One of the highlights for me at Wood Badge is watching the movie October Sky. I had never watched it before my first course, but now I make sure that I watch it every time I staff. If I catch it on at home, I find myself sitting down and watching it again. The movie is excellent, and I recommend it to everyone.
The book Rocket Boys, by Homer Hickam, inspired the movie October Sky. The name was changed for the film because the movie studio didn’t think women would go see a movie called “Rocket Boys.” I tend to agree with that logic. Fun fact: October Sky is an anagram of Rocket Boys.
As much as I would love to write a review of the book, that skill is not in my wheelhouse. I will tell you that the book focuses on more things happening in Coalwood and the Big Creek Missile Agency (BCMA). There is much more about Homer’s father, Homer Sr. (called John in the movie) and his relationship with his family. There are some great stories throughout the book, and you get a better feel for the timeline.
If you get a chance, I highly recommend you read the book Rocket Boys. It is a great read and will bring back some great memories of your time on the course. The book is pretty inexpensive, and I bought the Kindle version which was on sale at the time.
If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie you need to do both. And if you haven’t seen the movie it means you haven’t been on a course. Buy the book and sign up for the next Wood Badge course which is in April 2019.
