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Born on the Fourth of July
Cultural Writing. This New York Times bestseller details the author's life story (portrayed by Tom Cruise in the Oliver Stone film)--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. Ron Kovic served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War. He was paralyzed from his chest down in combat in 1968 and has been in a wheelchair ever since. Kovic's powerful and moving new introduction sets this classic antiwar story in a contemporary context.
216 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
About the author
Ron Kovic
10 books49 followersRon Kovic served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War and wrote Born on the Fourth of July based on his experiences as a Marine and his subsequent activism.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 261 reviews
May 2, 2021
I have to admit: this was a pretty painful to read. Ron Kovic's story is troubling and hard to believe it actually happened. The book goes back and forth between first-person perspective and third-person narrative. Ron Kovic gives the story of his life as a patriotic All-American youth, enlisting in the US Marine Corps with dreams of preserving the American way of life, serving horrific combat duty in Vietnam, and the shocking account living as a paralyzed veteran in 1970s America.
Ron Kovic was able to articulate exactly how he felt throughout the book. He gives the reader a first-hand glimpse of his hardships of being paralyzed, his emotional highs and lows, dealing with the subpar healthcare system in the VA hospital network, and eventually becoming an outspoken member against the war in Vietnam.
I felt post-traumatic growth was a huge protective factor in his life. Throughout the book, no matter how bad things got, Ron Kovic was always telling himself things like "I gotta get through this" and "I'm going to survive no matter what". His mental resilience kept him from developing unhealthy coping mechanisms and spiraling downward to the point of no-return. It was troubling to read about the thousands of Vietnam veterans who returned damaged and broken, only to be discarded as trash by the government.
Overall this was a great read because of the reality-based narrative. The story is well put together, is insightful, and heartbreaking at the same time. I would recommend it. Thanks!
February 4, 2017
This was a difficult, almost painful book to read.
Ron Kovic was a United States Marine who did two tours of duty in Vietnam and then was tragically wounded, becoming paralyzed from the chest down for the rest of his life. Kovic delivers a powerful message about war and our government.
Kovic’s 1976 novel describes his wounding in Vietnam and his dreadful time after that in VA hospitals. Kovic was also born on the fourth of July and grew up living the 1950s American dream with baseball and astronauts. His disillusionment and anger is understandable and his protests against the Nixon administration was inspiring.
This reminded me somewhat of Elie Wiesel’s Night in that it describes such a nightmarish experience. As horrible as Kovic’s descriptions were, like Night, I felt like it was important to read, to honor his story and to recognize that the lessons he imparts, from experience, needs to be told.
Ron Kovic was a United States Marine who did two tours of duty in Vietnam and then was tragically wounded, becoming paralyzed from the chest down for the rest of his life. Kovic delivers a powerful message about war and our government.
Kovic’s 1976 novel describes his wounding in Vietnam and his dreadful time after that in VA hospitals. Kovic was also born on the fourth of July and grew up living the 1950s American dream with baseball and astronauts. His disillusionment and anger is understandable and his protests against the Nixon administration was inspiring.
This reminded me somewhat of Elie Wiesel’s Night in that it describes such a nightmarish experience. As horrible as Kovic’s descriptions were, like Night, I felt like it was important to read, to honor his story and to recognize that the lessons he imparts, from experience, needs to be told.
January 15, 2018
I knew Ron Kovic personally. He used to frequent the restaurant I worked at so much so that there was a dish on the menu named after him. Every dish on the menu was named after an author. Ron liked to have a steak with cottage cheese and fruit, so that was his dish. He would come to the restaurant and say to me, "I'll have me." He was very kind and funny and even flirty. He gave me the copy of his book, autographed, with his calling card tucked into it, which I still have. It's a great book, as well as a personal treasure of mine.
March 14, 2009
I saw the Oliver Stone/Tom Cruise movie version, which was decent. The book looks short and reads fast. This true-life expose starts with some splendid impressions of being wounded and confused on the battlefield in Vietnam. Am reading with intense interest...
OK, getting close to the halfway point now and this book is quite sensational, really. From the confusion and hell of war it segues into the hellishness of immobility, impotence, dependence, loneliness in the VA hospital then to an intensely familiar and sweetly nostalgic section of reminiscences about growing up in the paradise of suburbia USA in the 1950s --- a period during which the pervasive nationalistic propaganda seeped into Kovic from seemingly every source --- and on to the marine recruiting office in 1964 and off to the mercilessness of boot camp. The parts in which Kovic fights zits and shyness with girls and seeks relief from his sexual urges and builds himself athletically are heartfelt and vivid. This is a beautiful memoir. Simply stated and perfectly so.
Reading on...
OK, just finished and am kind of speechless; tears running down my face. Such a sad story about a guy who grew up believing in doing the right thing by his country, an All-American boy, and realizing, too late, the betrayal that leads generation after generation into pointless sacrifice. He sacrificed his dick for his country. That's one way he puts it. The book is perfectly structured; stirring in its emotion, logical in its argument. There's a lot I can say, but will leave it there. It's almost like making a long speech at a graveyard, words become petty. This is one of my favorites, I think.
OK, getting close to the halfway point now and this book is quite sensational, really. From the confusion and hell of war it segues into the hellishness of immobility, impotence, dependence, loneliness in the VA hospital then to an intensely familiar and sweetly nostalgic section of reminiscences about growing up in the paradise of suburbia USA in the 1950s --- a period during which the pervasive nationalistic propaganda seeped into Kovic from seemingly every source --- and on to the marine recruiting office in 1964 and off to the mercilessness of boot camp. The parts in which Kovic fights zits and shyness with girls and seeks relief from his sexual urges and builds himself athletically are heartfelt and vivid. This is a beautiful memoir. Simply stated and perfectly so.
Reading on...
OK, just finished and am kind of speechless; tears running down my face. Such a sad story about a guy who grew up believing in doing the right thing by his country, an All-American boy, and realizing, too late, the betrayal that leads generation after generation into pointless sacrifice. He sacrificed his dick for his country. That's one way he puts it. The book is perfectly structured; stirring in its emotion, logical in its argument. There's a lot I can say, but will leave it there. It's almost like making a long speech at a graveyard, words become petty. This is one of my favorites, I think.
January 8, 2023
"Believin' all the lies that they're tellin' ya
Buyin' all the products that they're sellin' ya
They say, "Jump" and you say, "How high?"
You brain-dead, you got a fuckin' bullet in your head."
Bullet in the Head, Rage Against the Machine, 1992
Buyin' all the products that they're sellin' ya
They say, "Jump" and you say, "How high?"
You brain-dead, you got a fuckin' bullet in your head."
Bullet in the Head, Rage Against the Machine, 1992
Want to read
April 26, 2020Movie review
This is part 2 of director Oliver Stone's Vietnam War trilogy.The first one is Platoon and the third is Heaven and Earth.
The film is based on the autobiography of Vietnam veteran,Ron Kovic,who was born on the fourth of July,America's independence day.
He joined the military straight out of school,being very enthusiastic about the Vietnam War.But once he got there,reality began to sink in.
He was among the soldiers who killed a group of Vietnamese civilians,thinking they were enemy combatants.Then,he was involved in the mistaken killing of a US soldier.
Finally,he was wounded and sent home.Given a parade on his return in his hometown,he was confined to a wheelchair for life.Tom Cruise gives one of his finest performances as he vents his frustration at being paralysed.
Director Oliver Stone was himself a Vietnam veteran.Ron Kovic would eventually become an antiwar activist.
The film won an Oscar for best director and was a commercial success,too.
4 stars for the film.
This is part 2 of director Oliver Stone's Vietnam War trilogy.The first one is Platoon and the third is Heaven and Earth.
The film is based on the autobiography of Vietnam veteran,Ron Kovic,who was born on the fourth of July,America's independence day.
He joined the military straight out of school,being very enthusiastic about the Vietnam War.But once he got there,reality began to sink in.
He was among the soldiers who killed a group of Vietnamese civilians,thinking they were enemy combatants.Then,he was involved in the mistaken killing of a US soldier.
Finally,he was wounded and sent home.Given a parade on his return in his hometown,he was confined to a wheelchair for life.Tom Cruise gives one of his finest performances as he vents his frustration at being paralysed.
Director Oliver Stone was himself a Vietnam veteran.Ron Kovic would eventually become an antiwar activist.
The film won an Oscar for best director and was a commercial success,too.
4 stars for the film.
March 3, 2024
Ron Kovic was the all-American kid, born on July 4th,an athlete in school who always dreamed of being a hero for his country like he'd seen in the movies. Kovic joins the US Marines making the rank of Sergeant and is sent to Vietnam where serves two tours. During his second tour in Vietnam, Kovic suffers terrible injuries that leaves him paralyzed from the chest down.
On his return to the United States to a VA hospital Kovic finds himself thrown into a system that didn't seem to care all that much for the young men, who had sacrificed their minds and bodies, in service for their country. Kovic very graphically describes the indignities he suffered at the VA hospital, whether it was lazy aides who left him in a puddle of his own urine, or other staff who refused to respond to these broken men when they needed their medication or a change of bedding. Kovic turns from the all-American boy who loved God and country to an activist who found himself reviled and rejected by his fellow citizens for pointing out the terrible treatment injured veterans were receiving -- being spat on, called a "communist" and a traitor by people who didn't end up serving themselves. Kovic brought a lot of attention to VA hospitals and hopefully things are much improved.
Oliver Stone turned the book into a movie in 1989, with Tom Cruise playing Kovic. In the book Kovic covers all the aspects of his life, his childhood, his time as a raw recruit and in Vietnam, his time in recovery and as an activist all in an easy to read prose. But what seems to be really missing is what exactly triggered him into becoming an activist, he seems to go from patriot to anti-Government protester almost overnight with no real explanation as to why.
This is a book that I've wanted to read for quite a while and its a quick read, with Kovic using first, second and third person perspectives to tell his story. I found this interesting and I'm glad that I've read it but somehow it felt flat, lacking any real passion and it left me with as many questions as it did answers. I also feel that it was a product of its time and is showing its age.
On his return to the United States to a VA hospital Kovic finds himself thrown into a system that didn't seem to care all that much for the young men, who had sacrificed their minds and bodies, in service for their country. Kovic very graphically describes the indignities he suffered at the VA hospital, whether it was lazy aides who left him in a puddle of his own urine, or other staff who refused to respond to these broken men when they needed their medication or a change of bedding. Kovic turns from the all-American boy who loved God and country to an activist who found himself reviled and rejected by his fellow citizens for pointing out the terrible treatment injured veterans were receiving -- being spat on, called a "communist" and a traitor by people who didn't end up serving themselves. Kovic brought a lot of attention to VA hospitals and hopefully things are much improved.
Oliver Stone turned the book into a movie in 1989, with Tom Cruise playing Kovic. In the book Kovic covers all the aspects of his life, his childhood, his time as a raw recruit and in Vietnam, his time in recovery and as an activist all in an easy to read prose. But what seems to be really missing is what exactly triggered him into becoming an activist, he seems to go from patriot to anti-Government protester almost overnight with no real explanation as to why.
This is a book that I've wanted to read for quite a while and its a quick read, with Kovic using first, second and third person perspectives to tell his story. I found this interesting and I'm glad that I've read it but somehow it felt flat, lacking any real passion and it left me with as many questions as it did answers. I also feel that it was a product of its time and is showing its age.
August 1, 2021
A chronicle of the life of Ron Kovic, a young man from Massapequa, Long Island who grew up in a typical American home, immersed in typical American values, and, in the late 1960s, did a typical American thing: he went off to war.
The Warrior Archetype
To begin the transition from civilian to soldier, it is necessary to draw out the “warrior archetype,” to arouse that primordial element responsible for the ferocity, tenacity, and ethnocentric unity that makes human warfare possible. For Kovic, this transition began early when he took to playing war games* with his childhood friends.
*NOTE: If I can interject a little Jungian philosophy here - regardless of the culture in which children are raised, the playing of warlike games has been observed in male adolescents around the globe. Carl Jung took this as a testament to his theory of the archetypal nature of the human animal and how such a nature is shaped by man’s evolutionary history.
By the time Kovic reached the age of eligibility for military service, the psychological foundation of the soldier mentality was already set in place. Immediately after high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines. His decision to become a marine, a military branch with a tough reputation, may have been rooted in a desire for self-validation. Whatever the reason, Ron soon found himself in combat.
The Deconstruction of an Archetype
On the 12th day of October, 1967, Kovic and his marine platoon engaged in battle with Viet Cong soldiers near the Cua Viet river. During this confrontation, several Vietnamese civilians, including women and children, were killed. In addition, Kovic accidentally shot and mortally wounded a fellow American marine, 18 year old William Charles Wilson.
Kovic felt a deep sense of regret and empathy toward the massacred civilians and debilitating guilt over the death of Private Wilson. Yet, when he reported the incidents to his commanding officer, his confession was sharply rebuked and he was turned away. The realities of war were quickly obliterating his gilded, youthful ideals.
Coming Home
Sentenced to a lifetime in a wheelchair by a Viet Cong bullet, Ron returned to Massapequa in 1969. His internal struggle, however, continued. He first sought refuge in drugs and liquor, but later found solace in the constructive outlet of political activism.
For Ron, the duality of self - the creation, integration, and bonding on one side, and the disintegration, destruction, and dissolution on the other - was split apart by the reality of Vietnam. His story is, in effect, a microcosm of what went on within the collective conscience of American society during that time.
Ron Kovic’s autobiography is unsavory but honest. He started out as a standard bearer of American exceptionalism and ended up as a casualty of a very unpopular war.
The Warrior Archetype
To begin the transition from civilian to soldier, it is necessary to draw out the “warrior archetype,” to arouse that primordial element responsible for the ferocity, tenacity, and ethnocentric unity that makes human warfare possible. For Kovic, this transition began early when he took to playing war games* with his childhood friends.
*NOTE: If I can interject a little Jungian philosophy here - regardless of the culture in which children are raised, the playing of warlike games has been observed in male adolescents around the globe. Carl Jung took this as a testament to his theory of the archetypal nature of the human animal and how such a nature is shaped by man’s evolutionary history.
By the time Kovic reached the age of eligibility for military service, the psychological foundation of the soldier mentality was already set in place. Immediately after high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines. His decision to become a marine, a military branch with a tough reputation, may have been rooted in a desire for self-validation. Whatever the reason, Ron soon found himself in combat.
The Deconstruction of an Archetype
On the 12th day of October, 1967, Kovic and his marine platoon engaged in battle with Viet Cong soldiers near the Cua Viet river. During this confrontation, several Vietnamese civilians, including women and children, were killed. In addition, Kovic accidentally shot and mortally wounded a fellow American marine, 18 year old William Charles Wilson.
Kovic felt a deep sense of regret and empathy toward the massacred civilians and debilitating guilt over the death of Private Wilson. Yet, when he reported the incidents to his commanding officer, his confession was sharply rebuked and he was turned away. The realities of war were quickly obliterating his gilded, youthful ideals.
Coming Home
Sentenced to a lifetime in a wheelchair by a Viet Cong bullet, Ron returned to Massapequa in 1969. His internal struggle, however, continued. He first sought refuge in drugs and liquor, but later found solace in the constructive outlet of political activism.
For Ron, the duality of self - the creation, integration, and bonding on one side, and the disintegration, destruction, and dissolution on the other - was split apart by the reality of Vietnam. His story is, in effect, a microcosm of what went on within the collective conscience of American society during that time.
Ron Kovic’s autobiography is unsavory but honest. He started out as a standard bearer of American exceptionalism and ended up as a casualty of a very unpopular war.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2019
The ideas here are important, and I know this book was influential in the anti-war movement. That being said, I would have wished for a greater emphasis showing the shift from soldier to antiwar activist. It isnt covered well and it left me feeling that he made the shift more out of a need to belong to something and for attention than out of a growing ideological awareness.
I was also bothered how he portrayed himself and the adoration he received during the protests. That reinforced the lack of political awareness expressed in the book.
I was also bothered how he portrayed himself and the adoration he received during the protests. That reinforced the lack of political awareness expressed in the book.
May 12, 2018
Born on the Fourth of July should be required reading for seniors in high school. It is more effective than Johnny Got His Gun. This book shows the side of military service hidden by the politians and gunho military which is crippling and deadly. The cost of war is not just monetary but mentally and physically injurious to our young men and women.
February 2, 2020
The true story that the movie was based on. Ron Kovic was the stereotypical all-American kid. He was actually born on the fourth of July, and felt especially patriotic. He enlisted in the Marine Corps for two tours in Vietnam. His second tour ended with a bullet in his spinal cord which paralyzed him from the waist down. His disillusionment began in the VA hospital, terribly underfunded as the money was pouring in to winning the war. He had plenty of time to think while laying in his own feces waiting for someone to help him. Eventually he became an anti-war activist, even getting beat up (from his wheelchair) by brave police officers (he always made it a point to ask them if they served in Vietnam, of course they rarely did). I couldn't help but compare this to Johnny Got His Gun, which I recently read. While Trumbull was a more skilled writer, this one was actually true. All in all, this is a depressing read, but at the same time, Kovic finds new purpose and learns to want to live again. So it's also one of those triumph of the human spirit type deals.
October 6, 2022
A good anti-war memoir will ruin your week. This one ruined my month.
January 7, 2019
Geboren am 4. Juli wird den meisten wohl dank der Oliver Stone Verfilmung mit Tom Cruise in der Hauptrolle ein Begriff sein. Die Vorlage dafür lieferte die Autobiographie von Ron Kovic.
Als dieser 1968 querschnittsgelähmt aus dem Vietnamkrieg zurückkehrt, fühlt er sich von seinem Land verraten und schließt sich der Friedensbewegung an.
1974 schrieb sich Kovic in knapp zwei Monaten seine Geschichte in Santa Monica von der Seele.
Diese Dringlichkeit spürt man auf jeder Seite. Geboren am 4. Juli ist ein Aufschrei. Es ist die Wutschrift eines jungen Mannes, dessen Leben gerade erst beginnen sollte.
Ein begeisterter Athlet, der nach zwei Einsätzen in Vietnam noch kaum Erfahrungen mit Frauen machen konnte, ist plötzlich mit 22 Jahren an den Rollstuhl gefesselt und wird nie mehr Sex haben können.
Sein Körper ist nicht mehr als eine Ruine und sein Geist wird geplagt von den Erinnerungen an den Krieg.
Immer wieder muss er an den friendly-Fire-Vorfall denken, bei dem er versehentlich einen Kameraden tötete und an einen Einsatz seines Bataillons, bei dem Zivilisten niedergemetzelt wurden.
Während er im Veteranen-Krankenhaus vor sich hinvegetiert, fühlt er sich verraten von dem Land, für das er mit Überzeugung gedient hat.
Als Kind, das am Nationalfeiertag geboren wurde, konnte er es kaum erwarten sich den Marines anzuschließen und für USA in den Krieg zu ziehen. Die Propaganda vom US-Militär und das Märchen des heldenhaften Kriegers ließen auch sein Herz vor Stolz glühen.
Doch nach dem Krieg muss er realisieren, dass er nicht mehr als Kanonenfutter für eine Regierung war, die Kinder in Krieg schickt, die weder Autofahren dürfen noch Alkohol trinken.
Nach einer Phase der Orientierungslosigkeit beschließt er sich der immer größer werdenden Friedensbewegung anzuschließen. Der Aktivismus gibt seinem Leben einen neuen Sinn. Bei jeder Gelegenheit klagt er die Sinnlosigkeit des Krieges an und wird zu einer der führenden Figuren der Friedensaktivisten.
Fazit – Wut und Frieden
Geboren am 4. Juli ist die Antwort auf die Mär des heldenhaften Soldaten, der für sein Land einsteht und ruhmreich und gefeiert aus dem Krieg zurückkehrt.
Eine brennend emotionale Schrift, die aufzeigt, dass Pazifisten die wahren Helden und Patrioten sind.
Brutal-ehrlich und leidenschaftlich geschrieben.
Die Seiten fliegen rasend schnell vorbei, doch die Botschaft hallt nach.Wichtig!
Wertung 4/5
Mehr Rezensionen und abenteuerlichen Content auf http://awesomatik.com
Als dieser 1968 querschnittsgelähmt aus dem Vietnamkrieg zurückkehrt, fühlt er sich von seinem Land verraten und schließt sich der Friedensbewegung an.
1974 schrieb sich Kovic in knapp zwei Monaten seine Geschichte in Santa Monica von der Seele.
Diese Dringlichkeit spürt man auf jeder Seite. Geboren am 4. Juli ist ein Aufschrei. Es ist die Wutschrift eines jungen Mannes, dessen Leben gerade erst beginnen sollte.
Ein begeisterter Athlet, der nach zwei Einsätzen in Vietnam noch kaum Erfahrungen mit Frauen machen konnte, ist plötzlich mit 22 Jahren an den Rollstuhl gefesselt und wird nie mehr Sex haben können.
Sein Körper ist nicht mehr als eine Ruine und sein Geist wird geplagt von den Erinnerungen an den Krieg.
Immer wieder muss er an den friendly-Fire-Vorfall denken, bei dem er versehentlich einen Kameraden tötete und an einen Einsatz seines Bataillons, bei dem Zivilisten niedergemetzelt wurden.
Während er im Veteranen-Krankenhaus vor sich hinvegetiert, fühlt er sich verraten von dem Land, für das er mit Überzeugung gedient hat.
Als Kind, das am Nationalfeiertag geboren wurde, konnte er es kaum erwarten sich den Marines anzuschließen und für USA in den Krieg zu ziehen. Die Propaganda vom US-Militär und das Märchen des heldenhaften Kriegers ließen auch sein Herz vor Stolz glühen.
Doch nach dem Krieg muss er realisieren, dass er nicht mehr als Kanonenfutter für eine Regierung war, die Kinder in Krieg schickt, die weder Autofahren dürfen noch Alkohol trinken.
Nach einer Phase der Orientierungslosigkeit beschließt er sich der immer größer werdenden Friedensbewegung anzuschließen. Der Aktivismus gibt seinem Leben einen neuen Sinn. Bei jeder Gelegenheit klagt er die Sinnlosigkeit des Krieges an und wird zu einer der führenden Figuren der Friedensaktivisten.
Fazit – Wut und Frieden
Geboren am 4. Juli ist die Antwort auf die Mär des heldenhaften Soldaten, der für sein Land einsteht und ruhmreich und gefeiert aus dem Krieg zurückkehrt.
Eine brennend emotionale Schrift, die aufzeigt, dass Pazifisten die wahren Helden und Patrioten sind.
Brutal-ehrlich und leidenschaftlich geschrieben.
Die Seiten fliegen rasend schnell vorbei, doch die Botschaft hallt nach.Wichtig!
Wertung 4/5
Mehr Rezensionen und abenteuerlichen Content auf http://awesomatik.com
January 2, 2013
It's hard to give a book like this a negative or average review without feeling like you are being disrespectful to the author and what he went through. But the simple fact is, this book just isn't very well written. I recommend it to the extent that the author's experience is compelling reading; I just wish he had focus as well.
Kovic's style is disjointed and random. The narrative jumps back and forth in time for no discernible purpose. Even more strange, he switches between talking about himself in the 1st and 3rd person between every chapter. Again, this serves no literary purpose, but it makes for a wildly jarring reading experience that undercuts the book's emotional connection to the reader. I also realize that this was written in the 70s, and perhaps this wouldn't have seemed out of place then, but Kovic feels the need to REPEATEDLY tell us whenever he's describing an African American. Every sentence about that person will be "the black orderly" "the black nurse," etc. It's never just "the nurse" it's always the BLACK nurse like a broken record. I'm not saying Kovic is racist or meant to sound racist but it's definitely not a way of writing about African Americans anyone would use (or get published) in 2012. Like I said, it's hard to say this without sounding disrespectful of Kovic's service and his injury, which I am NOT...but I think if this book were fiction, it would never have gotten published (or become a hit movie), because the writing just isn't good enough.
Overall, the book is ok, but there are much better written anti war books out there. I'd recommend Karl Marlantes' What It Is Like To Go To War a million times more than I'd recommend this.
Kovic's style is disjointed and random. The narrative jumps back and forth in time for no discernible purpose. Even more strange, he switches between talking about himself in the 1st and 3rd person between every chapter. Again, this serves no literary purpose, but it makes for a wildly jarring reading experience that undercuts the book's emotional connection to the reader. I also realize that this was written in the 70s, and perhaps this wouldn't have seemed out of place then, but Kovic feels the need to REPEATEDLY tell us whenever he's describing an African American. Every sentence about that person will be "the black orderly" "the black nurse," etc. It's never just "the nurse" it's always the BLACK nurse like a broken record. I'm not saying Kovic is racist or meant to sound racist but it's definitely not a way of writing about African Americans anyone would use (or get published) in 2012. Like I said, it's hard to say this without sounding disrespectful of Kovic's service and his injury, which I am NOT...but I think if this book were fiction, it would never have gotten published (or become a hit movie), because the writing just isn't good enough.
Overall, the book is ok, but there are much better written anti war books out there. I'd recommend Karl Marlantes' What It Is Like To Go To War a million times more than I'd recommend this.
March 17, 2021
A book of extraordinary power and emotion.
Kovic's account of his time in Vietnam, his wounding and his later anti-war activism is at times utterly harrowing. He pulls absolutely no punches and his story is still deeply affecting and wholly relevant to this day - it's a wonderful companion piece to Tim O'Brien's masterpiece, The Things They Carried.
The opening couple of chapters are stunning and the final pages had me holding back tears. A difficult, often troubling, but truly moving work.
Kovic's account of his time in Vietnam, his wounding and his later anti-war activism is at times utterly harrowing. He pulls absolutely no punches and his story is still deeply affecting and wholly relevant to this day - it's a wonderful companion piece to Tim O'Brien's masterpiece, The Things They Carried.
The opening couple of chapters are stunning and the final pages had me holding back tears. A difficult, often troubling, but truly moving work.
May 15, 2012
I have to say that I have found Born on the Fourth of July to hold a fascinating view point on the Vietnam War. This book is far different from most anti-war novels of the era. Where most focused on the life of the GI in Vietnam or the counterculture at home, this book explores both through the eyes of a crippled volunteer to the war. It is Ron Kovic’s unique view of the war and his role in it which makes this book worth reading.
As of now I am only at the one third mark of the novel, a surprisingly quick and easy to read 69 pages. In these mere 69 pages the author has focused primarily on the immediate aftermath of obtaining his crippling wound. He goes about describing the shock and confusion of being so grievously injured with gripping intensity while still maintaining a language which makes the readers feel as if they are on the stretcher at the frontline hospital. Kovic has simplicity about his language which can be easily related to the common young adult which Kovic was while he was in Vietnam. In this way the novel becomes even more enthralling as Kovic begins to explore his new paralytic life, comparing it to the much better days of his youth.
The last important point I wish to touch on is Kovic’s treatment of Marines training. His description of boot camp is very reminiscent of Full Metal Jacket, the cruel way in which the sergeants would break the men into the mold of Marines. Kovic, in a move I had rarely seen used before, implemented a very unique way of presenting his experiences in boot camp by simple taking the most common phrases he had heard, than mashing them all together in bold without punctuation or spacing, creating the feeling of a rushed and tense atmosphere of pain and suffering at the hands of the drill instructors.
Review #2
Born on the Fourth of July gains much more depth during the second third of the book. Whereas the first third was almost entirely devoted to depicting the life changing trauma Ron endured directly after sustaining his wound, the second third explores the emotional turmoil he suffers in the months and years afterward. The story changes tone to that of a depressed young man without a future. He laments his situation and tries desperately to find a way to feel normal again even though his entire life was essentially ruined when he was paralyzed. The second third of the book maintains this atmosphere for a long while before Ron starts to take up a more anti-war stance near the end of this third.
My reaction to the latest developments in Born on the Fourth of July is one of disgust for our country and the veteran system. I am disgusted that our country would not give better treatment to its wounded veterans. The scenes of the VA hospital are almost needlessly depressing, especially when set to Ron's horrifically realistic description of his ordeal. I also feel a great bit of pity for Ron as he wanders through life, crippled before he had even begun to live. It was horrible reading about him describing how people would stare at him, and how he could no longer enjoy the physical pleasures of life. This entire section of the book was very depressing, yet a bit of hope did show through near the end as Ron began to find a new reason to live; to protest the war which had left him a living fatality.
As of now I am only at the one third mark of the novel, a surprisingly quick and easy to read 69 pages. In these mere 69 pages the author has focused primarily on the immediate aftermath of obtaining his crippling wound. He goes about describing the shock and confusion of being so grievously injured with gripping intensity while still maintaining a language which makes the readers feel as if they are on the stretcher at the frontline hospital. Kovic has simplicity about his language which can be easily related to the common young adult which Kovic was while he was in Vietnam. In this way the novel becomes even more enthralling as Kovic begins to explore his new paralytic life, comparing it to the much better days of his youth.
The last important point I wish to touch on is Kovic’s treatment of Marines training. His description of boot camp is very reminiscent of Full Metal Jacket, the cruel way in which the sergeants would break the men into the mold of Marines. Kovic, in a move I had rarely seen used before, implemented a very unique way of presenting his experiences in boot camp by simple taking the most common phrases he had heard, than mashing them all together in bold without punctuation or spacing, creating the feeling of a rushed and tense atmosphere of pain and suffering at the hands of the drill instructors.
Review #2
Born on the Fourth of July gains much more depth during the second third of the book. Whereas the first third was almost entirely devoted to depicting the life changing trauma Ron endured directly after sustaining his wound, the second third explores the emotional turmoil he suffers in the months and years afterward. The story changes tone to that of a depressed young man without a future. He laments his situation and tries desperately to find a way to feel normal again even though his entire life was essentially ruined when he was paralyzed. The second third of the book maintains this atmosphere for a long while before Ron starts to take up a more anti-war stance near the end of this third.
My reaction to the latest developments in Born on the Fourth of July is one of disgust for our country and the veteran system. I am disgusted that our country would not give better treatment to its wounded veterans. The scenes of the VA hospital are almost needlessly depressing, especially when set to Ron's horrifically realistic description of his ordeal. I also feel a great bit of pity for Ron as he wanders through life, crippled before he had even begun to live. It was horrible reading about him describing how people would stare at him, and how he could no longer enjoy the physical pleasures of life. This entire section of the book was very depressing, yet a bit of hope did show through near the end as Ron began to find a new reason to live; to protest the war which had left him a living fatality.
July 10, 2023
Like most other books about the Vietnam war, this book was hard to read... This is a memoir about Marine Corp Veteran Ron Kovic, his two tours of duty in Vietnam, his time in the VA hospitals and his anti-war efforts afterwards. Paralyzed overseas and overwhelmed by PTSD Kovic comes home to America and reflects on his life. He talks about his patriotism and desire to be a soldier that dominated most of his early life. He then gives the reader a firsthand look into the horrible conditions found in the VA hospital when he returned. He questions why the government has no problem spending money to kill; but can hardly pay a dime to fix what they have broken, the people they have broken. Still a young man, he is crushed under the weight of desire for a life he knows he can never have after giving his all to his country. His depression comes in waves, but he finds he feels the least alone when he is with other veterans. They form a brotherhood of people who understand each other, and they join the anti-war movement in hopes of ending the war in Vietnam and bringing “the boys” home. He endures beatings from the police and arrest for exercising his first amendment rights, rights that he fought to uphold. Those who never fought in this war were angry at him for being against the war and he was repeatedly called a “commie”, AKA the people we were calling the enemy of this war. This is a quick and extremely powerful book. I don’t think you can read this book and not feel some level of anger. Americans need to take a look at our history of betraying veterans and do better, vote better and be kind to each other.
June 20, 2020
No longer using this website, but I'm leaving up old reviews. Fuck Jeff Bezos. Find me on LibraryThing: https://www.librarything.com/profile/...
I picked up this book to see the transformation of a patriotic GI into a Vietnam Veteran Against the War. I wanted to learn how the movement enticed him, when he had his epiphany, and how he reacted to the rest of the anti-war movement. I wanted to read the author grappling with the decision to join the anti-war movement.
Unfortunately, the epiphany lasts only a couple of pages, and the conversion from skeptical injured veteran to strident anti-war activist is pretty sudden. Only one seven page chapter is devoted to his "conversion." Near as I can tell, only one sentence deals with him grappling with his dual life as a patriotic GI and as an anti-war veteran: "One part of me was upset that people were swimming naked in the national monument and the other part of me completely understood that now it was their pool, and what good is a pool if you can't swim in it." Hardly emotionally tugging or complicated prose.
Kovic's book is authentic, written by a real paralyzed veteran, and Kovic's anti-war barnstorming is interesting to me as an anti-war civilian. But everything good about this book can be gleaned from the book "Johnny Got His Gun." In fact, Born on the Fourth of July refers to "Johnny Got His Gun" directly: "It was as if the book was speaking about me, my wound and the hell it had been coming back and learning to live with it." Yes. It was.
I picked up this book to see the transformation of a patriotic GI into a Vietnam Veteran Against the War. I wanted to learn how the movement enticed him, when he had his epiphany, and how he reacted to the rest of the anti-war movement. I wanted to read the author grappling with the decision to join the anti-war movement.
Unfortunately, the epiphany lasts only a couple of pages, and the conversion from skeptical injured veteran to strident anti-war activist is pretty sudden. Only one seven page chapter is devoted to his "conversion." Near as I can tell, only one sentence deals with him grappling with his dual life as a patriotic GI and as an anti-war veteran: "One part of me was upset that people were swimming naked in the national monument and the other part of me completely understood that now it was their pool, and what good is a pool if you can't swim in it." Hardly emotionally tugging or complicated prose.
Kovic's book is authentic, written by a real paralyzed veteran, and Kovic's anti-war barnstorming is interesting to me as an anti-war civilian. But everything good about this book can be gleaned from the book "Johnny Got His Gun." In fact, Born on the Fourth of July refers to "Johnny Got His Gun" directly: "It was as if the book was speaking about me, my wound and the hell it had been coming back and learning to live with it." Yes. It was.
April 11, 2023
20 Gennaio 1968, Ronald Kovic, giovane soldato convinto di fare la cosa giusta nel prendere parte in prima persona nella guerra del Vietnam, viene ferito gravemente durante una missione, un proiettile, dopo avergli attraversato la spalla e forato un polmone, gli danneggia la spina dorsale lasciandolo per sempre su una sedia a rotelle, da quel giorno, “Ron” inizierà una strenua lotta pacifista per far capire agli Americani quanto inutile e insensata sia la guerra.
“Nato il quattro Luglio”, autobiografia scritta dal Marine Ronald Kovic e pubblicata nel 1976, si propone come un lavoro dal simbolismo altamente pacifista.
Il racconto della vita dell’autore scritto in maniera collocale e fluida si alterna tra l’utilizzo della prima e della terza persona.
Il lettore si troverà a “scoprire” prima il Ronald bambino pieno di sogni, desideri e miti, un giovane come tanti imbevuto di propaganda Americana, per poi vederlo in guerra con le sue atrocità, assurdità e paure sino all’epifania dopo “l’incidente”, l’essere ripudiato dai suoi stessi concittadini e il dovere morale di cercare, a suo modo, di porre fine ad una guerra inutile, dolorosa e persa in partenza.
Un lavoro capace sicuramente di lanciare un messaggio importante ma non particolarmente toccante sul lato narrativo/emotivo a causa della scelta di raccontarsi in maniera “superficiale” dando maggior spazio al lato materiale (ció che fece dopo il ferimento) della sua vita ma trascurando, colpevolmente quello psicologico, vero fulcro, probabilmente, da sviscerare in un libro scritto da un reduce del Vietnam.
“Nato il quattro Luglio”, autobiografia scritta dal Marine Ronald Kovic e pubblicata nel 1976, si propone come un lavoro dal simbolismo altamente pacifista.
Il racconto della vita dell’autore scritto in maniera collocale e fluida si alterna tra l’utilizzo della prima e della terza persona.
Il lettore si troverà a “scoprire” prima il Ronald bambino pieno di sogni, desideri e miti, un giovane come tanti imbevuto di propaganda Americana, per poi vederlo in guerra con le sue atrocità, assurdità e paure sino all’epifania dopo “l’incidente”, l’essere ripudiato dai suoi stessi concittadini e il dovere morale di cercare, a suo modo, di porre fine ad una guerra inutile, dolorosa e persa in partenza.
Un lavoro capace sicuramente di lanciare un messaggio importante ma non particolarmente toccante sul lato narrativo/emotivo a causa della scelta di raccontarsi in maniera “superficiale” dando maggior spazio al lato materiale (ció che fece dopo il ferimento) della sua vita ma trascurando, colpevolmente quello psicologico, vero fulcro, probabilmente, da sviscerare in un libro scritto da un reduce del Vietnam.
February 6, 2011
Considering this isn't my usual genre of choice, I thought this was a pretty good book.
I think that many people fault Kovic (and rightly so, I suppose) for not being much of a writer. However, what he lacks in literary talent he definitely makes up for in genuine vivid emotion.
Kovic is, without question, a man with a story to tell. I think it is important for potential readers to keep in mind that this is not a literary masterpiece, but rather a stark, gritty and very genuine portrayal of a very personal and traumatic series of events.
Unlike so many others writing a book without a literary background, Kovic does not depend on someone to assist him in writing this story. He writes it how he remembers it and I think that the moments that would normally have been narrated with precision become choppy and sometimes disjointed. This didn't bother me at all personally because it made me realize the exact emotion Kovic had when he was going through each of these moments and made the book that much more interesting to me.
I would recommend this book to anyone who had interest in the Vietnam War, although it would definitely not be satisfying for someone looking for a linear, precision story. Leave your expectations at the door if you are looking for a nasty story tied up in pretty packaging....
I think that many people fault Kovic (and rightly so, I suppose) for not being much of a writer. However, what he lacks in literary talent he definitely makes up for in genuine vivid emotion.
Kovic is, without question, a man with a story to tell. I think it is important for potential readers to keep in mind that this is not a literary masterpiece, but rather a stark, gritty and very genuine portrayal of a very personal and traumatic series of events.
Unlike so many others writing a book without a literary background, Kovic does not depend on someone to assist him in writing this story. He writes it how he remembers it and I think that the moments that would normally have been narrated with precision become choppy and sometimes disjointed. This didn't bother me at all personally because it made me realize the exact emotion Kovic had when he was going through each of these moments and made the book that much more interesting to me.
I would recommend this book to anyone who had interest in the Vietnam War, although it would definitely not be satisfying for someone looking for a linear, precision story. Leave your expectations at the door if you are looking for a nasty story tied up in pretty packaging....
May 22, 2015
Born on the fourth of July, written by Ron Kovic is an American classic. The story takes place during the Vietnam war after the paralysis of Ron Kovic. This book is narrated through the eyes of Ron. This book gives us his life story about his hardships and his good times throughout his life, especially when he came home. But, Ron being in the war drives the plot. If he wasn't in the war he would't have brought enlightenment in so many people. His purpose in writing this book was to explain to Americans why they should be thankful for his sacrifice and the sacrifice of others.This true story brings people together reminding people, how thankful we are for our soldiers, fighting for their country day in and day out. This book is very similar to his book,Around The World In Eight Days, which is a story about his time in the war.
In my opinion, I enjoyed the book for what it is. It made me understand the sacrifice, thousands of people go through everyday. I would read more from Ron because I enjoy reading about courage and sacrifice. I highly encourage others to read this book, because everybody needs to understand the true meaning of sacrifice.
In my opinion, I enjoyed the book for what it is. It made me understand the sacrifice, thousands of people go through everyday. I would read more from Ron because I enjoy reading about courage and sacrifice. I highly encourage others to read this book, because everybody needs to understand the true meaning of sacrifice.
May 23, 2020
Still so powerful, so sharp, so emotional, so provocative. Especially on this Memorial Day weekend. Even better as an audio book. Ron Kovic truly is an American hero and, I'm proud to say, a fellow grad of MHS - I was 18 yrs later, luckily for me, after all that.
With a short but potent new preface read by Bruce Springsteen.
With a short but potent new preface read by Bruce Springsteen.
January 25, 2014
(Owen McKenna Rio Rancho, NM-NY) I read the book in 2 days. Having had the opportunity to visit the Author's hometown, Massapequa, NY, after having read the book. I thought it was amazing of how much details he put into his descriptions. I did not care for the movie, but I enjoyed the book.
February 12, 2021
Kovic is a Vietnam veteran who happened to be born on July Fourth. He writes about some of his war experiences and his transition into an anti-war activist.
April 16, 2024
the way the us and americans treat veterans, especially disabled veterans, is terrible and the way americans treat opposition is also terrbile
— read for the sixties, vietnam and america (HIS257)
— read for the sixties, vietnam and america (HIS257)
September 20, 2019
I have read quite a few books about Vietnam. Vietnam was my war but I didn’t fight in it. I stayed home thanks to several exemptions. When I came across this audible book on my list of books, I was surprised that I hadn’t already read it and had the feeling that I possibly had read it along time ago. But listening to it would have to be different than reading it. The authenticity of the anger in the book was captured so well by the reader. This book was probably angrier that any other Vietnam book I had read.
Ron Kovic came home from Vietnam paralyzed from the chest down. He tells the story of growing up on Long Island. He is two months older than I am. He wanted to be a marine and volunteered after he graduated from high school. The story he tells About growing up is somewhat mundane but maybe about everyman. His story about Marine Boot Camp is brutal.
Everything about this book is an explanation about his expectations And then his disillusionment and then his anger. He recalls his time in VA hospitals with others who had been maimed in the war. He talks graphically about his treatment in the VA hospital as he was housed with other grievously wounded men and poorly cared for by understaffed and overworked people who Treated him without humanity or respect.
But mostly this book is about the anger of Ron Kovic who felt he had given His body and had been badly mistreated. He also felt guilty for what he had done in Vietnam and wanted to be sure that everybody understood what he had done and what had been done to him.
This is a hard book to experience filled with brutality and anger. There is no redemption or evidence of light at the end of the tunnel. It is hard to know if a book like this can be part of the effort To expose the brutality and insanity of war.
Ron Kovic came home from Vietnam paralyzed from the chest down. He tells the story of growing up on Long Island. He is two months older than I am. He wanted to be a marine and volunteered after he graduated from high school. The story he tells About growing up is somewhat mundane but maybe about everyman. His story about Marine Boot Camp is brutal.
Everything about this book is an explanation about his expectations And then his disillusionment and then his anger. He recalls his time in VA hospitals with others who had been maimed in the war. He talks graphically about his treatment in the VA hospital as he was housed with other grievously wounded men and poorly cared for by understaffed and overworked people who Treated him without humanity or respect.
But mostly this book is about the anger of Ron Kovic who felt he had given His body and had been badly mistreated. He also felt guilty for what he had done in Vietnam and wanted to be sure that everybody understood what he had done and what had been done to him.
This is a hard book to experience filled with brutality and anger. There is no redemption or evidence of light at the end of the tunnel. It is hard to know if a book like this can be part of the effort To expose the brutality and insanity of war.
April 1, 2024
Born on the Fourth of July is Ron Kovic's powerful account of his experience as a marine and then veteran of the Vietnam War. Though the book is short, Kovic's description of his young life leading to the marines resonates with the times securing a deep foundation in contrast to his later experiences. His movement between first and third person drives home the sense of himself as that young man and yet also, his author-self writing later. The chapter depicting his first experience in the marines is written with a particularly effective style. Overall, Kovic writes so very well that you are there and that you care.
I read the 40th anniversary edition, which has an Acknowledgements section, a forward by Bruce Springsteen, An Introduction by Kovic which is followed by 7 Chapters which are numbered, a Postscript which consists of a letter sent to Kovic's parents by a Lieutenant General in the Marine Corps in 1968, a discussion guide and the final page has a short blurb about Kovic and a photo. The 7 chapters are numbered but there are other sections which seem like chapters in that they also start with a capital letter but these are not numbered. Several of these sections and chapters also contain breaks, making subsections.
I highly recommend the book, especially to those who weren't there and those interested in Vietnam, the Vietnam War, veterans, and related concerns.
I read the 40th anniversary edition, which has an Acknowledgements section, a forward by Bruce Springsteen, An Introduction by Kovic which is followed by 7 Chapters which are numbered, a Postscript which consists of a letter sent to Kovic's parents by a Lieutenant General in the Marine Corps in 1968, a discussion guide and the final page has a short blurb about Kovic and a photo. The 7 chapters are numbered but there are other sections which seem like chapters in that they also start with a capital letter but these are not numbered. Several of these sections and chapters also contain breaks, making subsections.
I highly recommend the book, especially to those who weren't there and those interested in Vietnam, the Vietnam War, veterans, and related concerns.
July 7, 2021
anyone who knows me well knows i can be a pretty unempathetic person and i read a lot of books about wars, history, terror, and so on without feeling much, but this book made me tear up and even straight up shed tears more times than i can count..
i can't think of anything more harrowing or horrific than what went down during the vietnam war, and i genuinely think it's the closest we've been the hell on earth. there's just something about it that's so.. fucked up, far beyond what you'd except from a war, beyond any other war. everything during the war and then everything after it, why it happened, how it was allowed to continue, the whole "american patriotism" aspect
this book is really just one person's story, and it's overwhelming to think about how many thousands of young boys had their own personal nightmare during those years
to quote tesla: you may live to see man-made horrors beyond your comprehension
i can't think of anything more harrowing or horrific than what went down during the vietnam war, and i genuinely think it's the closest we've been the hell on earth. there's just something about it that's so.. fucked up, far beyond what you'd except from a war, beyond any other war. everything during the war and then everything after it, why it happened, how it was allowed to continue, the whole "american patriotism" aspect
this book is really just one person's story, and it's overwhelming to think about how many thousands of young boys had their own personal nightmare during those years
to quote tesla: you may live to see man-made horrors beyond your comprehension
June 25, 2020
Wow. I read this book in one evening; could not put it down. This is a dark, stark, honest book. I doubt Mr. Kovic and I would have a lot in common from a worldview perspective, but his story is compelling and I appreciate him sharing it. Having studied a bit to understand the 1960s and the Vietnam era, and planning to do more in the future, I think my comprehension would definitely be incomplete without Kovic's work.
April 9, 2017
An extremely powerful and effective anti war book. I've read a few of these over the years, but the first two chapters, particularly the account of life in a veterans' hospital, was without doubt the most harrowing that I've ever experienced. Not an easy read, but definitely worthwhile.
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