'The world played chess while I played checkers' is an old adage that expresses how we often know so little of the complex 'game' of life that we are not even playing in the same game. I also saw it as a comment on war, where old men send boys off to fight in wars for which only they, the politicians and generals, can see the purpose and understand the strategy. Can we NOW be done with war?? Please?

Three young men, each seen at the critical moment when one goes from being a boy to being a man, but in such different ways:
William Goodman--1968--off to fight in the Vietnam War;
Vincent Bianco--1979--working construction that summer to earn money for college where he meets William and hears stories of the young man's war experiences;
Beau Bianco--2015--finishing high school with plans for college, but perhaps just now learning what is really important in life.

The center and unifying character of the story is Vincent Bianco, the father of Beau. Vincent receives an unexpected package in the mail containing the journal William Goodman kept during his tour of duty in Vietnam nearly 50 years ago and while Vincent reads, he flashes back to that summer when the two worked construction together and he listened to William's stories. Vincent is also dealing with his son Beau's coming of age, trying to help him make wise choices.

Dugoni says he wanted to create an authentic Vietnam war experience in William's story and I think he has certainly done that. We have several friends who fought in that war but they tend not to say much about their experiences, so much of what we think we know comes from books such as this and movies. I agree whole-heartedly with William's saying: 'Old age is a privilege; not a right.' A privilege that not everyone is given.

I received an arc of this new standalone novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity. Great cover art, btw!

Another excellent book by this author that was very emotional to read told from 2 different perspectives and 3 different times. It is hard to imagine to be involved in the Vietnam war and the toll that it took on so many, but Dugoni described it so well.
I have read most of his books and am always excited when a new book is released. My all time favorite is The extraordinary life of Sam Hell, but have also enjoyed The Traci Crosswhite series.

This is my second Dugoni book and I absolutely loved my first, Sam Hell. The World Played Chess is a story that features 3 timelines and 2 POVs, all timelines with characters coming of age at 18 years old. William is a Vietnam Vet with PTSD and his story is told through a journal from 1967, as well as from his friendship with Vincent in 1979. Later in time we meet Beau, Vincent's son, in 2016. I was drawn into the story and felt deeply for all of these characters. I also connected with the weave throughout the book of growing up Catholic and how that played a part in all of their lives. I did have a tiny bit of trouble at times transitioning from one timeline to the next but I still enjoyed the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an early release copy of The World Played Chess in exchange for my honest opinion. It will be available on 9/28/2021.

I’d like to thank Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The World Played Chess’ by Robert Dugoni in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

In 1979 Vincent Bianco leaves high school and while saving to pay for college he starts work as a labourer where he meets fellow-worker, William Goodman. Vincent leans of when he was a war photographer with the US Marines and how during that time William wrote a diary in a black hardcover notebook of his experiences that he kept in a metal Tiger Chewing Tobacco tin. Many years later Vincent receives a manilla envelope containing William’s journal asking him to read it in the order it was written as he wants someone to read it and doesn’t feel he can pass it on to his daughter. Reading this journal takes Vincent the next two years as he gradually learns what it was that made William the man he was.

‘The World Played Chess’ is a gruelling account of a completely unnecessary war where there would never be any winners, only losers, and where an 18-year-old boy with a joy for life returns nearly two years later with PTSD and memories that would irrevocably change his life. Two thought-provoking comments have stuck in my mind, that of ‘Growing old is a privilege, not a right’ and ‘Dying is hardest on the living’ leaving me unable to forget them and giving me a complete understand of what they meant. I became deeply involved in William’s experiences, his connection to Vincent and son Beau growing from boyhood into a man. By the time I reached the final chapters I was sobbing at how many lives are wasted by war and wondering when the Governments of the world will learn that war doesn’t pay, it just destroys. Thank you, Robert Dugoni and Lake Union Publishing, for allowing me to read this masterpiece that won’t be forgotten for a long time.

Amazing story of growing up and living each day as a gift. Told from two perspectives and three different eras, we see three young men learning what it means to be men. As a ‘68 grad and UCLA alum, the Viet Nam conflict played an integral part in my life with friends lost and trust in the country’s leaders lost. We dealt with it in so many ways.

The novel centers around Vincent and William. Vincent meets William as a teenager while working a summer construction job, and forms a friendship with William, who is a Vietnam vet suffering from PTSD. The book flips back and forth between Vincent’s perspective as a teenager working alongside William, and as an adult navigating parenthood raising a teenage son and reading journals William left him detailing his experience in Vietnam.

Dugoni has done an exceptional job of presenting the lives of both men at different moments in time and bringing to life the horrors of war and all the complications it brings. It also showcases how powerful relationships are and the impact someone can have on your life (and changing your life) even if the interaction is limited (ie one summer in your lifetime). This is a novel I have continued to think about long after I have finished reading it which for me is a sign of a must read.

As always, Mr. Dugoni does an amazing job of telling a story. I liked the symmetry of focusing the story on three different men, all while they were 17-18 years old but at different times in history. Vincent was the central character that everything revolved around. He was 18 when he met William, a Vietnam War vet who was suffering from PTSD. Then later when Vincent's son is 18, William sends Vincent his journal from the War. For me, it was more the subject of the story that I was not excited about. I didn't want to read about the War. I wanted to read about the relationships between the characters. I found myself struggling to transition between the three timelines and felt the most at home during the one where Vincent was a teen and getting to know William. While I know many readers will appreciate the whole of the story more than I did, I would have been happy to settle in that middle timeline with references back to William's past through his conversations with Vincent.

Loved this book. I enjoyed each of the characters as they were each emotional and relatable. The book enabled me to feel as though I had a clear visual of Vietnam and the war. I cannot grasp what these young men and women must have endured during their military time there! Very well written and I can’t wait to read Mr. Dugoni’s next book.

The World Played Chess is a powerful thought provoking story of coming of age for three young 18 year old boys.

Coming of age is almost an understatement as they stumble and fall and get up on the way to becoming their own person.

It is the story of William a Viet Nam War Vet, of William an attorney and of his son Beau who learns life's lessons the hard way as we are apt to do.

I laughed with them, I cried with them and I emphasized with all 3 .

The book was so well written, I felt I was in Viet Nam observing the horrors of that war. I was with Vincent as he learned what was right and what was wrong and how he raised two strong children.

I don't re read many books but I certainly will re read The World Played Chess and my hard copy will set next to my other favourite book The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an extraordinary read that will stay with me for a very long time.

I love reading books that are a little different but still well written and this book was both. I've heard really good things about Robert Dugoni and this book did not disappoint. The story and characters were easy to fall in love with and I didn't want to put it down.

Robert Dugoni is a brilliant writer. I am a fan of his Tracy Crosswhite series as well as the series employing the character Charles Jenkins. The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell rocked me to my core. Dugoni has upped his game once again with The World Played Chess. Told in rotating chapters by three men, the style is honest and allows for revelation of each personality.

Where to start, how to explain how this book pierced my heart on so many pages. The connection was easy. I was of the Vietnam War era. Friends were drafted, goodbyes were said and prayers offered, so many prayers, that I would see my friends again. I have first hand knowledge of what was written in this book. It took me back to that horrible, conflicted time and then allowed me the time to reflect as tears flowed.

“Growing old is a privilege, not a right.”

“You can’t expect to be treated as a man if you act like a child.”

“Growing old is a privilege, not a right.”

“He taught me not to waste the opportunities I had, because so many young men never had a chance at them, never had the chance to grow old.

“Growing old is a privilege, not a right.”

“It scares me how matter-of-fact they are about death, guys still in their early twenties…to know the drill so well. To not even flinch.”

“Growing old is a privilege, not a right.”

“You give boys guns and vests, throw them into general chaos and hope for the best.”

“Growing old is a privilege, not a right.”

This is the repeated mantra from beginning to end.

Reading from William Goodman’s Journal, Vincent Bianco remembers the stories and reflects upon some of the hard learned lessons which were a part of the summer before he entered college. The parallels to Vincent’s son, Beau, while interesting were enlightening to a lesser extent.

This is a story written for a young man who has no idea that “The world is playing chess and you’re playing checkers.” He has so much to learn and despite his fallacies he is blessed with a teacher tenured in some of life’s hardest lessons. This is “the story of William, of Vietnam and the summer of 1979.”

“May we never forget, so we never again have to experience it”

Thank you Robert Dugoni for another incredible book and to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy

A War to Talk About

First and foremost, I am a big fan of the author, Robert Dugoni and his Tracey Crosswhite series. So I knew I was in for a great read when I was approved for this ARC. What I hadn’t realized is how fantastic of a book it was going to be. I have known veterans who fought in the Vietnam War, of course not much has been discussed in the way of the actual war, but I’ve seen the way war still follows them. My husband is a combat vet of Iraq and Afghanistan, and the honesty of PTSD is refreshing in here. I’m thankful that Dugoni gave every symptom a story and a way to maybe help others who are struggling too.
I also love the way that life intertwines between being a young adult and then a parent of young adults. The contrast between the two stages really drives the stories forward. Truly an excellent read!

The World Played Chess by Robert Dugoni is a beautifully written story about Vincent and William coming of age in different eras. Vincent meets William, a Vietnam vet, in 1979 while working construction after high school graduation. In 2015, William, now with an 18 year old son, receives a tour of duty journal documenting William’s Marine experience beginning in 1967. The lessons learned and perspective gained through this unlikely friendship will stay with me. If you enjoyed To Kill a Mockingbird, Ordinary Grace, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, or A Prayer for Owen Meany, you will enjoy this tale of faith, friendship, and responsibility.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

4.25 STARS

A few years back, I discovered author, Robert Dugoni, when I fell in love with his Tracy Crosswhite series. Since then, I have discovered other gems that he has written, proving himself to be quite the consummate storyteller. While “The World Played Chess” is uniquely different from the other books he has written, it is another gem, nonetheless.

Set against a Vietnam War backdrop and switching between multiple time frames, “The World Played Chess” is a provoking, heart-felt coming-of-age story chronicling the lives of three young men of differing generations and experiences. Despite the exquisitely profound words of wisdom and thought-provoking writing, as a woman, I felt a bit limited in my overall ability to relate to the characters and their experiences. That being said, however, this author was able to tap into a myriad of emotions that truly pulled at my heartstrings.

“The world plays chess, while I play checkers.”

A coming of age novel focused around three young men as they learn difficult life lessons while experiencing war, trauma, grief and hard work. William has just turned 18 and is off to war in 1967, where he journals his harrowing experience. Vincent, who is 18 in 1979, takes a job on a construction crew for the summer. He meets William and Todd, Vietnam veterans and William shares heartbreaking and powerful war stories. Beau, Vincent’s son, a senior in high school in 2016, is deciding where to attend college and whether to continue playing football. Their stories all weave together to create an unforgettable story.

Another great stand alone novel by Robert Dugoni! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital arc of this novel that releases on September 14, 2021.

I'm happiest reading a book when the story is completely different than any book I've ever read before. As an avid reader of new fiction that doesn't happen too often but it did with this book. I was intrigued from the opening onward. I loved the conversations and banter between characters - especially between William and his wife. The war scenes are difficult to read with the author's attention to detail making them feel very close and real. I did find some parts of the book a tad redundant but I definitely still recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Robert Dugoni is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. I have yet to read a dud by him and The World Played Chess is up there with his best.

Told in three different timelines, one during the Vietnam war, one 10 years later in the 70s and one in the mid 2010s, it’s the story of three different young men turning 18 but to me it was more about the first two and their relationship.

Harrowing in parts, this will have you crying, laughing, rooting for the characters and totally engrossed in the story.

There are large passages that are a soldiers journal from his time in Vietnam and even if you have no interest in the war or reading about it I guarantee you will enjoy it.

The character development here, story telling and story structure are just damn perfect. One of those books that you don’t want to end, and easy 5 stars for me.

Done miss this one.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

This is a very good coming of age story - well, actually 3 stories across the late 60's, late 70's, and 2000's, woven together beautifully to show the impacts of one person's life across the decades, and how casual advice made such a difference.

The main character is an attorney who always wanted to be an author, but was afraid to pursue his passion. The focus starts as the summer between his high school and college years, as he worries about losing his high school identity and friends. He gets a job working construction, where he encounters a couple older guys that take him under his wing - both Vietnam vets. One of them starts telling him some stories from Nam - which becomes the second major story line of this book. These come together as the main character is an adult, with a teenage son of his own, and how the words of the Vietnam vet prove to be valuable in helping the son negotiate that same changing season in his life.

As always, Robert Dugoni does a great job of developing the characters. Nobody is purely good or purely bad, but the reader learns to love them all for who they are. There are very difficult situations - sometimes hard to keep reading because of the events (as one might expect from a book that touches on the Vietnam War), and there are moments of joy. It is a pleasure to learn how all three of the main individuals (Vincent, William, and Beau) grow and mature throughout hte book.

I highly recommend this book for anybody who has a son approaching that magic age of 18, or a reader who enjoys reading coming of age stories. I have never served in the military so I can't vouch for the realism of the war stories, but they appear to be realistic based on other Vietnam books I have read such as "The things they carried".

I was honored to receive this book as an ARC - my thanks to #NetGalley, #RobertDugoni, and #LakeUnionPublishing, while Mr. Dugoni is one of my favorite authors, the review of this book stands on its own and is purely my own opinion.

#TheWorldPlayedChess

I received this advanced copy as a member of the Peloton Moms Book Club. Historical fiction is not usually the first genre I reach for to read. I can safely say this book, is 5+ stars “in my book.” The books transitions from past to present, but it flows really well. The characters are well developed and while this touched on a hard subject in history I’m proud of the author for writing about this. He mentioned at the end of the book he did not have first hand experience, but consulted with those who did. I am thankful for the opportunity to read this book! And as soon as it’s available go get your copy!!!!

A thoughtful novel about three young men at the age of 18- in 1967. 1979. and 2015. Vincent pulls together two threads- that of William who went to Vietnam in 1967 and that of his own son Beau in 2015. He met William while doing construction work in 1979 but it's not until much later, when he receives and reads William's journal, that he better understands his friend and what war did to him. It's well written and emotional. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.