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. Nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award, Homer Hickam's lush, lyrical memoir is a marvelously entertaining chronicle of triumph.
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"OMG this book almost made me cry! I usually get tired of coming-of-age stories but this one hit home. I don't know, maybe it's the poverty, or the rockets, or his friends. but the story of how he became what he is now is truly amazing. It kinda gives me hope for my own future. :)"
— Irene (5 out of 5 stars)
“A thoroughly charming memoir…[An] eloquent evocation of a lost time and place.”
— New York TimesA thoroughly charming memoir . . . [An] eloquent evocation of a lost time and place.
— The New York Times“[Hickam] is a very adept storyteller.”
— New York Times Book Review“Unforgettable.”
— USA Today“Hickam’s recollections of small-town America in the last years of small-town America are so cinematic that even those of us who didn’t grow up there might imagine we did.”
— Philadelphia Inquirer“A stirring tale that offers something unusual these days…a message of hope in an age of cynicism.”
— San Diego Union-Tribune" Good memoir of a boy growing up in a coal mining town at the start of the rocket age. "
— Jennifer, 2/18/2014" i am not very far but... i love it so far! "
— Mary, 2/13/2014" Homer Hickam is a great storyteller and really gives you a sense of the time and the town. "
— Jess, 1/27/2014" Easily one of the best books I've ever read. The movie is one of my favorites and this book is fantastic (maybe even better than the movie). Rocket Boys epitomizes the American Dream in my opinion and it proves that you can do anything you set your heart to. "
— Daniel, 1/15/2014" Amazing book, it truly did inspire me to build rockets. "
— Ronen, 1/15/2014" Excellent read. I saw the movie when it came out, but never got around to reading the book. Hickam is an EXCELLENT storyteller. I don't think I have laughed so hard while reading non-fiction ever. I kept cheering the boys on even knowing the general story. "
— Lesli, 12/25/2013" I'm no rocket scientist, but I enjoyed this book. It's a very well-written look at a small coal-mining town and explores family relations, friendships, 1950s life, and oh rocketry. And it's true. "
— Kimberly, 12/20/2013" October sky is a good book problem is it is dry and doesnt have very intrest or maby thats just my opinion "
— 03jarredm, 12/8/2013" Why can I not give this book more than five stars? "
— Andrew, 11/4/2013" This book is really cool! "
— Ellie, 10/31/2013Homer Hickam is the author of the New York Times bestseller Rocket Boys, which was made into the acclaimed movie October Sky. He has also authored the military history bestseller Torpedo Junction, along with several other popular historical and science fiction novels. A respected amateur historian, scuba expedition leader, and military veteran, he continues to write using his personal experience and history for creative material.
Beau Bridges is a Grammy and Emmy Awardwinning actor and AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator.