Red Helmet

by Homer Hickam

Overview

Can their love survive the difference in their circumstances?

Song Hawkins is a beautiful, tough, but lonely New York City businesswoman who thinks she's met the man of her dreams in Cable Jordan, the superintendent of a West Virginia coal mine. But soon after they impulsively marry, Song realizes they're in big trouble. She can't imagine life outside of New York, and Cable has no intention of leaving his beloved town of Highcoal.

Song's visit to the little mining community only makes things worse. It looks like the marriage is over. But in a shocking turn of events, Song realizes it's up to her to put on the red helmet of the new coal miner and descend into the deep darkness. There she faces her greatest challenge with choices and courage that will forever impact the life of Cable and the entire town.

• Sweet and thoughtful contemporary read
• Stand-alone novel
• Book length: 86,000 words
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781595546258
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	11/11/2008
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	1,069,339
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Homer Hickam (also known as Homer H. Hickam, Jr.) is the bestselling and award-winning author of many books, including the #1 New York Times memoir Rocket Boys, which was adapted into the popular film October Sky. A writer since grade school, he is also a Vietnam veteran, a former coal miner, a scuba instructor, an avid amateur paleontologist, and a retired engineer. He lives in Alabama and the Virgin Islands.

Editorial Reviews

The latest from Rocket Boysauthor Hickam takes an inside look at coal mining, from shoveling gob to negotiating international trade deals, through the lens of modern romance. A half-Korean New York rich girl turned takeover specialist for Daddy's company, Song Hawkins falls for Cable Jordan, a macho West Virginia mining manager. After a whirlwind wedding, she lasts four days in Cable's town of Highcoal, W.Va. (pop. 624), unable to rough it without her brand of cosmetics or low-fat meals. She likes Cable's house and artisan furniture, though, and she still loves Cable. After learning that her father has acquired the company that owns the Highcoal mine, Song returns to see for herself why the company isn't meeting quotas and signs on for beginner miner's training. As she encounters the camaraderies, rivalries, satisfactions and dangers of mining, Song works on solving a murder along with saving her marriage. Hickam's secondary characters-including a folksy wisdom-spouting preacher, a busty Botoxed ex-girlfriend, and a meticulous MSHA safety inspector-narrowly escape caricature by showing their human side during the climactic scene. Love may conquer all, Hickam suggests, but in a coal mine you also need good engineering. (Feb.)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Publishers Weekly

"Kirsten Potter's skilled narration captures the spirit of adventure and romance that ensues when young take-over specialist Song Hawkins meets and impulsively marries Cable Jordan, a handsome West Virginia coal miner. While Song reluctantly agrees to a week's honeymoon in Cable's hometown, she's confident he’ll return to New York City. Potter uses regional accents to depict multiple characters of various ages in the mountain town of Highcoal. Her depiction of Song's introduction to "Red Hat" coal mining is spellbinding. With impeccable timing, she recounts problems with the environment, illegal drugs, theft, and a world economy that threatens to devastate West Virginia's coal-mining industry. By story’s end, Song and Cable's differences are brought to a surprising and satisfying conclusion." 
G.D.W. © AudioFile Portland, Maine

From the Publisher

Kirsten Potter's skilled narration captures the spirit of adventure and romance that ensues when young take-over specialist Song Hawkins meets and impulsively marries Cable Jordan, a handsome West Virginia coal miner. While Song reluctantly agrees to a week's honeymoon in Cable's hometown, she's confident he’ll return to New York City. Potter uses regional accents to depict multiple characters of various ages in the mountain town of Highcoal. Her depiction of Song's introduction to "Red Hat" coal mining is spellbinding. With impeccable timing, she recounts problems with the environment, illegal drugs, theft, and a world economy that threatens to devastate West Virginia's coal-mining industry. By story’s end, Song and Cable's differences are brought to a surprising and satisfying conclusion. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

FEBRUARY 2009 - AudioFile