Born on the Fourth of July - Softcover

Kovic, Ron

Softcover

ISBN 10: 067173914X ISBN 13: 9780671739140

Publisher: Pocket, 1990

Synopsis

A former marine paralyzed from the chest down as a result of an injury suffered in Vietnam recalls his youth, battlefield experiences, and the agonies of his slow reentry into American society

About this title

From the Publisher

Kovic's powerful and moving new introduction to his New York Times bestselling book sets this classic antiwar story in a contemporary context.

From the Inside Flap

"Born on the Fourth of July brings back the era of the Vietnam War at a time when the Establishment is trying to make the nation forget what they call the "Vietnam syndrome." Ron Kovic's memoir is written with poetic passion and grips your attention from the very first page to the last. It is a classic of anti-war literature and I hope it will be read by large numbers of young people, who will be both sobered and inspired by his story. --HOWARD ZINN

"Ron Kovic is one of the premier voices of a generation. The large irony of his birthday provides the background for a journey which begins with the unquestioning service in Vietnam, his terrible wounding with all the anger and bitterness that follows, and ends with his passionate discovery of a large and all too human heart. I'll say this flat out: If you want to understand the everlasting reverberations of our war in Vietnam and how it impacts our current events, you must read this book." --LARRY HEINEMANN, author of Paco's Story, winner of the National Book Award

"There is no book more relevant in the 21st century to healing the wound of Vietnam, which continues to bring so much pain to our country, as reflected in the last presidential election. Ron Kovic is the kid who John Wayne sent to war -- though the actor, like so many others in the macho pantheon of American culture, never saw combat. The incredible thing about Ron is that he never lost his sense of humor nor his deeply felt outrage, which has made him an incredibly effective witness, determined that other young peoples’ bodies not be wasted, as was his. It remains to Kovic to remind us that history matters, and that the cost of our high follies persists." --ROBERT SCHEER, Los Angeles Times columnist, bestselling author

"As relevant as ever, this book is an education. Ron is a true American, and his great heart and hard-won wisdom shine through these pages." --OLIVER STONE, filmmaker

Edition details

• Publisher: Pocket
• Publication date: 1990
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 067173914X
• ISBN 13: 9780671739140
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 222