Posted on 04/12/2005 6:04:08 PM PDT by KevinDavis
On Thursday, April 14, NASA's Glenn Research Center in partnership with the Cleveland Area Metropolitan Library System will host a discussion with Homer Hickam, author of "Rocket Boys" from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET. Dee Perry of WCPN radio will moderate the event.
"Rocket Boys", the 2005 selection for the North Coast Neighbors Share a Book program, and the inspiration for the movie "October Sky", is a best-selling novel-memoir based on the author's coming of age in Coalwood, West Virginia. A coal miner's son, Hickam dreamed of launching a rocket and sending it into space. His quest, which began with his friends and a homemade launch pad, eventually led him to an 18 year career with NASA during the shuttle era.
North Coast Neighbors Share a Book is an initiative of local libraries in the region known as "The North Coast" of Ohio, as well as surrounding areas. Based on similar "one book" events held in other cities, the program represents an effort to unite the community around a common theme - reading a good book - and being able to share thoughts and ideas about it with other people. Thursday's event marks the culmination of the 2005 Share a Book program which featured dozens of book discussions throughout the community.
(Excerpt) Read more at nasa.gov ...
Hey!!!! I know Homer, he sailed with me on my boat Georgia Peach with a mutual friend of ours. Homer was also a tank platoon leader in Vietnam.
That was one heck of a great book he wrote--under either title. Really enjoyed it.
Now that's something I'd get out of the house and go to.... if it wasn't in such a far off place. ~sigh~
Still cool happening there.
I have not yet read the book, but the movie was a solid film.
I saw the movie and I loved it..
It's too bad that Jake Gylenhall has turned out to be so weird, he was great in that movie.
I did not know he was in Vietnam.
So was Chris Cooper..
Me, to.
Viet Nam?
He was in the service, but I didnt know he went to Nam. Wow.
He's also a graduate of the best University in Virginia. Go Hokie!
< Coalwood, West Virginia >
This WV gal just had to repeat it.
He also writes a lot of articles for Skindiver Magazine. One of his big deals is diving on sunken German submarines. If any of the crew are still living he likes to interview them. Really a talented and interesting individual.
ping
One night he was on the wheel of the boat off of Miami and we had a lot of wind. His eyes really lit up and he was really enjoying it. He made the statement, "You know you control a lot of power when you are in control of a platoon of tanks". I laughed my rear end off at him.
I met him in about 1983. He used to dive a lot with a friend of mine who went to college with me at North Georgia College. He told me the story about winning the science award and meetin Von Braun. At that time the significance was lost on me. Also I might have been drunk. He also told me what it was like to work in a coal mine. Not fun.
So what I saw in the movie i.e. Meeting Von Braun, winning the science fair, and working in the coal mine was true...
I think almost everything you saw in the movie was true or at least based on some experience of Homer.
I've got his email address somewhere. Our mutual friends wife is gravely ill.
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