The Boy in October Sky Became a Man Who Taught Astronauts to Dive

So they could experience weightlessness, Homer Hickam taught astronauts to dive and even taught David Letterman in a hotel pool. In the '70s and '80s, Homer dived extensively on sunken German subs off North Carolina, leading to his first book, Torpedo Junction: U-Boat War off America's East Coast, 1942.

Now comes his new autobiography, Don't Blow Yourself Up, which spins scores of stories about his military, NASA, and diving careers, emphasizing his underwater adventures. In 1995, I met Homer on a Montserrat dive trip; we hiked to the volcano one day and naively stood on the caldera, which blew a month later, covering the island in deep ash. Homer had dived throughout the Caribbean, especially Honduras, and we soon became friends.

I read his next book, the autobiographical Rocket Boys, and was delighted it became the film October Sky (16-year-old Jake Gyllenhaal played Homer). This guy, I thought, has done it all. And he has, which now includes publishing a score of novels.

Don't Blow Yourself Up: The Further True Adventures and Travails of the Rocket Boy of October Sky, released October 26, is the fascinating story of his adult life, much of it with a tank strapped to his back. A great read about a great guy, so get it at your local books store or https://tinyurl.com/mfdcbr4

- Ben Davison