Let's make this birthday one to remember.

81 years old (Born on December 13, 1943)

Happy Birthday, Modris Eksteins! May your celebrations be as groundbreaking and memorable as "Rites of Spring," the book that brilliantly connected ballet to battlefields. Who knew Stravinsky could dance his way into World War I history? Your insightful narratives have forever changed how we view modernity—no small feat!

Here's hoping this birthday brings you joy worthy of another Ferguson Prize victory lap (or at least a cake big enough for footnotes). Keep inspiring us with your wit, wisdom, and historical flair; after all these years you're still making history look effortlessly cool. Cheers to many more timeless chapters ahead!