Blasting off with Rocket Boys in 2010

Galveston Reads 2010 blasts off! The first GReads event was held at Mosquito Café on January 6, 2010. Pat Bumpus led a lively discussion of this year’s book, Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam. Readers may be familiar with the movie, “October Sky,” which was the film adaptation of Hickam’s memoir about growing up in the late 1950’s fascinated with rocketry while living in the declining mining town of Coalwood, Virginia. The participants in the first discussion agreed that the book is a true heart-warmer with many universal themes with which we all can relate. Similarities to Galveston’s decline since Hurricane Ike are obvious. Other prevalent themes were the impact of mentors on young people, parental hopes for their children, and economic forces on people’s lives. Hickam also illuminates his tale with various humorous escapades of his band of rocket boys. Readers will be inspired by this story of how one boy’s focus on a dream changed not only his life, but also the lives of his friends, family, and town, and now touches millions.

GReads encourages everyone in the city to read Rocket Boys, by Homer Hickam, as part of the Rosenberg Library, “One City, One Book” project. Whether you’ve read the book or not, join us for one of the upcoming discussion groups and be inspired! On March 9, 2010, one of the original rocket boys, Roy Lee, will visit Galveston – join us and hear the story come alive again!

The next book discussion group will be held at Galveston Bookshop on Tuesday, January 12 at 5:30 pm.

The following events are sponsored by Galveston Reads, in cooperation with Rosenberg Library, a “One City, One Book” project from January through March 2010.

…….

J. Elizabeth Spears and Poom Sunhachawi-Taylor

Kick off 2010

Great night with Pat Bumpus facilitating our discussion. Had quite a few GReads members, and Steve with refreshments and cookies, opened just for us!

Nice to see Gracie, Elizabeth, Beth and Frannie!

Wonderful start to the reading season at the Mosquito Cafe.

Programs 2010 Rocket Boys

special events

1/30/10 Model Rocket Launch
11th and Seawall. 11 am
Austin Middle School Rocket
Club Presentation. 12:45pm.
Galveston College.
4015 Ave. Q, Room FA207
Refreshments provided.

2/23/10 Four Professors Panel
Discussion. Ball High
Lecture Hall. 4116 Ave. O
7 pm.

3/9/10 Roy Lee Cooke
An original Rocket Boy
Galveston College, 4015
Ave. Q, Room FA207, 7 pm

3/23/10 “October Sky”
Movie screening. Galveston
College, 4015 Ave. Q, Room
FA207, 6:30 pm

All events are free and open to the public

January 2010 Book Discussions

book discussions

1/6/10 Mosquito Café
628 14th St., 6 pm

1/12/10 Galveston Bookshop
317 23rd St., 5:30 pm

1/21/10 Mod Coffee House
2126 Postoffice St., 7 pm

1/26/10 Sugar Bean Coffee
11 Evia Main, 6:30 pm

2/4/10 Holy Family at St.
Patrick, 1010 35th St.,
10 am

2/9/10 St. Vincent’s House
2817 Postoffice, 6:30 pm

2/10/10 Unitarian Church
502 Church St., 7 pm

2/15/10 Westminster
Presbyterian Church
5127 Ave. U., 7 pm

2/16/10 Moody Methodist
2803 53rd. St., 10 am

3/18/10 Rosenberg Library
2310 Sealy, 12 noon

3/19/10 Freeman Library
16616 Diana Lane, Clear
Lake, 10:30 am

ALL EVENTS FREE AND OPEN TO THE
PUBLIC

Rocket Boys Display in September

Lynn Burke, our Galveston Reads inhouse illustrater/artist extraordinaire, has a new display for the Rosenberg Library. Hope to have members of the community join us this fall to blast off with Galveston Reads. Programming events are scheduled for Jan-March 2010.

Meetings: Tuesday, September 15th

Quick reminder that we’re doing marathon meetings again Tuesday, September 15. The Book Selection Committee meets at 3:00 pm, GENERAL Committee meeting (for everyone) at 4:00 pm, and the Programming Committee will meet at 5:00 pm. All meetings will be held in the McCullough Room of Rosenberg Library and with the library closing at 6:00 pm you can be assured all meetings will be punctual and kept to one hour.

Poom asked me to let the Book Selection committee members (affectionately known as the Readers Group) know the library now has copies of American Rust and Art of Racing in the Rain. Please contact Poom if you’d like either one held for you. American Rust is spoken for, Art of Racing in the Rain is only one available now.

Rocket Boys and Girls (GReads crew and spouses) in July 4th Parade 2009

Thanks to all who came and helped string those little foam beads last week, prior to parade- including Emmy’s husband, Chris! And it was so nice having a look at the rocket and banners that Poster and Lynn made (respectively)!

Thanks again, to Chris, Mike, David, Jim, Mary Case, Karen (Emmy’s friend), and Emmy for participating in the parade. We were right behind Lynn and the Privateers, who were the only marching band! More … Lynn was marching right in front of the float/truck with the Privateers, Glennda was the official photographer and Emmy, Karen(Emmy’s friend) and Galveston Reads crew, ran and tossed goodies.

We handed out bookmarks with beads, red, white and blue bears, and beads, and ran out about half way through. We enjoyed yelling: Read the book, See the movie, and Come to the library! To those who had read the book, perhaps a plot summary? Got some funny looks about plot summaries, as seemed to remind folks of school, during summer!

The silver rocket by Poster was a hit, and good for the Fourth, had a stand and colorful strings to denote fuel/engine blasts? Many in the crowd asked us to launch at them! But, Emmy didn’t think that was a good idea. I wonder why???

A good time was had by all, ended with lunch at the Mosquito and siesta for some of us!