The Ghost of Tom Joad

A few months ago we watched the Grapes of Wrath, a 1940 movie. It was well done. I read the book back in high school and more recently in the last year. It ages well or i have. I have read recently that the book upon publication was a banned book. During the depression the book was concerning to many of those in power. The book certainly did nothing to instill confidence in those that were downtrodden that their government would do anything to help them.

In 1995 Bruce Springsteen wrote a song called The Ghost of Tom Joad. This was a quiet song told during the Bush I & early Clinton years and it was not a pretty picture. A few years later a metal band called Rage Against the Machine covered the song in a much different way.

All of these stories of Tom Joad trace back to the wonderful book that I hope high schools are still making their students read. I want my children to read this.

In the meantime I will sit my boys down and let them watch Tom Morello ( of Rage Against the Machine) join Bruce onstage at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert on HBO. These two tore this song up. And if after hearing the song the boys ask " Who is Tom Joad?" I have just the book for them to read.