorite or most memorable passage in the book? Why did it make an impression?
20. What type of writing style does this book use? How does that affect your interpretation or impression of the book?
I was surprised by how much fun the book club was. it was a great group, all women usually but several of their husbands elected to come to this meeting. Great discussion of the book’s emphasis on what the soldiers were doing rather than the usual political discussion of the Vietnam War. Steel Rain, the ’68 Tet Offensivel
Let me know if I can come by to your group to talk about Steel Rain
My new book, Steel Rain, the Tet Offensive is available on Amazon both as a paperback and on Kindle. Please give it a look. See; Steel Rain, the Tet Offensive 1968
Recent Reviews of Steel Rain, the Tet Offensive:
“John Harrison does an eloquent job writing what it was like being in the infantry during the Vietnam war. I know, I was in the infantry in Vietnam. There is a statistic which states that only 1 out of 10 who served in Vietnam were in the infantry. All of us have been asked what that was like at one point since our return. It is an impossible question for most of us to answer in part much less in full. John Harrison manages to do this in his book, Steel Rain, the Tet Offensive. So, if you are inclined and wonder what it was like, or you want to tell someone else what you went through, buy this book. Show it to your friend. It tells that story. To, “LT” John Harrison- thank you Sir.Salute.”
“John Harrison’s book, Steel Rain, the Tet Offensive,
is a series of short stories, told mostly in the first person, that
weaves together the humor and violence that only a talented writer can
accomplish. The result is a compelling book that is hard to put down.
John’s words flow easily on the pages, making an easy read. I highly
recommend this book to anyone that has been there and did that, or
anyone wanting to know a personal record of one lucky Lieutenant in
Vietnam and the people that made it possible for him to return home.
Dan Hertlein, helicopter mechanic with the 192nd AHC at LZ Betty 1968″
“John is the soldier speaking the truest story of Vietnam. I will confirm his action as I was in a different company same battalion, fighting the same battles.”
JohnEHarrison 