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| Vietnam Veteran and Author Ron Kovic's book reading hosted by Robert Sheer of Truthdig.com |
CONTACT: JEANNE MEYERS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
949-376-5964
RON KOVIC, 'BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY' AUTHOR, SPONSOR OF MY HERO'S RON KOVIC PEACE AWARD, UNVEILS NEW BOOK
SANTA MONICA, CA 08/10/16 – The MY HERO Project congratulates author and veteran Ron Kovic on the release of Hurricane Street, a “prequel” to Born on the Fourth of July, an eye-opening memoir that offered American readers a realistic look at the horrors of that war, abroad and at home.
Forty years ago, Kovic shocked the American people with his firsthand account of the Vietnam War. He talked about the horrors of battle but the true revelation was the hidden struggle wounded veterans faced when they returned home. Injured veterans like Kovic, who was paralyzed from mid-chest down, suffered inadequate and inhumane treatment in overcrowded VA hospitals, with rats on the ward and the cries of patients being unanswered. Kovic received further insult when he focused his attention on protesting the war. He was beaten by police and arrested more than a dozen times.
To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of its release, Born on the Fourth of July was recently released as an audiobook that includes a foreward written and read by Bruce Springsteen. The original book became a New York Times Best Seller and was made into an Oscar nominated film by Director Oliver Stone, who adapted the screenplay with Kovic as co-writer. The film earned actor Tom Cruise his first Academy Award.
Kovic’s new book Hurricane Street takes the reader into the office of California Senator Alan Cranston in 1974. The visit was supposed to be an anti-war sit-in that would last a day. It turned into a 17-day hunger strike that would capture the nation’s notice and called attention to the medical needs of veterans who were severely injured in the war.
Kovic held his first public reading of the book this week to a packed Robert Berman Gallery in Santa Monica. Journalist Robert Sheer, Editor in Chief of Truthdig, hosted the talk with Kovic, who explained that he decided to write the book at the insistence of his girlfriend TerriAnn Ferren. He said, after recounting the story Ferren one day, she urged him to write it down.
At the reading, Kovic dedicated Hurricane Street to Ferren and took questions from members of the audience, who included John Densmore, former drummer for The Doors, producer Janet Yang, of The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt, and MY HERO’s Co-founder and Director Jeanne Meyers.
“Ron has worked for more than 40 years to promote peace and understanding,” said Meyers. “An important part of his work has been supporting the efforts of artists and peace activists.
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| Ron Kovic signs books for an appreciative crowd at Santa Monica reading. |
Each year, Kovic sponsors the Ron Kovic Peace Award, which he personally bestows at the MY HERO International Film Festival. The award goes to a filmmaker whose work addresses the issue of world peace and shows the power of non-violent solutions. The award comes with a $1000 cash prize to help the filmmaker continue his or her work.
Submissions are being accepted until October 1, 2016. For further information, or to submit your work, please visit www.myhero.com/kovic.
Call for Entries! 2016 Ron Kovic Peace Prize
MY HERO International Film Festival
Page created on 8/10/2016 12:00:00 AM
Last edited 2/15/2022 11:09:37 PM
