Book Review: Diverting the Buddha

Author Bob Swartzel explores the inner workings of Vietnam during American occupation in the novel Diverting the Buddha. The lives of four people, two Americans and two Vietnamese are followed as violent protests break out in the city of Hue when citizens battle the native and U.S. governments for the freedom to create a democracy.

Specialist David Blake is a young soldier highly regarded by his superior, Sergeant Anderson, who recruits him to gather information about another soldier whose inappropriate behavior has brought an unwanted spotlight on Andy. Blake complies with orders while also pursuing his personal interest in a young Vietnamese college student named Hong who is also the daughter of a preeminent professor at the university she attends. Against her parent's wishes, Hong participates in student run political events and contributes to the university newspaper by capturing the images of government and religious leaders in her drawings. Even though he warns his daughter against political participation, Tien allows himself to become a significant player in negotiations between a lead Buddhist monk and a representative of President Lyndon Johnson. Amid calls for democracy and free elections among the students, an American banker, Malcolm Noble, works on making deals for his company, Trans Asian Bank, under the critical, although distant, eye of his boss, Buddy Ray.

Diverting the Buddha is a complex story that combines what is known about the war in Vietnam with fictional details based on the author's real life experiences as a soldier during the war. Swartzel skillfully describes the country's physical landscape as well as the political situation. In the book, the onset of student protests occurs when a Vietnamese government official ousts a beloved general from service. Loose agreements are formed to encourage violent demonstrations that serve as a distraction for unseemly acts that are being spearheaded by the U.S. government. As the details of the ploy the Americans have conducted against the monks is revealed, one of the main characters is killed, others are harmed and also threatened.

This book is a must read for bibliophiles who are passionate about war time stories and government corruption plots with ends stitched tightly together by characters who are fully formed and multi-layered.