First two reads of 2010

"The Rule of Four" by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason.  An interesting tale about an ancient manuscript, the Hypnerotomachia,  that consumes the lives of Princeton students.  This novel combines shades of the Da Vinci code and the Ivy League with a good dose of mystery and Mark Twainish antics of the young men.  The characters are good and the story kept me reading.  Borrowing from the jacket, "..the story of a young man divided between the future's promise and the past's allure, guided only by friendship and love."   This is a first novel for the two  authors who are life long friends. I found some interesting phrases amidst the mystery, intrigue and action.

Pg. 70..."Adulthood is  a glacier encroaching quietly on youth.."
Pg. 196  "..Hope, time and the solitude of years..."
Pg.313  "Awakening to someone we know but perhaps take for granted, or ignore.."
Pg. 363  "Imagine the present is a reflection of the future...." 

"October Sky" (aka Rocket Boys) by Homer Hickam.   It was first printed as Rocket Boys. A movie was released as October Sky which was used to reprint the book.  This is the first memoir in his trilogy about growing up in the coal mining town, Coalwood, West Virginia in the late  50's.  The Russians have launched  Sputnik and Homer and hs  friends engage theselves in rocket building to  help the American effort.  Despite  disasters like blowing up his Mom's rose fence while  launching these homemade rockets, the quartet of boys spend years perfecting their rocket manaufacturing and launching. They form their own space agency.

 They have  fans around town and in the mine who  regularly come to observe their launches from  an area far from town provided by his Dad  to avoid more disasters.  Eventually through the coaching of a dear  teacher they enter the science fair and even  make it to the National  Science Fair in Indianapolis.  That is Homer's first big trip away from West Virginia.  

Homer Hickam and his brother are raised by Mom; Dad who is the mine boss lives in the home too but the mine is his primary focus. The antics of the fighting brothers cracked me up. They ride a school bus miles up the mountains to another tiny town to attend high school. The brother is a jock, but Homer is interested in going to work at Cape Canaveral! Homer does fulfill his childhood dream and becomes a NASA engineer. The one day that schools close for a severe winter storm does not deter these boys who are out at it,on their sleds up and over the mountains to enjoy the day. The return trip home almost is the undoing of Homer.

My cousin, Carol,  recommended one of the books in the series to me to gain perspective of  life in the coal mining town.  She and her family,( my father's brother was her father,) lived in Harwick, PA. as did my Grandmother Ball.  If I had ever heard about this book before, I likely turned up my nose thinking why would I want to read about boys growing up?  I so enjoyed it that I ordered the complete trilogy.

 Many of the attitudes and characters reminded me of beliefs and similar people I knew growing up in New Kensington.  Good writing throughout this enjoyable  first novel.  I'll  read the other two books in this set and  likely order his other novel about German U-2 boats off the eastern coast of the US in WWII. 

Pgs. 298--9  "It was Coalwood moving,  talking,  humming on its eternal symphony of life, work, duty and job.."..."..they acted as if nothing had happened.  That was the West Virginia way, and they were better at it than I was.."

Pg. 399.."I enjoyed the attention as long as people didn't press too close.  I had that West Virginia need for a certain amount of space between me and a stranger..."