Three Things You Need to Know About Rockets: A Real-Life Scottish Fairy Tale

By Jessica A. Fox

In this inspiring, delightful memoir, a young woman decides to escape the daily grind and turn her “what if” fantasy into a reality, only to find work—and a man—she loves in one fell swoop, all in a secondhand bookstore in a quaint Scottish town.

Jessica Fox was living in Hollywood, an ambitious 26-year-old film-maker with a high-stress job at NASA. Working late one night, craving another life, she was seized by a moment of inspiration and tapped “second hand bookshop Scotland” into Google. She clicked the first link she saw.

A month later, she arrived 2,000 miles across the Atlantic in Wigtown, on the west coast of Scotland, and knocked on the door of the bookshop she would be living in for the next month . . .

The rollercoaster journey that ensued—taking in Scottish Hanukkah, yoga on Galloway’s west coast, and a waxing that she will never forget—would both break and mend her heart. It would also teach her that sometimes we must have the courage to travel the path less taken. Only then can we truly become the writers of our own stories.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Atria Books/Marble Arch Press
• Release date: Aug 27, 2013
• ISBN: 9781476730264

Jessica A. Fox

Jessica Fox is a writer and film director. She has consulted for HarperCollins and was a resident storyteller and film director at NASA. She heads Mythic Image Studios and divides her time between the US and the UK. This is her first book.

Reviews for Three Things You Need to Know About Rockets

[sandyamcpherson · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The first half of the book was considerably more enjoyable for me. Jessica's inability to see that Euan was a poor match for her expectation in a relationship became very tiresome. She appears to have a remarkable talent in film making but this career seemed less important to her than a relationship with 'the one'. This is real life but unsatisfying to read: with no insights on going forward except a hang fire status as a resident in the UK, her angst ends up unresolved by the end of the book.

[kevn57-163679 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Man I read these related books way out of order, first I read Confessions of a Bookseller published in 2019, then i read this book published in 2012, next I plan to read The Diary of a Bookseller published in 2017.

Well I really liked the first two that I read so I'll be going back to The Bookshop, Wigtown for the 2nd book.

[debbiemccauley-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

26-year-old Jessica Fox was living in Hollywood and living a stressful life when wishful thinking led her to Google “second hand bookshop Scotland”. A month later, she travelled 2,000 miles and arrived in Wigtown, Scotland, where she stayed in a second-hand bookshop for a month. She develops a connection to the owner of the bookshop, returns home, then travels back to Wigtown to be with him. Discovering he is a 'ditherer' she seems to constantly be analysing their relationship. I have already read 'The Diary of a Bookseller' by Shaun Bythell, but I feel that I should have read this one first and then his story as it seems to follow hers. Interesting read.

[bookbarmy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Jessica Fox was living in Hollywood, an ambitious 26-year-old film-maker with a high-stress job at NASA. Working late one night, craving another life, she was seized by a moment of inspiration and tapped “second hand bookshop Scotland” into Google. She clicked the first link she saw.

A month later, she arrived 2,000 miles across the Atlantic in Wigtown, on the west coast of Scotland, and knocked on the door of the bookshop she would be living in for the next month

This book had me from the above back cover copy. Could it be because I spent time in Scotland during college and have never fully recovered from it’s enchantment or a certain young Scotsman? Nonetheless, this memoir is a fun, escapist read…and you’ve got to admire a writer who dares bring such a title to a publisher.

It takes awhile for the story to take off (i.e. going to Scotland), but the background of LA, NASA, and film writing was interesting.
Her melt-down and eventual lay off were nicely developed. But I was finally glued to the book once Jessica is actually in Scotland, working at the bookstore and experiencing much of what I did – understanding the accents, dealing with “American” stereotypical reactions, experiencing the countryside and getting to know and understand the hard to get to know and understand people.

Jessica’s voice starts out a bit youngish – after all she is in her twenties, but at times she seemed adolescent in her actions and thoughts. Her boyfriend Euan is a whiny, wimpy – dare I say nutso boyfriend, whom I would have dumped – fast. But Jessica forges ahead with trying to make the relationship work – despite his passive-aggressive behavior. I found myself rooting for her while also secretly hoping she tells him off and slams the door behind her. It’s a slow delight, to watch her mature during her time in Scotland, her reactions to things, her voice, her moods all grow and enlarge as the book progresses. That’s a real challenge in memoir writing – to realistically reflect back on one’s own voice expanding and growing.

I underlined some great sentences: ” Grant’s house was something he was constantly working at but never quite completing — like Sisyphus attempting DIY”; “You’re so American, always wanting to talk about feelings”; “(Outings) reminded me of childhood where outings, no matter where or with whom, were filled with possibility and opportunity for excitement.”.

A small joy — each chapter starts with a quote from a book and its location in the Wigtown bookstore – (aptly named “The Bookshop”).

In the end nothing is totally resolved – except she is staying in Scotland. An enjoyable memoir whose storyline interested me on many levels – her NASA career, adapting to Scotland, the used bookstore, the town, and of course the story of her relationships with not only her crazy boyfriend but also the quiet, hard-working locals. I also enjoyed the very realistic glimpse into rural Scotland and the used book business in Wigtown.

[fliss88_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Without knowing it I had already read a book about the same Bookshop! If you enjoyed this and would like to see a different viewpoint of the shop and Wigtown, read The Diary Of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell. I don't like the cover of this book, which is the one I read. I much prefer the cover used by Atria Books/Marble Arch Press in their August 27th 2013 publication, which I feel, is more in keeping with the story.