Clear and Present Danger is a frightening novel. Clancy's research is, as usual, impressive, and the accounts of grotesque evil ring true, making the novel not for the faint of heart. It is full of ideas and social issues and offers many opportunities for discussion.

The most obvious approach to the novel would be to focus on the issues of drug abuse. Drug users in the United States fill a rich drug industry run by some of the world's most despicable human beings. How responsible are we Americans for the problems generated by the drug trade? Do Americans care about what their drug suppliers do to people?

Another tack to take would be to focus on law enforcement. Are Clancy's portraits of law enforcement people accurate? Would members of the Coast Guard be as frustrated by the evils they face as they are portrayed in the...