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The Official Website of the State of West Virginia

‘Rocket Boys’ author hopes more Coalwood stories coming to the screen

4/9/2023

While he has long been a name familiar to West Virginians, it’s not an overstatement to say Homer Hickam has inspired people all over the world.


On the surface, his 1998 memoir, “Rocket Boys,” tells the story of his life growing up in the coal company town of Coalwood in McDowell County, where his father worked in the mine. But the story is about more than boys building rockets. At its core, it’s about family, changing times, and doggedly pursuing a dream against all odds.

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