Blinded by the Smoke

Blinded by the Smoke by Linda Stefko is a cautionary tale spotlighting the turmoil of the late 1960's and its effect on middle-class American youth. The story of Sharon Quinn, her friends, and family, focuses on love, commitment, and friendship. The novel offers strong messages concerning alcoholism, college fraternity hazing, and the Vietnam War. In 1969, Sharon is a sophomore at a small fictional college in western Pennsylvania. After her boyfriend, Jerry, leaves for a tour of duty in Vietnam, she searches for the true meaning of commitment. Her devotion is challenged by the charms of a campus romeo, who adds chaos and adventure into her life. Sharon and her friends test boundaries when exposed to the campus party culture common at the time. Some suffer for it. Their lives are intertwined with the popular culture and music of the time, which raises questions. Was an entire generation led by the pied pipers of rock n roll? Did they find meaning in their religion of music and a philosophy of life in the Top 40?