Rocket Boys: A Memoir by Homer H. HIckam Jr. is the Galveston Reads book section for 2010. A highly accessible slice of mid-century Americana, Rocket Boys is the coming of age story of Hickam during the infancy of space exploration. It’s 1957, Russia has just launched Sputnik 1, and young Hickam dreams of being a part of this new frontier. In sharp contrast, his home town of Coalwood, West Virginia, is a dying mining town where the majority of teens have little aspirations other than following their daddies down into the mines. Despite a couple of early rocketry misfires, Hickam, three friends and an inspirational science teacher succeed with a science fair project that helps him launch a space career. This story will ring true with Galvestonians who understand the importance of remaining optimistic despite unsettling conditions. The Island’s close proximity to N.A.S.A. makes this a very relevant read for the community.
Rocket Boys was published in 1998 and was selected by the New York Times as one of its Great Books of the year. The movie, October Sky, based on Rocket Boys was released in 1999. The book is available under both titles.
This is the seventh year of Galveston Reads. Book discussions and related programs will be scheduled January through March, 2010.
Galveston Reads Committee welcomes anyone who would like to become a part of the project and help with planning. The first meeting will be on Thursday,
May 21, 4:00 pm at Rosenberg Library. Volunteers are needed to serve on several committees, including programming, fund raising, publicity and book selection. For additional information on how to become involved in the pre-programming stages of Galveston Reads, please call Committee Chair Karen Stanley at Rosenberg Library,
(409) 763-8854 ext.119.
May 15, 2009
Barbara Arnold
Children’s Librarian
Rosenberg Library
409.763.8854 ext.135
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