Mar 10, 2008 this interview took place in october of 2002. 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 is not good at football like his brother jim, but he wants to find a way to go to collage and not have to work in the coal mine. Get an answer for describe homer hickam in detail in october sky. Feb 10, 2009 homer hickam reveals how director joe johnston came up with the name for the popular film.
An associated book about coalwood was published in 2002, a self helpinspirational tome titled we are not afraid. Riley the rocket boys get a book on the math and science behind the flight of rockets. Rocket boys, october sky homer hickam collectspace. Sonny, however, is terrible at sports and has no special skill that would get him out of coalwood. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2. 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. Sonny is an intelligent boy, although some subjects at school do not come easily to him. Hickams other books, the coalwood way, and sky of stone both give even more insight, and are also great reads. October sky summary and analysis rocket boys by homer hickam. Mar 04, 2011 speedy delivery and more modern title and cover,was first printed as october sky. Rocket boys that became the critically acclaimed movie october sky. A memoir in 1998 and the premiere of the movie october sky in 1999. Homer hickam reveals how director joe johnston came up with the name for the popular film.
October sky this unit includes backgroundresource links, vocabulary, information about memoirs and socratic seminars, and assignments. Hickam found out that he was making sonny rockets without permission with company materials he was sent into the mine. In 1957, at age 14, he built his first rocketand so began his. In the summer of 61, homer sonny hickam, a year of college behind him, was dreaming of sandy beaches and rocket ships. Story diagram rising action the rising action is when sputnik is launched by the russians, homer hickam was then inspired to launch his own rocket into outer space. I thought the film was amazing but this is even better. Interesting that october sky the name of the movie is an anagram of rocket boys the name of the book the original name anyway. He grows up in a small coal mining town in west virginia. But through the help of his teacher, mother, friends, and townspeople, he finds within himself the strength, motivation and confidence to leave off dreaming and start building a life that counts for.
Rocket boys by homer hickam overdrive rakuten overdrive. 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. The main conflict is when homer s father has the idea that homer will. Although most of her family is involved in mining, she despises every aspect of the life of a miner.
If youre interested in booking homer hickam to speak. Hickam has been a coal miner, vietnam combat veteran, scuba instructor, nasa engineer, and now a bestselling author. What is the most significant thing homer hickam does in. 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. The books show the benefits of friendship, persevering in the face of incredible odds, and also the benefits of learning on your own. 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. October sky based on 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, and eventually became a nasa scientist. Do you think youd have been happy to live in coalwood in the late 1950s. Why was the movie called october sky instead of the books title, rocket boys. It is also available in abridged audio book, electronic book, large print, and is a readers digest condensed book.
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. Throughout october, the library will sponsor book discussions, films and activities for all ages all focused around the reading of the book. In the book rocket boys, the main character is always called sonny. Looking back after a distinguished nasa career, hickam shares the story of his youth in a pdf coal mining town. Hickam has grown up in his latest installment, after accounts of his boyhood in the first two. His first book, torpedo junction 1998, focused on u. Comparative analysis of the autobiographical rocket boys by homer hickam and the film october sky. Hickam is also the author of a popular series of novels that feature josh thurlow, a coast guard officer during world war ii. Hickam grew up in a mining town in which the only job choice was to become a miner. Rocket boys, the homer hickam autobiography that became the movie october sky, is the book the library has chosen for the program. Homer hickam at marshall center after his retirement, hickam began publishing both fiction and nonfiction books. Oct 15, 2012 homer hickam is a former nasa, a new york times bestselling author, a vietnam war veteran, a small town hero, and a project talent participant from big creek high school in war, west virginia. There are just a few changes between the book and movie. October sky is a 1999 american biographical drama film directed by joe johnston, starring jake gyllenhaal, chris cooper, chris owen, and laura dern.
In 1998, delacorte press published hickams second book, rocket boys, the. Describes homer growing up in the small mining town of coalwood, west virginia. 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. She gives sonny a book called principles of guided missile design that is extremely useful to the rocket boys in the future. An evaluation of the novel october sky by homer hickam, using the pit stop principles from first trimester reading. If youre interested in booking homer hickam to speak at your next event, please contact greater talent. Rocket boys and this mass market paperback titled october sky are the same book. Asked about his favorite books as a child, hickam responded, twenty thousand leagues under the sea and huckleberry finn. Get an answer for what is the most significant thing homer hickam does in october sky. October sky is the story of a a group of young enthusiasts whose ambition revives an industrial town in decline. Due to the effort and determination that sonny had to use in order to pursue his dreams throughout the memoir of october sky, the theme in this book can be used to help any 21st century student in achieving their dreams. Oct 10, 2009 october sky what are characteristics of homer hickam.
This article will give you a chapter by chapter october sky summary. One of the best books ive ever read, i had seen the movie october sky long ago. Homer hickam, october sky, originally published as rocket boys lesson plans for both book and movie homer hickam biography and related links. For clarity and to avoid further explanation of detail, the rocket academy they formed in t.
Still i was not prepared for the detailed and humorous accounts of author hickam s and his rocketbuilding partners tenacious efforts, interwoven with heavy yet nonmelodramatic stories of life in a mining town past its prime. I highly recommend all three of these books, especially for young men. As it is a true story it is inspiring as they persist in realising their dreams and i would recommend this book and others in the series. Rocket boys by homer hickam, also called october sky, is the story of a young boy growing up coalwood, a west virginia mining town. I first came across this book after watching the film october sky, that is based on the book. Using the book the boys learn how to make their rockets better in all areas. Effort and pure determination is a key part of the success of the rocket boys throughout homer hickams october sky. He became fascinated with rockets and began the bcma big creek missile agency, to make rockets and discover what made them fly. You probably know homer hickam from his book rocket boys and the movie, october sky. Although i was a teenager more than a decade later than hickam was, some of the things he wrote about hit close to home.
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. 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. October sky is the first memoir in a series of four, by homer hickam jr. Rocket boys have you ever read a book and later watched the movie version only to find out that they are completely different. 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. Please list at least three which lead him to achieving his dream please. His mother wanted to ensure he got out of the town and encouraged him to build rockets as a means of proving to his father that he was smart enough to go to college. 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. She also orchestrates the rocket boys entry into the national science fair. Rocket boys book frisco public library bibliocommons. It is a story of growing up in a mining town, and a boys pursuit of amateur rocketry in a. 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.
A young man in a small west virginia coal town dreams of building rockets to outer space as he witnesses sputnik flying. In homer hickam s book, october sky and the film adaptation by joe johnstun, the main character sonny hickam is portrayed differently. Space is the final frontierand its mysteries have fascinated homer h. Homer hickam is making a good living off his hometown, the mining community of coalwood, w. His family is an important part of the story in terms of supporting or not supporting homers efforts. She frequently quarrels with her husband about life in the mines. A young man in a small west virginia coal town dreams of building rockets to outer space as he witnesses sputnik flying overhead. October sky what are characteristics of homer hickam. This is a sensitive, funny, brilliant tale of boys besotted by a dream. October sky is a movie about how a hillbilly accomplished his dream of building rockets and got out from the falling mining hometown named coalwood. I need to know 10 character traits of homer hickam from the film october sky. He has written another book on the town following best seller october sky and part 2 of the trilogy, the coalwood way. How the classic memoir rocket boys was written and the hit movie october sky was made homer hickam on.
This readers group guide for homer hickam s october sky is designed to stimulate discussion and enhance the readers appreciation of this exceptional book 1. This commentary and discussion questions were written by linda terry hickam, assistant and wife. His memoir, rocket boys, is an account of his youth spent designing and launching rockets with his friends in his hometown of coalwood, west virginia. Dec 30, 2015 october sky by homer hickam in chm, fb2, rtf download ebook. Homer hickam was born in coalwood, west virginia in february 1943. The character of elsie lavender hickam in rocket boys from.
His physical characteristics, personal goals, motivation, and his family. This readers group guide for homer hickams october skyrocket boys is designed to. Homer hickam talks about building rockets and the october sky. 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. They are emblems of a better future, of a life outside the vicious confines of the pit, of a world beyond the imagination. Initially, homer does not have the confidence or support to ignite his talent and achieve his desires. Sonnys older brother, jim hickam, excels at football and expects to get a college football scholarship. Oct 29, 2002 now homer hickam continues his extraordinary story with sky of stone, dazzling us with exquisite storytelling as he takes us back to that remarkable small town we first came to know and love in october sky. Hickman about his high school experience, his many accomplishments, and his project.
Homer hickam talks about building rockets and the october. As you read this memoir, did you begin to feel as if you knew the people involved. Riley is very much apart of the rocket boys success. Homer hickam online comprehension questions, vocabulary words, and an essay test, for teaching october sky. But hickam s repertoire of 15plus books range from fiction to nonfiction, covering multiple. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Homer hickam, the main character of the movie, would never succeed in his rocket dream without the extraordinary inspiration and encouragement from miss riley. Welcome, this site is to be used as a basic resource for october sky, by homer h. His 1998 memoir rocket boys also published as october sky was a new. Hickam uses his knowledge of science and the military to pen his helium3 series, featuring crater trueblood, a man who lives as a miner on the moon.
Homer hickam s memoir october sky is the story of homer and his love for rocketry during the space race. 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. One of the best books i have ever read, tells of the angst of teenage boys growing up in a mining town in america, the fifties. Sonny is the leader of the rocket boys, a group of friends from the mining town of coalwood, west virginia, who join together to unlock the mysteries of rocket science on their own in response to the launching of the russian satellite sputnik. Homer s family is an important element in the story. The reason he has a car was from a company settlement that went on before the book. In homer hickams book, october sky and the film adaptation by joe johnstun, the main character sonny hickam is portrayed differently. This readers group guide for homer hickams october sky is designed to stimulate discussion and enhance the readers appreciation of this exceptional book. Sky of stone by homer hickam pittsburgh postgazette. October sky orignally published as rocket boys 9780440235507 by homer hickam.
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