Customer Reviews

Smoky Joe's Cafe

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was thrilled when I found a book my favorite author on a trip to England as his work is difficult to find in the States. Have to admit that it was not on par with any of his others that I've read, and I think I've read them all. Can't recommend this one. Try one of his others.

I'm glad I read this book. Wish I had read it 20 years ago, I might have understood more the problems some of the vets were having.

As all fiction is based on fact this is a great story. We all know now and even then that agent orange killed more that foliage and the enemy. Its heavy toll came later sadly to many and generations yet to come. This is a great read from the Aussie point of view but as close to the American situation as it could be. Going back in time I would hope all that treated any vet badly can now see what they did and seek forgivness of all of them. This book told the facts and I would suggest everyone of any age read it and understand factual history.

I have read many of Bryce Courtenay's book and enjoyed all of them, except this one. This book had a good story line, a part of Australian history, like elsewhere in the world, which the majority of the community tried to forget. Only now are they starting to get the proper recognition that they deserve like the many Australian soldiers who have died before and after them in the service of their nation. This group is the Vietnam Vets.

And maybe that is why I am critical of this book. The storyline is there and so much could have been done with it, but it feels that Bryce wrote this story because he felt that the plight of the Vets needed to be told but it appears that he did not put 100% effort into this book. I rate Bryce's work highly. I just wished that he fleshed this story out more instead of the light fluffy story which brushes over the issues without feeling.

I thought this was a truly unique story. and do not understand the one/two star reviews. I truly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it. Unfortunately, it does not seem to be readily available; this is discouraging. I am very familiar with events,chronology of the vietnam war etc; ..yet the Australian participation was much more than i thought. I thought the aussies were more of a special forces type small unit; i did not know they sent draftees into very intense combat. All this and more i learned in this book.. If you are interested in the vietnam war and are looking for a real good aussie story get this one.

great

received in good order and condition

adds to my collection of byrce courtney books

thank you very much

judy

Smoky Joe's Café by Bryce Courtney in brief is a story about a Vietnam vet that has to raise marijuana in order to save his young daughter from cancer. The language is full of Australian slang making it a flavorful read. Interesting in relation to this particular war because I had no idea that Australia contributed. It portrays a character that is troubled by the fact that he could never have the respect of his fellow countrymen mixed with a post stress trauma disorder making his story tragic as well as sorrowful. He does not have the opportunity to achieve anything other than this `grow operation'. His wife seems to stick by him through it all and claims to be a vet herself. I think that this is interesting because she claims to have the experience of a vet and yet not have had to actually go to Vietnam. Vicariously achieving some kind of experience is a greater point that I think is trying to be achieved in this story. Something perhaps that people that read this book might get out of it.

Certainly not up there with the other great Courtney books, such as Jessica. Smokey Joe's Cafe, after reading it a year ago, does not stand out in my mind. A small and quick reading book set in a small rural town in Australia. Thommo, the main character, lives a depressed life, riddled with physcial and mental problems, reminents of the Vietnam war. He runs the local cafe with his wife and daughter. I do not recall how, but Thommo is reunited with his old 'Nam buddies and discoveres that they are all a bunch of old washed up misfits, drifting through life. It takes Thommo's little girl to get cancer, to kick these old boys into shape and fight for a good cause. The stories and plotting are all conducted in Thommo's little cafe. They need to raise money and awareness for the girl to travel and get treatment in the big city. They resort to growing contrabands in a hidden location and then distrubiting it through whatever means and connections they have, including bicycle gangs. In the end they get a lot more then these 'hardened' men bargained for.

This was a book about Australian Vietnam Vets who get together after several years to discuss their shared horrors, failures, and medical problems. They decide to do something about it, as a unit. The rest is a story that makes you think about how far your frustrations with government inaction on a variety of issues might take you, and what your action would be.

Good novel.

This was a great story about a Australian Vietnam vet and his family and friends.