Homer hickam, author of the memoir rocket boys made into the movie october sky, recalls his first years as a nasa engineer while also telling the story of his fluffy black and white cat paco who had the magic ability to make people smile and give t. I was especially surprised to discover that the book and movie came out somewhat simultaneously, and how this all happened. The plot is about a high school student who experiments with rocket science. The coalwood way october sky the title on the mass market movie tiein version of the bestselling the rocket boys is the first memoir in a series of four, by homer hickam jr.
Homer hickam was born in coalwood, west virginia in february 1943. The books show the benefits of friendship, persevering in the face of incredible odds, and also the benefits of learning on your own. Sep 05, 20 his second passion was writing and he has published a number of books, including rocket boys that became the critically acclaimed movie october sky. He was born in coalwood, west virginia to homer and elsie hickam. Hickams body of written work also includes several additional bestselling memoirs and. Monkeynotes online study guide book notes summary for. Homer hickam is interviewed, mostly about his memoir rocket boys and the movie october sky. Homer hickam of all the things ive done in my life, im happiest when i write. It was 1957, the year sputnik raced across the appalachian sky, and the small town of coalwood, west virginia, was slowly dying. Hickams other books, the coalwood way, and sky of stone both give even more insight, and are also great reads. Faced with an uncertain future, homer hickam nurtured a dream.
Commenting policy wisconsin public radio and welcome civil, ontopic comments and opinions that advance. A numberone new york times bestseller in mass market, brought to the screen in the acclaimed film october sky, homer hickams memoir, nominated for the national book critics circle award, comes to trade paperback with an allnew photo insert. October sky is an incredible book about the story of sonny hickam, the son of a coal miner. Faced with an uncertain future, sonny hickam aka homer hickam, jr. Facts are sorted by community importance and you can build your personalized lexicon. Chapterbychapter october sky summary rocket boys by.
Rocket boys the musical homer hickam october sky theatre press. It was 1957, and the small mining town of coalwood, west virginia, was slowly dying. Looking back after a distinguished nasa career that fulfilled his boyhood ambition, hickam shares the story of his youth, taking readers into the life of the little mining town and the boys who came to embody both its tensions and its dreams. His second passion was writing and he has published a number of books, including rocket boys that became the critically acclaimed movie october sky. Nasa from rocket boy to nasa engineer homer hickam.
Hickam has been a coal miner, vietnam combat veteran, scuba instructor, nasa engineer, and now a bestselling author. Rocket boys by homer hickam overdrive rakuten overdrive. From the informed imagination of the author of rocket boys. Order of importance in the beginning, it tells of how homer was interested in building a rocket after he heard about sputnik on the radio. A few prereading activities are included to gauge a students familiarity with the context of the novel. Meagher special to cnn cnn in a small town, where everyone seems to know everyone elses business, secrets are.
This article will give you a chapter by chapter october sky summary. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. Sky of stone by homer hickam delacorte nonfictionmemoir 336 pages. As a young boy, his imagination was excited by reading such science fiction writers as jules verne, robert heinlein, and isaac asimov and by the historic launching of the soviet unions sputnik i satellite in 1957 when he. He fell in with a group of misfits who learned not only how to turn scraps of metal into sophisticated rockets but how to sustain their hope in a. This readers group guide for homer hickams october sky is designed to stimulate discussion and enhance the readers appreciation of this exceptional book. Oct, 2015 carrying albert home is the funny, sweet, and sometimes tragic tale of a young couple and a special alligator on a crazy 1,000mile adventure. It is a story of growing up in a mining town, and a boys pursuit of amateur rocketry in a coal mining town. Homer s family is an important element in the story. With the help and sometimes hindrance of the people of coalwood, the rocket boys learn not only how to turn mine scraps into rockets that soar. Dec 30, 2015 october sky by homer hickam in chm, fb2, rtf download ebook. Our own printable literature summaries will provide you with a concise, yet detailed summary of the title you are studying and offer you additional insight into your comprehension of the this novel including detailed chapter summaries and notes, setting.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of rocket boys by homer hickam. Board of regents of the university of wisconsin system and wisconsin educational communications board. Told with the warmth and downhome charm that made rocket boys a beloved bestseller, homer hickams rollicking novel is truly a testament to that strange and marvelous emotion we call love. Because of my memoir rocket boys and especially the movie october sky, a lot of people think im principally an engineer or a scientist. Describes homer growing up in the small mining town of coalwood, west virginia. Originally titled the rocket boys when hickam wrote it in 1998, the book can also be found under the title october sky which was released in conjunction with the movie tiein in 1999. Hickam s third installment in his bestselling memoir the coalwood way, 2000, etc. How the classic memoir rocket boys was written and the hit movie october sky was made by homer hickam. The paperback of the from rocket boys to october sky. The story takes place in mcdowell county, west virginia. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. October sky, the screen adaptation of hickams memoir rocket boys, stars actor jake gyllenhaal as hickam. Homer hickam stated that women over 30 would not go to see a movie titled rocket boys,so universal pictures changed the title to be more inviting to a wider. October sky rocket boys critique strategies by homer h.
He became fascinated with rockets and began the bcma big creek missile agency, to make rockets and discover what made them fly. January 6, 2006 like his coal miner father, october sky author homer hickam says his values to trust in god but rely on oneself. Carrying albert home tells the sweet, funny and sometimes heartbreaking tale of a young couple and their special pet on a crazy 1,000 mile journey. Told with the warmth and downhome charm that made rocket boys a beloved bestseller, homer hickams rollicking tale is ultimately a testament to that strange and marvelous emotion we inadequately call. The title of the paperback released at the same time was changed to the movie title, which is an anagram of rocket boys take the letters of rocket boys and move them around to spell october sky. His first book, torpedo junction 1998, focused on u. October sky by homer hickam in chm, fb2, rtf download ebook. A memoir in 1998 and the premiere of the movie october sky in 1999, many of my readers and fans have wondered 1 how and why i wrote the book, and 2 how the movie was made. His awards for writing are many and include the university of alabamas clarence cason award and shepherd universitys appalachian heritage authors award. Homer hickam s memoir october sky is the story of homer and his love for rocketry during the space race. Homer hickams comingofage memoir october sky details his high school years when he falls in love with rocketry. Reviews of the october sky so far about the book we have october sky pdf responses people have not nevertheless still left his or her report on the game, you arent read it yet.
In this lesson, we will look at quotes by and about homer hickam. This is the true story that inspired the feature film october sky. One of the most beloved bestsellers in recent years, rocket boys is a uniquely american memoir. Homer hickam books list of books by author homer hickam. October sky is a 1999 american biographical drama film directed by joe johnston, starring jake gyllenhaal, chris cooper, chris owen, and laura dern. Homer hickam at marshall center after his retirement, hickam began publishing both fiction and nonfiction books. Homer hickam hickam was born in coalwood, west virginia, on february 19, 1943, the second son of homer, a coal mine superintendent, and elise gardener lavender hickam. He graduated from big creek high school in 1960 and from the virginia polytechnic institute virginia tech in 1964 with a bs degree in industrial engineering. October sky is a 1999 american biographical drama film directed by joe johnston and starring jake gyllenhaal, chris cooper, chris owen, and laura dern. From rocket boys to october sky connected the two for me.
The true story of homer hickam, a coal miners son who was inspired by the first sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his fathers wishes. I also get to travel all over the world talking to. A numberone new york times bestseller in mass market, brought to the screen in the acclaimed film october sky, homer hickam s memoir, nominated for the national book critics circle award, comes to trade paperback with an allnew photo insert. Looking back after a distinguished nasa career, hickam shares the story of his youth in a pdf coal mining town. My father graduated from big creek high in the early 1940svery little of what i have heard has ever seemed positivei have always felt he came from the bowels of the earth, from a dreadful life of coal dust, miners. It is also available in abridged audio book, electronic book, large print, and is a readers digest condensed book. Wisconsin public radio and welcome civil, ontopic comments and opinions that advance the discussion from all perspectives of an issue.
I highly recommend all three of these books, especially for young men. The author of torpedo junction, a military history book of the month club selection, as well as numerous articles for such publications as smithsonian air and space and american history illustrated, he is a nasa payload training manager for the international space program. The novel unit series is comprised of this student packet, and a soldseparately october sky teachers guide. His 1998 memoir rocket boys also published as october sky was a new york times best seller and was the basis for the 1999 film october sky. It is also used in a period radio broadcast describing sputnik as it crossed the october sky.
Because of my memoir rocket boys and especially the movie october sky, a lot ofmore of all the things ive done in my life, im happiest when i write. You probably know homer hickam from his book rocket boys and the movie, october sky. Hickam, thank you for the great gift you have given me in your books rocket boysoctober sky and the coalwood way. I get to write books and novels and havehad a movie made out of my book, rocket boys. It was really cool to go to the movie set and watch the movie being made. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. Rocket boys, october sky homer hickam collectspace. Do you think youd have been happy to live in coalwood in the late 1950s. Coalwood is the small town where coal mining is the main job, and most boys go into the mine at a young age. If you like memoirs, books about the space race or the 50s i predict you will love rocket boys and from rocket boys to october sky. Carrying albert home is the funny, sweet, and sometimes tragic tale of a young couple and a special alligator on a crazy 1,000mile adventure.