Rocket Boys (The Coalwood Series #1)
by Homer Hickam
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Book Summary Information
Author: Homer HickamEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2000-01-11
ISBN: 0385333218
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: Delta
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780385333214
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of Rocket Boys (The Coalwood Series #1)
Book Review: Rocket Boys was a great book
Summary: 5 Stars
Rocket Boys
By Homer H. Hickam, Jr.
Rocket Boys is a touching memoir of a young man, Homer "Sonny" Hickam, growing up in the mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia in the 1950s. Through his adolescence he is faced with the challenge of gaining his father's respect, mending a broken heart from Dorothy Plunk more than once, and of course, the fight to achieve his true dream; building rockets. This book was truly moving. Once I picked it up I didn't want to put it down. I can see how it would be so easy to make the movie "October Sky" from it.
Sonny's hometown of Coalwood is focused on the mines. His father, Homer, holds a prominent position in the management of the mines, but his mother, Elsie, doesn't hesitate to show her resentment towards it. Sonny has one brother, Jim, who is a football star at Big Creek High School and is the receiving end of any attention and respect their father has time to give to his sons. Sonny's spends his childhood with his friends, Roy Lee, Sherman, and O'Dell, but when they're not playing a typical game of "Coalhicans" in the woods, Sonny is deep in his science fiction books.
On October 5, 1957, Russia launches a space satellite called Sputnik, and in effect, begins a space race. This sparks Sonny's attention so much that he builds his own rocket with an empty plastic flashlight, cherry bomb powder, a plastic airplane model, and match. He ends up blowing up his mother's fence, but that doesn't discourage Sonny, because he has dreams to one-day work with Werner von Braun in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Right from the start, Sonny's mother's message to him is that he must find some way to prove himself to his father because even though he praises Jim beyond belief for his high school football fame, Homer doesn't really believe his youngest son is capable of growing up to be anything more than a clerk at the coal company. She warns Sonny that eventually, Coalwood will die. Homer is an active member of "The Football Fathers", who fight for Big Creek's team to be allowed in the state championship game after the High School Athletic Association tells them Big Creek plays too many Virginia teams for it be allowed.
In December of 1957 the U.S. tries to compete with Russia's Sputnik with their unsuccessful attempt to send Vanguard into space. With his own dream brewing, Sonny decides to recruit an intelligent and socially awkward boy, Quentin, to help with his rocket project. Quentin calls for black powder to make their rocket, which contains potassium nitrate, saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur. They purchase these supplies at the Big Store, which contribute to an accumulation of failed attempts, all of which go into Quentin's "Body of Knowledge". Meanwhile, Sonny has fallen head over heals for Dorothy, whom he studies with every Sunday, but whose returning feelings of romantic affection are lacking. Dorothy, along with every other girl at Big Creek prefer the big-man-on-campus football players when it comes to dating.
On January 31, 1958, the Army Ballistic Missile Agency, led by Dr. Von Braun, launches Explorer 1 with success. This spurs Sonny and his friends to establish their own Big Creek Missile Agency. Sonny is the President and Quentin is naturally the scientist, constantly telling the boys they must figure out the "why" of a rocket and not just the "how". When their teacher Miss Riley catches wind of the boys plan, she suggests entering the science fair. After learning about Newton's 3rd Law of action/reaction, the BCMA know they need a nozzle on their rocket, so they go to the coal company welder, Mr. Bykovski to get a washer welded on to a tube. Their first prototype is named Auk I, after an extinct bird that cannot fly. Not only is this attempt unsuccessful, it takes out some of Homer's company wall and he is enraged that Sonny has been using Mr. Bykovski to help him. As punishment, he tells Sonny he is not allowed to continue with his rockets and Mr. Bykovski's is transferred to a different position. The BCMA goes out to Pine Knob Mountain anyway but people continue to complain. In a church sermon, Reverend Lanier gives a speech about fathers and sons, preaching, "Sons, obey your fathers. But fathers, help your sons to dream". Homer then leads Sonny out to Big Branch wilderness area and tells him he can send his rockets off from here.
Back at Cape Canaveral, the Air Force is launching rockets on a weekly basis. Under the Eisenhower administration, NASA is established. On March 26 the U.S. sends up 31-pound Explorer, but in May the Soviets send Sputnik III, weighing in at 2,925 pounds. In an attempt to catch up with Russia's racing technology, Big Creek is one of the many high schools to step up their academic plan. This, in addition to the suspension of the football team for the failed case pursued by the fathers, greatly changes Big Creek High School. Refusing to back down from his rockets, Sonny and his friends have the idea to erect a blockhouse at "Cape Coalwood" so in a network of trade, they are able to obtain tin for the roof.
In the spring of 1958, Sonny's dad indirectly helps the "Rocket Boys" out by providing company cement for a launching pad. They advertise their rocket launching at the Big Store and Mr. Dubonnet, a union leader, Jake, a junior engineer who had become friendly with the BCMA, and a few others come to watch its take-off. When the results aren't exactly what they have hoped for, Mr. Dubonnet suggests letting the black powder sit for two weeks instead of five days.
Meanwhile, at school, Sonny and Quentin are determined to learn trigonometry and anything else they can to broaden their understanding of rockets. After watching Miss Riley mix potassium chlorate and sugar and observing the rapid oxidation, they get a new idea for rocket fuel. Miss Riley discourages that combination but they decide potassium nitrate instead of chlorate will do the trick. Aux IX's fuel is quickly nicknamed "rocket candy". After several more attempts, they decide it would be most efficient to melt the rocket candy first. Auk XII is their first launch using electrical ignition system with a car battery. It attracts fifty observers and reaches a height of 760 feet.
Sonny's dad doesn't approve of all the rocket experimenting he's been up to, so he takes him to the mine in an attempt to convince Sonny that if he really does have a knack for engineering, a mining engineer would be a wise career to choose. Sonny refuses, only adding to the tension between him and his father.
The Rocket Boys continue with Auk XIV, which reaches 3,000 feet. Auk XX proves to be too heavy but that doesn't discourage Sonny, especially after his mom gives him an autographed picture of Dr. Wernher von Braun for Christmas and Miss Riley surprises him with a book entitled, "Principles of Guided Missile Design". The Rocket Boys get the idea for a nozzle from Swedish engineer De Laral, and Auk XVI reach 3,000 feet. A girl named Valentine is there to watch this take off, which helps to soothe Sonny's crushed heart a little because Dorothy has turned him down once again.
More adults begin to volunteer their time towards the boys cause. Mr. Ferro suggests countersizing the nozzle, and Mr. Caton helps by ordering seamless tubing at Sonny's request.
Sonny's love life continues to decline when his brother Jim takes Dorothy to a dance at the Dugout. There is also trouble at the mine. In an awful accident, Mr. Bykovski is killed, and Sonny hits a new level of emotional emptiness. Miss Riley picks up on this self-pity and warns Sonny that if he stops building his rockets, he will regret it forever. Sonny picks his head up and pretty soon, Auk XXI is launched at 4,100 feet. Next, the boys decide that zinc dust and sulfur will make for good propellant. It is used for Auk XXII, but the mix is too loose so they figure some alcohol might help the fuel. Auk XXIIA shoots into the air at 5,776 feet. With Union and Company tensions brewing, Mr. Fuller proclaims that Camp Coalwood will be torn down, but Sonny's dad stands up for the boys.
When Auk XXIII is launched, 300 people come to watch, and the rocket proves itself at 7,056 feet and Auk XXIV later reaches 8,500 feet. Not everything is running smoothly at home though. A Unionist who hates his father shoots at Sonny's home and the sons of Union members constantly bully Sonny. Pooky even runs over and kills Sonny's cat because of the hostilities. In addition, Sonny finds out that Miss Kelly has cancer. The rocket boys decide to enter the science fair though, and Sonny wins the state fair for his project, "A Study of Amateur Rocketry Techniques". This means Sonny goes to the regional fair in Bluefield where the Rocket Boys not only win the blue ribbon, but also an award for "Outstanding in the Field of Propulsion". Sonny has the opportunity to travel to Indianapolis to attend the National Science Fair. When he arrives home, his dad has given in to the Union and all the tensions have ceased. He visits Miss Riley at the hospital and surprises her with his gold medal.
In June 1960, Sonny and the rest of the Rocket Boys graduate from high school. Their last rocket display is of Auk XXXI. Homer Hickam lights the rocket and yells, "beautiful, beautiful!" as it soars nearly 6 miles into space.
Homer H. Hickam, Jr. concludes his illuminating story with an epilogue. He was able to fulfill his dream and work as a NASA engineer! I recommend this book to anyone looking for a little motivation.
Summary of Rocket Boys (The Coalwood Series #1)
The #1 New York Times bestselling memoir that inspired the film October Sky, Rocket Boys is a uniquely American memoir?a powerful, luminous story of coming of age at the dawn of the 1960s, of a mother's love and a father's fears, of a group of young men who dreamed of launching rockets into outer space . . . and who made those dreams come true.With the grace of a natural storyteller, NASA engineer Homer Hickam paints a warm, vivid portrait of the harsh West Virginia mining town of his youth, evoking a time of innocence and promise, when anything was possible, even in a company town that swallowed its men alive. A story of romance and loss, of growing up and getting out, Homer Hickam's lush, lyrical memoir is a chronicle of triumph?at once exquisitely written and marvelously entertaining.
Now with 8 pages of photographs.
A number-one 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 all-new photo insert.
One of the most beloved bestsellers in recent years, Rocket Boys is a uniquely American memoir. A powerful, luminous story of coming of age at the end of the 1950s, it is the story of a mother's love and a father's fears, of growing up and getting out. With the grace of a natural storyteller, Homer Hickam looks back after a distinguished NASA career to tell his own true story of growing up in a dying coal town and of how, against the odds, he made his dreams of launching rockets into outer space come true.
A story of romance and loss and a keen portrait of life at an extraordinary point in American history, Rocket Boys is a chronicle of triumph.
Inspired by Werner von Braun and his Cape Canaveral team, 14-year-old Homer Hickam decided in 1957 to build his own rockets. They were his ticket out of Coalwood, West Virginia, a mining town that everyone knew was dying--everyone except Sonny's father, the mine superintendent and a company man so dedicated that his family rarely saw him. Hickam's smart, iconoclastic mother wanted her son to become something more than a miner and, along with a female science teacher, encouraged the efforts of his grandiosely named Big Creek Missile Agency. He grew up to be a NASA engineer and his memoir of the bumpy ride toward a gold medal at the National Science Fair in 1960--an unprecedented honor for a miner's kid--is rich in humor as well as warm sentiment. Hickam vividly evokes a world of close communal ties in which a storekeeper who sold him saltpeter warned, "Listen, rocket boy. This stuff can blow you to kingdom come." Hickam is candid about the deep disagreements and tensions in his parents' marriage, even as he movingly depicts their quiet loyalty to each other. The portrait of his ultimately successful campaign to win his aloof father's respect is equally affecting. --Wendy Smith
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