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. The somewhat true story of a man, his wife, and her alligator. The red clay readers summer reading series continues this week with an interview with homer hickam, author of rocket boys. October sky, the name of the movie, is of course taken. This was the movie version of the book rocket boys, written by homer hickam. Quotations by homer hickam, american author, born february 19, 1943. Hickams other books, the coalwood way, and sky of stone both give even more insight, and are also great reads. Homer hickam is the bestselling author of the coalwood series of memoirs, the josh thurlow series of world war ii fiction, and many other novels and nonfiction books. Homer hickam s memoir october sky is the story of homer and his love for rocketry during the space race. Filled with interesting characters, ideas and life lessons, it also has a lot of excellent quotes which encapsulate both the themes and ideas of the book as well as the tone of the time that the book was written in. Homer describes his hometown of coalwood, west virginia.
What obstacles did the boys in october sky have to. A memoir was published by delacorte press in september 1998 and the movie based on it, october sky. October sky summary and analysis rocket boys by homer hickam. The paperback of the october sky by homer hickam at barnes. 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 and lives in huntsville, alabama. Faced with an uncertain future, homer hickam nurtured a. This readers group guide for homer hickam s october sky is designed to stimulate discussion and enhance the readers appreciation of this exceptional book. October sky is a 1999 american biographical drama film directed by joe johnston and starring jake gyllenhaal, chris cooper, chris owen, and laura dern. Interestingly, october sky is an anagram of rocket boys, the same letters just moved around. When in wales recently i finished reading october sky by homer h hickam, which seemed to have a certain synchronicity for me at that moment in time. If youve only seen the movie october sky or read the book rocket boys, you might be surprised to hear that nasa, nasa, nasa was not the burning ambition of homer hickam jr. If youre interested in booking homer hickam to speak at your next event, please. Homer hickams memoir october sky is the story of homer and his love for rocketry during the space race.
When universal made the movie, however, they changed quite a bit. Homer s family is an important element in the story. The true story, originally published asrocket boys, that inspired the universal pictures film. Weatherford award in 1998, the year of its release. Hickam s body of written work also includes several additional bestselling memoirs and novels, including the josh thurlow historical fiction novels and his 2015 bestselling carrying albert home. She also orchestrates the rocket boys entry into the national science fair. After watching the launch of sputnik, he set his sights on. It was 1957, and the small mining town of coalwood, west virginia, was slowly dying. It is mostly a true story though the author admits to taking some license about homer hickam, jr. Get an answer for what obstacles did the boys in october sky have to face to achieve their goal. Homer hickam is the author of many books including the acclaimed memoir rocket boys that was made into the film october sky.
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. From rocket boys to october sky audiobook by homer. It is a story of growing up in a mining town, and a boys pursuit of amateur rocketry in a coal mining town. But homer had his eye on the sky and a love for flying rockets. After seeing some clips from october sky and reading the plot, i figured id check out the book. October sky by homer hickam this book is wonderful and based. His books have been translated into many languages. October sky the coalwood series homer hickam 0440235502 9780440235507 the true story, originally published asrocket boys, that inspired the universal pictures film. A memoir in 1998 and the premiere of the movie october sky in 1999, many homer hickam listeners and fans have wondered how and why he wrote the book, and how the movie was made. Hickam, 9780440235507, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
Homers family is an important element in the story. Based on fact, this is the story of a teenager named homer hickam, growing up in a coal town in west virginia where a boys usual destiny was to end up in the mines. Hickam has been a coal miner, vietnam combat veteran, scuba instructor, nasa engineer, and now a bestselling author. 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 novel is truly a testament to that strange and marvelous emotion we call love. Rocket boys by homer hickam by homer hickam by homer hickam by homer hickam by homer hickam by homer hickam. I first came across this book after watching the film october sky, that is based on the book. I dont honestly know why, but here are the similarities and differences between the book october sky name changed from rocket boys and. He is the author of october sky, which was turned into a 1999 feature length film. 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. October sky penguin random house secondary education. October sky rocket boys critique strategies by homer h. It is a story of growing up in a mining town, and a boys pursuit of amateur rocketry in a.
October sky is the first memoir in a series of four, by homer hickam jr. This wellwritten biography is a snapshot into history, into the mind of a teenaged homer hickam, into the lives people living in a 1950s coal mining town, and into our national attitude about the space race. 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. Through homer hickams marvelous memoirs, readers have been transported to coalwood, west virginia, of the late 1950s first in rocket boys made into the film october sky, then the coalwood way, and now sky of stone. Fifteen years since the debut of october sky, based on homer hickams rocket boys. Homer hickam national aeronautics and space administration. This book inspired the movie october sky it is the type of book i will be lending to everyone. As you read this memoir, did you begin to feel as if you knew the people involved. His awards for writing are many and include the university of alabamas clarence cason award and shepherd universitys appalachian heritage authors award. This readers group guide for homer hickams october skyrocket boys is designed to. Faced with an uncertain future, homer hickam nurtured a dream. In 1957, the year homer began building rockets, there were only 2,000 people living there. From rocket boys to october sky kindle single kindle edition by hickam, homer. All of his friends, quentin, roy, and odell all think that their life after high school will be like everyone elses.
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. The book is set in coalwood, west virginia, a long way from aberdare in the valleys of south wales where i spent my earliest years and where its unmissable cemetery is the final resting place for generations of my ancestors. A memoir, the film still resonates with its message of following a dream but have you ever wondered how. He has since cowritten a musical play entitled rocket boys the musical, which, according to homer hickam, tells a story closer to the one in his book. His many literary awards include the clarence cason award for nonfiction, and the appalachian heritage.
Faced with an uncertain future, sonny hickam aka homer hickam, jr. From rocket boys to october sky audiobook by homer hickam. Rocket boys and this mass market paperback titled october sky are the same book. Rocket boys author homer hickam on writing memoirs. Homer loves in a small coal mining town where nearly every man grows up to be a miner. Homer hickam audio books, best sellers, author bio. It is mostly a true story though the author admits to taking some license about. Homer hickam, master storyteller and bestselling author of october sky, speaks to the ntpn opening session.
A line in the movie says something like, as i stood in my front yard and watched sputnik cross the dark october sky, as he is describing his seminal moment. His 1998 memoir rocket boys also published as october sky was a new york. Sep 02, 2011 in 1957, homer hickam jake gyllenhaal is a high school student in coalwood, west virginia when the soviet union launches sputnik, the first manmade satellite. Fifteen years since the debut of october sky, based on homer hickam s rocket boys. October sky orignally published as rocket boys 9780440235507 by homer hickam. This readers group guide for homer hickams october sky is designed to stimulate discussion and enhance the readers appreciation of this exceptional book 1. The easiest of the symbols in october sky to recognize is the symbolism of the rockets.
October sky is about a young man who believes in himself named homer hickam, growing up in a strict, traditional family in the 1950s. He is an american veteran and was an engineer for nasa. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Through homer hickam s marvelous memoirs, readers have been transported to coalwood, west virginia, of the late 1950s first in rocket boys made into the film october sky, then the coalwood way, and now sky of stone. As the boys began to light up the tarry skies with their flaming projectiles and dreams of glory, coalwood, and the hickams, would never be the same. Homer hickam was born and raised in coalwood, west virginia. Today, it is one of the most often picked communitylibrary reads in the united states. A memoir, the popular 1998 book made into the 1999 film october sky. It was the year sputnik raced across the appalachian s best books to read. What inspired homer hickam to write the book october sky. This commentary and discussion questions were written by linda terry hickam, assistant and wife. He has appeared on multiple television series as himself. It is also studied in many school systems around the world.
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. Oct 14, 2015 if youve only seen the movie october sky or read the book rocket boys, you might be surprised to hear that nasa, nasa, nasa was not the burning ambition of homer hickam jr. Born in 1943, homer grew up in west virginia in coalwood. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading from rocket boys to october sky kindle single.
Buy october sky by homer h hickam online at alibris. Do you think youd have been happy to live in coalwood in the late 1950s. It was 1957, the year sputnik raced across the appalachian sky, and the small town of coalwood, west virginia, was slowly dying. 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. My class watched the movie october sky also after we read the book. This is the true story that inspired the feature film october sky. October sky is an ok book its about a small mining town called coal wood. October sky by homer hickam pdf free download ebook. October sky 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. She gives sonny a book called principles of guided missile design that is extremely useful to the rocket boys in the future. In 1957, homer hickam jake gyllenhaal is a high school student in coalwood, west virginia when the soviet union launches sputnik, the first manmade satellite.
Rocket boys by homer hickam, also called october sky, is the story of a young boy growing up coalwood, a west virginia mining town. Homer hickam books list of books by author homer hickam. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Hickam is such a good writer, and although the book is based on their rocketary adventures, its all interesting, from his antics in school, to his strained family relationship. Mar, 2007 homer hickam, master storyteller and bestselling author of october sky, speaks to the ntpn opening session. In 1999, universal made a movie entitled october sky. I thought the film was amazing but this is even better. This readers group guide for homer hickams october sky is designed to stimulate discussion and enhance the readers appreciation of this exceptional book. Mar 04, 2011 buy october sky new ed by homer hickam isbn. Originally titled the rocket boys, the book was renamed in 1999. Told with the warmth and downhome charm that made rocket boys a beloved bestseller, homer hickam s rollicking novel is truly a testament to that strange and marvelous emotion we call love. October sky was followed by the coalwood way, sky of stone, and carrying albert home.
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