Rocket Man by William Elliott Hazelgrove

Dale Hammer wants to live the American Dream but is a dismal failure. He wants to be a good father and husband but can't really accomplish either. This book is a week of his life. A week when it is all falling apart.

Dale, or pen name D.T. Hammer, is a failed author who earns his living as a mortgage broker. He has moved his family to the suburbs because he was convinced that all of his problems will be solved if they move out of the city.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Once they are relocated he decides that they should move back to the city and everything will be fine, this time. Such is life for Dale. The desire is there but the motivation and the responsibility is not. There is no sympathy for this man because he brings it on himself and has damaged his relationships with his wife, his children and his neighbors. To add to his misery his father, who was not a good father figure himself, has moved in with them. But the weekend brings Rocket Day for his son's scout troop. He is determined to give his son a great experience and himself some redemption.

Dale's struggle are especially timely with our recent economic hardships. When many people define themselves by their careers and their roles in society, who do they become when they lose those parts of their lives? Are we setting our goals based on the expectations of others or are our goals what we really hope to achieve in our life? This story was well written with interesting characters and plenty of conflict with everyone struggling to maintain their own form of normal.

My thanks to Library Thing for a copy of this book.