Thank You for Smoking

What role does Reverand Griggs play in the novel? How does Buckley’s portrayal of Griggs reflect his portrayal of religion broadly?

Explain the significance of Polly, Bobby Jay, and Nick referring to themselves as the Mod Squad. Do any of the three display signs that they consider their lobbying work unethical or criminal?

Lung cancer and heart disease are the illnesses most often associated with tobacco use. How do characters experiencing these illnesses in the novel perceive their illnesses’ connection to smoking? Do they express emotions such as regret or denial?

The Captain warmly remarks that Nick reminds him of himself when he was younger. Why might Nick have both positive and negative reactions to the comparison? Is there truth in the Captain’s implication that the two characters are similar?

How do streaming services and theaters deal with smoking in movies and serial TV programs today? Can you give an example of a character smoking on screen in a program or movie produced recently? If so, what did smoking suggest about that character? How can a character on screen make smoking seem either desirable or undesirable?

Buckley examines, and satirizes, multiple powerful people and institutions throughout the narrative. Which person or entity has the most power in the narrative? How does that subject perceive and wield that power?

Which of the manipulative techniques that Nick uses to push back against the preponderance of scientific evidence about tobacco use is most effective within the narrative? Which are the least effective?

Why did Nick choose to plead guilty to faking his own kidnapping when he was not guilty? What made him say that he deserved to do prison time despite his innocence?