The Coalwood Way - by Homer Hickam (Paperback)

About the Book

The author of "October Sky" takes readers back to his West Virginia hometown in the fall of 1959. Homer "Sonny" Hickam and his fellow Rocket Boys are in their senior year, and the town of Coalwood is at a painful crossroads. The strain is also felt by Sonny's family. With the holidays approaching, the arrival of a beautiful outsider brings unexpected changes in both the Hickam family and the town.

Book Synopsis

In this "irresistible" memoir "as compelling and rousing as a NASA liftoff" (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution), the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Rocket Boys takes us deeper into the soul of his West Virginia hometown during a pivotal moment that irrevocably changed its unique way of life.

"Another classic coming-of-age tale . . . the rocket boy soars again."--People

Fall, 1959. Homer "Sonny" Hickam and his fellow Rocket Boys are in their senior year at Big Creek High, and the town of Coalwood finds itself at a painful crossroads.

The strains can be felt within the Hickam home, where Homer Sr. struggles to save the mine, and his wife, Elsie, is feeling increasingly isolated from both her family and the townspeople. Sonny, despite a blossoming relationship with a local girl, finds his own mood darkened by an unexplainable sadness.

Then, with the holidays approaching, trouble at the mine and the arrival of a beautiful young outsider bring unexpected changes in both the Hickam family and the town of Coalwood.

From the Back Cover

From the #1 bestselling author of October Sky comes this rich, unforgettable tale. With the same dazzling storytelling that distinguished his first memoir, Homer Hickam takes us deeper into the soul of his West Virginia hometown at a moment when its unique way of life is buffeted by forces of time and change. It is fall 1959. Homer "Sonny" Hickam and his fellow Rocket Boys are in their senior year at Big Creek High, and the town of Coalwood finds itself at a painful crossroads. The strains can be felt within the Hickam home, where Homer Sr. struggles to save the mine, and his wife, Elsie, is feeling increasingly isolated from both her family and the townspeople. Sonny, despite a blossoming relationship with a local girl, finds his own mood darkened by an unexplainable sadness. Then, with the holidays approaching, trouble at the mine and the arrival of a beautiful young outsider bring unexpected changes in both the Hickam family and the town of Coalwood...as this luminous memoir moves toward its poignant conclusion.

Review Quotes

"Another classic coming-of-age tale . . . the rocket boy soars again."--People

"Irresistible . . . as compelling and rousing as a NASA liftoff."--The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Compelling . . . riveting . . . extremely satisfying reading."--The Boston Globe

"[A] sparkling memoir."--Chicago Sun-Times

"Hickam . . . has a wonderful story to tell."--The Philadelphia Inquirer

"Perceptive and honest . . . A charming and sentimental, yet realistic paean to the values, biases, and hopes of small-town America."--Richmond Times-Dispatch

"[A] powerful story . . . since Hickam writes without pity but with love, he causes readers to care."--Boston Herald

"Recalling a lost era, [Hickam] brings his American hometown to life with vivid images, appealing characters and considerable literary magic."--Publishers Weekly

"With keen memory and dedication to fact, Hickam mines his childhood, playing the trials of growing up and self-discovery against the unstoppable forces of change. Along the way emerge truths and realizations that resonate on deep levels. Indeed, Hickam is powerfully gifted in rendering the personal into the universal."--The Denver Post

"More than a good read, charming and often moving enough to bring a lump to your throat."--American Way

"A heartwarming tale of family love, small-town living and boyhood adventure that will take readers back to their own youthful days. I loved it!"--Abilene Reporter-News

"A story of heartwarming possibilities . . . original and nostalgically humorous . . . The Coalwood Way is the story of a rocket boy shooting for the moon. But it is also the story of the maturation of a boy, a family and a town."--BookPage

About the Author

Homer H. Hickam, Jr., was born and raised in Coalwood, West Virginia. The author of Torpedo Junction, a Military History Book of the Month Club selection, as well as numerous articles for such publications as Smithsonian Air and Space and American History Illustrated, he is a NASA payload training manager for the International Space Program and lives in Huntsville, Alabama.