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Homer Hickam Jr. This is a delightful memoir, humorous and poignant, which evokes small-town America in the 50's. He and his buddies formed a group dedicated to rocket experiments, much to the chagrin of his father and the delight of his mother.
Other boys might idolize movie stars or football players, but Homer's hero was always Wernher von Braun. With wit and compassion, Hickam recreates the events and people in the small town of Coalwood, West Virginia, where he grew up. fell in love with rockets at an early age.
His father hoped that Homer would follow in his footsteps and become superintendant of a coal mine in West Virginia, while his mother wanted him to escape from what she felt was a doomed future in the mines. The launching of the Soviet Sputnik spurred Homer on to attempt to develop a rocket that would help the U.S. catch up in the space race.
He describes the dynamics of his family in which his father favored his football-playing older brother and his mother good-naturedly supported his adventures and misadventures in creating, designing and igniting a series of ever more complicated rockets. It shows that the seeds which are sown in a young person's life can truly bear fruit when he reaches maturity and that both those who encourage and discourage him can have a bearing on that person's success.
If you are someone who struggles with reading due to a learning disability then you probably struggle to read. Very few books make time disappear and this is one of them. Hickam is an immensely talented author.
Well, this book goes down like a cold glass of water on a hot day. I read it when I was 33 and loved it. I know I do.
This is a worthwhile read for almost any age. You can't stop. Mr.
Books like this are rare do yourself a favor and read it. As a word of caution, The Coalwood Way, the sequel to October Sky/Rocket Boys, is not half as good as this one.
If everything that is in the book was included in the movie, it would have been at least twice as long as it was. October Sky, (OS) is one of the movies that was included as part of a tradition my son and I had started when he was a youngin', and still continuing today. I am happy that he at least remembers it, and joins me on watching one with me every once in a while.Reading any book together that inspired the Dad movies has not ever been part of the tradition, (that one is mine alone). Let it suffice that if you loved OS and just felt at the end of it that you wished it could have just continued on a while longer, than Rocket Boys is something you should definitely take the time to read. Hickam's home life, the relationship with his brother, and girls, his trials and tribulations with designing and building his rocket, along with the true story of his trip to the science fair finals. Other examples over the years included "Field of Dreams", "Road To Perdition" and "The Fighting Sullivans". Anyone that has seen OS knows that this wonderful movie very much accomplishes that prerequisite.
Although my son is all grown up now, we still try to get together on occasion whenever a new Dad movie either comes along, or is discovered. I really don't expect him to make a point in his life anymore to seek out and secure every one there is available. I decided to pick up Rocket Boys after seeing "October Sky" with my son. Not only that, but I was also so fascinated with this truly amazing real life story, that I couldn't wait to read all the furthur details of Homer Hickam and the rocket boys life and times. I really do not want this to be just another review where I talk about Hickam's writing style, his portrayal of characters, or the differences between his book, and the movie. Basically it follows the movie very well, except like any book that inspires a movie version, there is a tremendous amount of more, and greater detail about everything. It is basically October Sky, the complete story. It will not in any way portray anything that you are not already familiar with, transport you to a different place, or introduce you to any new characters that will leave you abandoned from what the movies visuals instilled in you.
October Sky is what I refer to as a "Dad" movie, or any movie that was either about, or included a sub plot that reflected a relationship between a father and his son. Which for those of us that loved the movie, would have been just fine.If you are someone that is fortunate enough to have a tradition such as mine, or are just someone that loved October Sky for just the wonderful, heart warming, intricate portrayal that it was, I urge you to pick up a copy of Rocket Boys. And Rocket Boys (RB) is no exception. I bought RB after seeing OS, for I was very much interested in seeing just what liberties were taken with the theatrical version. The last thing this true story is, is one of those books that is so different from the movie that you will find yourself disappointed. Highly recommended.
This is a great book, whether required reading or not. Shipping was fast and the book was in great shape.
Written in a folksy kind of style this book really brings up fond memories of one's own childhood and how dreaming is as important as doing. It really gives you an 'anything is possible' kind of feeling.Technically speaking the typeface is easy to read as well. I would highly recommend this book. You certainly won't be disappointed.Ryan Daniel[.].
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