Tree of Smoke, Denis Johnson

Tree of Smoke–the name given to a "psy op" that might or might not be hypothetical and might or might not be officially sanctioned–is Denis Johnson's most gripping, visionary and ambitious work to date.

Set in south-east Asia and the US, and spanning two decades, it ostensibly tells the story of Skip Sands, a CIA spy who may or may not be engaged in psychological operations against the Viet Cong–but also takes the reader on a surreal yet vivid journey, dipping in and out of characters lives to reveal fundamental truths at the heart of the human condition.