Born on the Fourth of July cover art

Born on the Fourth of July

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Born on the Fourth of July

By: Ron Kovic
Narrated by: Holter Graham, Bruce Springsteen - introduction
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About this listen

Kovic's powerful and moving New York Times best-selling book, now with a new introduction that sets this classic antiwar story in a contemporary context.

This New York Times best seller (more than one million copies sold) details the author's life story (portrayed by Tom Cruise in the Oliver Stone film version) - from a patriotic soldier in Vietnam, to his severe battlefield injury, to his role as the country's most outspoken anti-Vietnam War advocate, spreading his message from his wheelchair.

©1976, 2005, 2016 Ron Kovic (P)2016 Audible, Inc. Americas Historical Military Military & War Politics & Government United States Vietnam War War

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This it the quintessential anti was story, all the more poignant because it is true. Ron did not spare himself or us the horror of reliving the physical, psychological, and spiritual pain he endured in military hospitals, on the battle field upon discovering his patrol had killed and maimed children and old men, on the battlefield upon realising a comrade had been killed by friendly fire, and ultimately the gunshot wound that paralysed 3/4 of his body.
The book made me think of the WW1 war poets, decrying the waste of the that war to end all wars. The Vietnam War brought out the best and bravest, people who saw through the lies. I feel a nostalgia for that idealistic era. Where has it gone, America has bombed the Middle East and Afghanistan back to the Stone Age.
It is time for Ron’s story to be retold.

The Old Lie ( it is sweet and Noble to die for one’s country)

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This is obviously a very powerful and important book about the treatment of soldiers after Vietnam. I think it is especially important at the time it came out. However I’m not sure if it was moving or if it was any of a revelation to me. All the things he discussed were pretty much covered in other following media so it seemed like it wasn’t as shocking as i thought it’d be. However Ron’s story is interesting but could have been edited as there is some filler (which made me not totally root for him- but equally it’s brave of him to show the full capacity of what the war made him do and turned him into).
I’m glad I read it, but more happy to get to the end of it.

The narration was fantastic!

I really wanted to love it

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A hard hitting story of a marine's time in the Vietnam War, kept my interest for the 5 to 6 hrs , I fear anymore than that and I would have gave up on the book

hard-hitting

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