Homer Hickam

Homer Hadley Hickam Jr. (born February 19, 1943) is an American author, Vietnam War veteran, and a former NASA engineer who trained the first Japanese astronauts. His 1998 memoir ''Rocket Boys'' (also published as ''October Sky'') was a ''New York Times'' Best Seller and was the basis for the 1999 film ''October Sky''. Hickam's body of written work also includes several additional best-selling memoirs and novels, including the "Josh Thurlow" historical fiction novels, his 2015 best-selling ''Carrying Albert Home: The Somewhat True Story of a Man, his Wife, and her Alligator'' and in 2021 the sequel to ''Rocket Boys'' titled ''Don't Blow Yourself Up: The Further Adventures and Travails of the Rocket Boy of October Sky.'' His books have been translated into many languages. Provided by Wikipedia