Happy 60th Ron Kovic

BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY

It ain't just a book title. The author, anti-war activist Ron Kovic, was born 60 years ago today, on July 4, 1946. Reading his book and meeting the man inspired Springsteen's work with the Vietnam Veterans movement, as well as songs like "Born in the U.S.A." and "Shut Out the Light". It also inspired trhe Oliver Stone / Tom Cruise movie of the same name. Born on the Fourth of July has been reissued in a new edition by Akashic Books, with a powerful new introduction Kovic wrote in 2005. Highly recommended.

This mans story and life path since his return from Vietnam says as much today about the futility of war and the lack of understanding of its effect on solidiers by the general public than it did 35 years ago.

Happy 60th, Ron