Rating: 
Summary: What forces shape identity?
Review: In his autobiography, October Sky, Homer H. Hickam, Jr. uses a wide variety of literary elements to describe the forces that have shaped his identity. The surrounding environment, people he was around, and events of his life were three main forces that developed the fourteen-year-old Rocket Boy into a 38-year-old NASA engineer. Hickam's development of the setting, characters, conflicts, and resolution exposes worlds of detail about the extensive process in which his identity was carefully molded together.
Hickam was born and raised in Coalwood, West Virginia in the mid-1900s, used as the setting and the first identity-shaping force for the novel. Coalwood, home to over two thousand residents, was built for the sole purpose of extracting the millions of tons of rich bituminous coal that lay beneath it. Similar to the town's mineworkers, the white houses of Coalwood, owned by the coal company, constantly get tinted gray from blowing coal dust. While the town plunges further into the darkness of disappearance, the village parents strive to make sure that their children get out of Coalwood forever. And as the age of space exploration continues, Hickam quickly becomes intrigued by the news of both successes and failures of satellite launches. With the Russian Sputnik satellite already in space and the American scientists at Cape Canaveral struggling to have a successful satellite launch, Hickam dreamed of journeying to the moon. With the inspiration of Dr. Wernher von Braun and the help of the town citizens, Hickam and his team of Rocket Boys prepare to launch themselves out of the dying town of Coalwood through their success of rocketry.
Hickam used characterization to illustrate several significant people who greatly influenced his character including Elsie Hickam, Miss Riley, and the Rocket Boys. Elsie, his mother, a strong supporter of Sonny from the start, was determined to send him out of Coalwood and away from the dangers of mining. As the Rocket Boys continued their research, Elsie provided equipment such as pots, spoons, and even a water heater. Miss Riley, the 11th grade chemistry teacher at Big Creek High School, encouraged Hickam to continue his work with rocket science, providing him with knowledge of how different substances react with one another. She and Miss Bryson, the school librarian, ordered Principles of Guided Missile Design just for Sonny. The Rocket Boys, consisting of Billy, O'Dell, Quentin, Roy Lee, Sherman, and Sonny each had their own job as a member of the BCMA, or Big Creek Missile Agency. Billy, the runner, kept his eye out for the location of the rocket and went chasing in pursuit of it once the rocket landed. O'Dell and Roy Lee, the transporters, provided transportation to and from Cape Coalwood, the Rocket Boys' launch site. Quentin, the scientist, decided how to calculate the height of the rocket and eventually used a formula to do so. Sherman, the writer, scribbled down notes about the flight of each rocket. Sonny, the launcher and man in charge, ignited the rocket and took care of rocket production. With the encouragement and aid of the people near him, Hickam became a strong-minded individual capable of achieving anything.
Hickam's uniqueness wasn't displayed by the conflicts or events that he faced, but by the way he resolved them. Three major situations that changed Sonny forever were criticism and embarrassment, Mr. Bykovski's death, and learning algebra. At first when the BCMA started to launch rockets up on mountains near the mine, the rockets only flew up several feet. After consideration, they moved their launching to an abandoned slack dump far away from Coalwood. While embarrassed by how high their rockets could fly, the Rocket Boys kept on working harder and harder to accomplish their goal of a missile soaring miles high. Mr. Bykovski, a machinist-welder, built the actual rockets for the boys until he was fired and transferred to coal loading for doing so. The night that the mine ventilation fans were struck by lightning and a bump occurred near the face of the mine, Mr. Bykovski died in the mine. This was not uncommon, for men died in the mine quite frequently, forcing their families to leave their lives in Coalwood behind. Although Sonny felt terrible for the death of Mr. Bykovski, he knew that he had to keep moving on for Mr. Bykovski if not for everyone else cheering him on. Sonny continued with his love for rocket building and to make the missiles even better, he wanted to learn algebra. After persistently begging Mr. Turner, the school principal, for an algebra class and finally getting the chance to learn algebra, he was just as quickly shut out of the class when there was 1 extra student who signed up for the course and he turned out to be the one with the lowest grades. However, Sonny accepted it and he decided to learn algebra on his own by reading his father's algebra book. The steps Sonny has taken to resolve the conflicts in his life prove him to be a relentless, strong, and responsible person.
October Sky is a worthwhile read that spreads hope and inspiration to everyone. While it takes place in a town of decease and demise, it shows that anyone can do anything they set their mind to. Hickam wonderfully uses literary elements to express multiple events that happened in a historical town with a variety of citizens all trying to successfully get their children out of Coalwood. He combines all of these influences to display how his own identity has been patiently formed into the man he is today. At last, Hickam has found his true identity as a NASA engineer where he can continue to journey into the mysteries lying in outer space.
Rating:
Summary: 3-2-1 This book is about to blast off the charts
Review: For the record, I am writing this September 15, the first day Rocket Boys is available from Amazon or any bookstore. At this moment, the book's "Amazon.com Sales Rank" is 45,793. Just wait.I was heading out of town last week for two long business travel days when a bookseller friend handed me an advance reading copy of Rocket Boys and said, "Read this and tell me what you think." I was so moved by the book, I could not put it down. It is a classic coming-of-age tale. A sweet, poignant, inspirational tale that is good on so many, many levels. Don't get me wrong: this is no gooey memoir. It is a gritty, obviously honest and emotional story with complex characters. It is at times gripping, sad and outrageously funny. It is one of those rare books that can be read by parents and their high school-aged children with deep relevance - and inspiration - for both. And while I could go on and on about the many facets of the book I enjoyed, I found myself most impressed by the author's ability to engage me in a story in which high school math and science play pivotal roles. While Sonny is no math genius like, say, Will Hunting, he is passionate about his quest for the mathematical knowledge that will help him break free of his coal mining hometown's gravitational pull. This book will be required reading one day in high schools everywhere. Not only for its literary quality, but for the way in which it will surely inspire future generations of Sonny Hickams to realize winning can be found other places than on the football field; that even if your background and family seems to be overbearing burdens, you can still aim high...and soar.
Rating:
Summary: Rocket Boys
Review: One day my class teacher told us we would all be picking a book, reading it, and writing a critique for it. Then she told us we would be placing it on the internet. I wasn't too thrilled about any of this. This book turned out to be a lot better than I thought it would be. Rocket Boys, by Homer H. Hickam was written beautifly, tellling the story of a few young boys trying to reach a common goal. Homer "Sonny" Hickam Jr. starts out as a freshman in highschool trying to find a way with the ladies, especially Dorthy, and battling the jocks, one being his brother, for popularity. Sonny takes a sudden intrust in Sputnik. This is what gets him started on his incredibly passoinate love for rockets. His father is a miner and is always gone, as where his mother is incredibly supporting to whatever he does as long as he "doesn't blow himself up." Miss Rilly was another very supporting person in Sonny's life. She is the one that provides the "fuel" for Sonny's dream when she gives him a book on rocketry and encourages him to enter the science fair. I loved how the story is so vivid and colorful, how you can see the excitement, anger, fear, and love that the character expresses. This story also shows you that you have to keep trying to get what you want, and that not everything comes easily, but if you work hard for it, it can be very rewarding. Sonny learns this when he decides to enter the county science fair. It ends up being incredibly rewarding, and surprising to him. He ends up in the national science fair and returns home with a medal. Sonny eventually ends up working for NASA and accomplishing his dream. I loved this book because it was what really happened to him and it shows. He made a lot of really great frinds along the way, whether in the mine workshop or just some "different" people at school. I give this book five stars and would read it again anyday!
Rating:
Summary: An Exceptional Book
Review: Every so often a book comes along that restores your belief just a little. This book is one of them. It chronicles the childhood of Homer Hickam, NASA engineer who grew up in the West Virginia town of Coalwood. Coalwood was a company town, centered around the Coalwood coal mine. In one shape or form everyone who worked in Coalwood worked for or in the mine. Sons were expected to follow in their father's footsteps. However Mr. Hickam and his group of friends are galvanized by the Russian's successful Sputnik launch. They are determined to become rocket scientists and help Werner Von Braun compete with the Russians. This is a book of determination and courage. For instance, Mr Hickam, who couldn't pass basic Algebra taught himself Calculus so he could understand how to build better rockets. But it is also a story of boys growing up during the '50s with all of the normal teen-age angst. Most of all it is a warm book as we watch the Rocket Boys touch every member of the small coal mining community with their striving to reach the stars. I gave this book five stars, a rating I don't give out lightly. I loved this book and I think you will too.
Rating:
Summary: 3-2-1 This book is about to blast off the charts
Review: For the record, I am writing this September 15, the first day Rocket Boys is available from Amazon or any bookstore. At this moment, the book's "Amazon.com Sales Rank" is 45,793. Just wait. I was heading out of town last week for two long business travel days when a bookseller friend handed me an advance reading copy of Rocket Boys and said, "Read this and tell me what you think." I was so moved by the book, I could not put it down. It is a classic coming-of-age tale. A sweet, poignant, inspirational tale that is good on so many, many levels. Don't get me wrong: this is no gooey memoir. It is a gritty, obviously honest and emotional story with complex characters. It is at times gripping, sad and outrageously funny. It is one of those rare books that can be read by parents and their high school-aged children with deep relevance - and inspiration - for both. And while I could go on and on about the many facets of the book I enjoyed, I found myself most impressed by the author's ability to engage me in a story in which high school math and science play pivotal roles. While Sonny is no math genius like, say, Will Hunting, he is passionate about his quest for the mathematical knowledge that will help him break free of his coal mining hometown's gravitational pull. This book will be required reading one day in high schools everywhere. Not only for its literary quality, but for the way in which it will surely inspire future generations of Sonny Hickams to realize winning can be found other places than on the football field; that even if your background and family seems to be overbearing burdens, you can still aim high...and soar.
Rating:
Summary: Loved this book!!
Review: I'm not sure which was more interesting--the story of the rocket building or the story of growing up in a small West Virginia coal mining town. I was captivated by both.
To those that say this book doesn't appeal to women--nonsense! I'm a woman and am recommending it to my daughter and all my friends.
And finally, to the reviewer that said the movie is better--I loved the movie, but guess what, the book was even better.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent - a quick read
Review: This book really drew me in - although it is nearly 400 pages long, I finished it within two days! Highly recommended - especially if you have an interest in space/rocketry. However, it is hard to imagine many people who wouldn't enjoy this book. Better than the movie. I'm also amazed that a "rocket scientist" can write so well.
Rating:
Summary: October Sky
Review: October Sky is a great book it really inspired me to realize if you really want something it can happen and not to let people bring you down from something you want and think you can do. This book is really instering but it also taught me about VA and things there and life then. Sonny thinks that football is his only ticket out of Coalwood until Sputnik races across the sky and his life changes forever. The Rocket Boys start out knowing almost nothing about rockets and how they work let alone how to build them but with each rocket they learn more and more as each goes higher up into the sky. Sonny has a normal teenage life trouble with his brother Jim and girl trouble until rockets help him to forget about all of that and what is really important.
Rating:
Summary: My All Time Favorite
Review: I'm a college freshman. My major is Aerospace Engineering, partly because of this book. The first time I read it, I finished the book and started over again. I have read this book at least five times, and I never get bored of it. Now, it is the book I read to unwind after TRYING to do my Aero Engineering work. The fact that his goals and heros were the same as mine are now relaxes me because Homer Hickam made it to NASA, which gives me hope that maybe I will make it to the Cape also.
Rating:
Summary: My Critique of October Sky-Based upon the Theme
Review: The book October Sky, an autobiography by Homer Hickam Jr., has a very
noble theme: one of perseverance and triumph in determination. I found that
the book became all the more real as I watched the character grow and
progress. Letting no obstacles get in his way, such as his lack of true
education in the field of rocket research and his father's disapproval, he
eventually triumphs in his goals. The ending was truly very humbling.
To put it simply, October Sky is an all-around good story. I found it to
not only be an enjoyable read, but to be a heroic lesson relating to our own
human nature as well. Much enjoyment as well as wisdom is to be had from
this book.
The author truly succeeded in making all of his failures and triumphs come
to life in this novel. Due to the fact that much of this book was set when
he was an adolescent, we can assume that the narrative is mostly reliable.
However, this book also comes to life when the author's own input is added
as well. His character I found to be easy to relate to, with strengths and
weaknesses that needed to be overcome, and, because he never gave up through
all of his hardships, this novel can be regarded as truly inspiring.
I would most assuredly rate this book the highest possible on a scale of one
to five stars. It is an absolutely magnificent read, and I recommend it to
everyone who is willing to give it a shot. It can be slow at times, but I
found it to be entertaining enough, with as high admirable standard as with
any other book I have ever read. It is truly worthy to be considered with as
high literary merit and integrity that I have yet encountered. Everyone I
know who has read this book has also agreed fully with me on this opinion.
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