About the Book
This is a Pinnacle Award Recipient and a silver medalist in the Readers' Favorites awards, Christian Living.
Blessed are the engineers who give us some answers to life's little perplexities.
Mister B's jaunty calculating rhythm offers timely subject matter. A tender little laugh, a swept floor in reticence, a literary window into the home of a surviving physicist and his caregiver.
Mister B proves he could care less about being politically correct. That's not his style.
Can these multi-generational housemates discover why they still matter? Find out now, for a celebration of full life.
PRAISE FOR MISTER B:
Mister B springs from earthbound corners of immigration and poverty in rope-tied-baggy pants, Seeing as his newest design is to live forever, how will life unfold when a chauffeur-cook decides to move into the home of this self-centered, 98-Year-Old Rocket Scientist... will she really lend aid?
"A wonderful book, brimming with humor and spirituality. The characters are lovingly drawn and Byk provides her readers with a day-by-day recounting of how her life intersects with the indefatigable Mister B, whose memory seems almost photographic even at the age of 98! The book is enlivened by photographs from early-to-middle twentieth century America. A very worthwhile multi-generational read." -Jan Kalickion
"Byk fully constructs Mr. B, from the Rhode Island coastal awe in his voice to his penchant for mustard on peeled egg. In these small, perfectly executed moments, Byk brings her fascinating family to life for readers with warm and genuinely funny wit..." - KIRKUS REVIEW
A jaunty & terrific confessional of unusual love. If you liked Driving With Miss Daisy, or No Highway in the Sky, Mister B's survival tactics may also help you stay above the curve. - Verified Reader
Born in 1916, to a Polish-speaking mother, physicist Joseph Byk began his early schooling in rope-tied-baggy-pants-poverty. He was every teachers' dreaded student, however, he aspired to design vehicles that defy gravity. Joseph B IS the loveable, bumbling scientist portrayed in Nevil Shute's romantic character, Mr. Honey, (Jimmy Stewart) in the movie, No Highway in the Sky.
For curiosity seekers of aerospace and structural science, how did it all start? Here is the story of a forgotten stress engineer whose philosophy, calculations, and outspoken opinions saved many lives. Greatest Generation story lovers, World War II hounds, and family members caring for aging parents, think of Mister B as a national treasure.
A real-time memoir with a caregiver, Mr.B causes unsuspecting readers to become mindful of things that matter in many shades of life. As this materials analyst steps into a stress manufacturing field, his story encompasses his part in WWII and the cold war race to the moon against Russia. Joseph Byk stress tests reconnaissance planes and helped to design structural aspects of the space shuttle Gemini, the first moon landing gear, and the beginnings of Google Earth.
Hidden figures of NASA include not only brilliant women of color but also this underprivileged son of a Polish immigrant mother who pulled himself up by his bootstraps.
Armchair philosophers and would-be scientists appreciate Mister B's wry interactions and shrewd, pointed conversation, but is there more to what meets the eye?
About the Author :
Lynn Byk managed a Berean Bookstore after graduation from Colorado Christian University where she obtained a B.A. in Contemporary Composition. In this memoir, she is informed by her caretaker relationship with her father-in-law, Mister B, the rocket scientist, himself. Joseph Byk received his PhD in aerospace engineering from the University of Alabama. He taught pilots in the air corps with Spartan Company and then worked through WWII with Vultee and the cold war with Martin Company performing projects for NASA and the Department of Defense. Kathryn Kowalchik Swezy is a career graphic artist in Colorado and is the Art Director/Principal at KS Design and a Consultant in Marketing & Communication at Lakeshore Staffing. She has worked for 5280 Magazine, several well known travel magazines and Craig Hospital PR. She studied Graphic Design at Ray College of Design
Review :
The humanity of Mister B is so wonderfully explored. It reminds me of an old Nevil Shute book, No Highway In the Sky, also the movie which starred James Stewart. It is rare to find a memoir that reads like fiction, but this one does. - Tim Truong
Living with a 98-Year-Old Rocket Scientist: Mister B by Lynn Byk is a memoir that reads like nothing I have read in a long while. It is well-crafted, with details that capture the very essence of the day-to-day life of a 98-year-old rocket scientist, his son, Paul, and his daughter-in-law, Lynn. Written in the form of journal entries, the memoir draws readers into the narrator's perspective and follows the story closely. The memoir features moments of history in Mister B's scientific work, and his contribution to WWII and the Cold War initiatives. When the couple decides to move into Mister B's house, they are unaware that an exciting chapter is opening in their lives. "
Mister B is told in a humorous, endearing tone that will arrest the reader's attention right off the bat, a rollicking ride, and a hilarious story that looks at the beauty of living with an elderly man who has seen many things and who has been at the heart of history. The humor is terrific and the author's handling of family dynamics is one of the fortes of this narrative. - Arya Fomonyuy, Readers' Five-Star Favorite
This is a book - and a man - you won't forget. Mr. B is quite the character! I often found myself laughing out loud. I began to feel that the Byks were my neighbors by the end of the book, and I received a basic education in rocket science as well." -- Sue Summers, Librarian Jeffco Schools
Family, spirituality, science, history, friendship, and love are elements that are so brilliantly woven into this inspiring memoir. Living with a 98-Year-Old Rocket Scientist: Mister B by Lynn Byk and Joseph Byk is one of the best memoirs I have read in a while, a story that is laced with wit and humor.
Readers are introduced to a memorable cast of characters -- an old rocket scientist who welcomes his son and his wife to live with him. What could have been a tragic experience soon transforms into an endearing story where readers are invited to drink from the wisdom of one who has contributed in shaping history with a revolutionary invention. Paul and Lynn might have thought that they would be a burden to Paul's aged father when they move into his home, but to their greatest surprise, they encounter the warmth that would transform their lives. The reader follows these characters as they explore family dynamics from one exciting day to the next.
Living with a 98-Year-Old Rocket Scientist: Mister B is a great story of love, a spiritual and cultural odyssey, and an exciting read that will flood the hearts of readers with light and love. It is interesting to notice the protagonist's journey from humble origins to becoming a reputable scientist. The story is original and the style unique. The first person narrative makes the story even more gripping because it forces the reader to experience the events through the eyes of the narrator, who happens to be one of the key characters in the story. Lynn Byk's style of writing is awesome and the reader can feel the honesty in the narrative and the keen attention to detail. I couldn't put the book down. - Romualdo Dzemo, humanitarian, activist
