Satellite Boy

by Andrew K. Amelinckx

Spanning the hemisphere from the underworld haunts of Montreal to Havana and Miami in the early days of the Cold War, Satellite Boy reveals the unlikely connection between an audacious bank heist and the other Space Race that gave birth to the modern communication age.

On April 6, 1965, Georges Lemay was relaxing on his yacht in a south Florida marina following one of the largest and most daring bank heists in Canadian history. For four years, the roguishly handsome criminal mastermind hid in plain sight, eluding capture and the combined efforts of the FBI, Interpol, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. His future appeared secure.

What Lemay didn’t know was that less than two hundred miles away at Cape Canaveral, a brilliant engineer named Harold Rosen was about to usher in the age of global live television with the launch of the world’s first twenty-four-hour commercial communications satellite, Intelsat I, nicknamed Early Bird. Rosen’s extraordinary accomplishment would not only derail Lemay’s cushy life but change the world forever.

Brimming with criminal panache and technological intrigue, and set against a turbulent and iconic period that includes the moon landing and the Civil Rights movement, Satellite Boy tells the largely forgotten, high-stakes story of the two equally driven men who inadvertently launched the modern era.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Audiobook, True Crime, Science, Politics, Technology

336 pages, Hardcover

Published March 21, 2023

About the author

Andrew Amelinckx is a freelance journalist who has previously written three historical true crime books. He held down a variety of jobs, from bartending in New Orleans to burlesque dancing in New York City, before spending a decade as an award-winning investigative crime reporter for several news organizations, including the Pulitzer Prize–winning Berkshire Eagle. His work has appeared in Business Insider, Smithsonian, Men’s Journal, Modern Farmer, Grunge.com, and elsewhere. He's represented by Jeff Ourvan of the Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency. Andrew grew up in Louisiana and now lives in New York’s Hudson Valley with his wife and dog.

Reviews

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating account of Canadian bankrobber, Georges Lemay, and the investigation that lead to his eventual arrest in 1965 using groundbreaking technology. It isn't all that often that a non-fiction book keeps me on the edge of my seat waiting to turn the page, but this is a very special case. It's way better than fiction!

The book delves into the race to launch the first twenty-four-hour commercial communications satellite and, in particular, how it was used to catch Lemay.

The book was very well-researched and I loved the non-stop action writing style. There were a lot of story-lines to follow as the author traced the paths of Lemay's wife and associates as well as competing scientists. The whole account felt like a tense race against the clock.

If you love history but wish it was told by a great storyteller, then this is the book for you!

[Mikala · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting combination of whodunnit with science history. Probably won't be satisfying for fans of either genre but it was a fun take on the history of the 50s and 60s. This is a very classic documentary style - focused only on the main characters as it pertains to the history. "He got married while in school" is the closest the author gets to describing personal lives or internal motivations of anyone in the story. Probably the detective gets the most detail. Therefore, I found it hard to get invested in the happenings or outcome of each person in the story line. I also would have appreciated more connections between the storylines at some point. Instead of two disparate threads combining into a supportive braid, it's more like smoke trails in the sky that cross then deviate again.
Documentary and History Channel enthusiasts will likely enjoy the no-nonsense, facts only take. It will be even more enjoyable to those that were alive to remember some of the world changing events mentioned.
I listened to the audiobook. I didn't particularly enjoy the narrator. Nothing wrong with it just not an exceptional reader. Except for the part when he tries to do a woman's voice. No! Just No!
If science history is your thing and gentleman robbers are intriguing to you, I think you'll enjoy this read.

[Jim Kownacki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two parallel stories, one of a thief, the other of the person who developed satellites for world wide communications. The thief dubs himself satellite boy when he learns that the information that led to his arrest was the first time that someone was caught using satellite technology.

[Marty Doskins · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I'm rating a non-fiction book, my main criteria is whether or not the author did a good job of storytelling and not just spouting names and dates. Author Andrew Amelinckx does a great job of weaving together the stories of Canadian bank robber/master thief Georges Lemay and engineer Harold Rosen. For his part, Rosen was the lead developer of the world's first twenty-four hour commercial communications satellite. Meaning people around the world wouldn't have to wait and find out what was happening thousands of miles away from them, including sports, general news, and criminal activity. The world would be made much smaller with Rosen's work. Lemay had eluded Canadian authorities for years by hiding in plain sight, but that would come to an end when his picture was broadcast to people all over planet Earth.

I enjoyed how these two tales were put together in a very thoughtful manner. We got to see the scientific development of satellite communications. Plus, the intrigue of tracking down a master criminal. Police work would never be the same again.

Thank you to HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for an ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Katie Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

🎧 NetGalley AUDIOBOOK ARC Review 🎧

Satellite Boy
By Andrew Amelinckx
Publish date: March 21
⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for an audiobook ARC of SATELLITE BOY in return for my honest review.

In this dual biography set in the 1960s, the lives of French Canadian bank robber Georges Lemay and American engineer Harold Rosen come crashing together.

If you’re interested in true crime, but without the gore and murder, than this audiobook may be just what you’re looking for!

The author clearly did his research. This is a deep dive that follows the experience of a bank robber after his Ocean’s 11 worthy bank heist - from life on the run in luxurious yachts to multiple prison breaks.

Even though the life of the brilliant engineer Harold Rosen wasn’t as much of a feature in this book, it was interesting to see how his groundbreaking satellite technology was perfectly timed to thawed the clever bank robber.

Personally, I wasn’t interested in the detailed chapters about satellite technology and I would have been way more interested in learning about other aspects of Lemay’s life. Ahem - his first wife’s mysterious death on their luxury vacation?! 😳

Even though this subject matter wasn’t for me, it’s a well written and thoroughly researched book that would be a great read for people interested in bank heists, 1960’s history, engineering, and the Space Race.


Read this if you like…
🏦 Bank heists
🛰️ Space technology
🕵️‍♂️ White-collar true crime
📚 Dual biographies

[Kemp · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was glad this book ended when it did. Any longer and I probably would have DNF’d it.

The premise that the man whose designed the first geosynchronous communication satellite was responsible for the capture of one of Montreal’s notorious bank thieves, Georges Lemay, is a link too far to justify combining the two into a single story. I see this as akin to Orville and Wilbur Wright being responsible for my speeding ticket in Wyoming because I was chased down by an airplane after passing a cop at 90, maybe 95, when the Interstate speed limit was a federally mandated 55. Common on, two different stories. (But, hey, who wants to spend a minute more than necessary in eastern Wyoming?)

The premise is not the reason a longer version wouldn’t have been finished. My issue is that the writing read like “this then that” telling with little suspense or intrigue developed. It was the facts and just the facts.

It was interesting learning how the first geosynchronous satellite was developed and launched. The opening of communication capabilities across the globe began with that first one. And the story of Montreal being North America’s bank robber capital as a new insight. One could conclude the ease crooks had in the 60s to commit their crime and evade capture. Wow, a different era.

But these are two different stories hung together when Lemay dubbed himself Satellite Boy when he was first caught in Miami.

Two stars but worth reading if either of the two stories is an area of interest.

[Mary Erickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid non-fiction, if a bit dry in its presentation for the armchair reader.

We follow two storylines in the early 60's: the development of the first communication satellites and a bank heist in Montreal, Canada. How are these disparate topics related? The low-life criminal mastermind is finally apprehended when his wanted poster is part of the first live-via-satellite hour-long news program. When he is arrested and learns how he was found, he names himself "Satellite Boy."

The brilliant, forward-thinking engineers who persevered through many obstacles to achieve their vision of global communication deserve their own book, with lots of diagrams and explanations that a layperson can follow. Perpetrators of bank heists deserve less notoriety. But alas, we are usually intrigued by crime and bored with science. Shame on us.

[Gregory Melahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The part of the book which tells the story of Harold Rosen and the development of the first geosynchronous communications satellites is just fascinating. The part about Georges Lemay, a bank burglar and probable murderer (his first wife and several business partners just disappeared) less so. Aside from the fact that Lemay was caught because of international law enforcement cooperation enabled by satellite communications, he just deserves to be forgotten.

After finishing the book I gave a listen to the Our World broadcast on YouTube. This was the first international TV broadcast, thanks to the work of Dr. Rosen’s team.

[Mark Fidler · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is at its most interesting when profiling Harold Rosen, and his work to develop and sell satellite communication. But there was not nearly enough of a story to stretch into a full book. So the author worked in a flimsy connection to George Lemay, a big-time bank robber, and made this book about two people. That story, too, was somewhat interesting, but that, too, had to be stretched out a lot in order to create a book-length story. If two-thirds of this were edited out, this would have made an engaging tale. But it wasn't. Thus I'd give it 2.5 stars. There must be a better way to learn about these interesting people.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Its strongest point is the way the two stories evolve. It reminds me of great SFF where two storylines start out separately and then merge into a single story. I knew where the stories would meet; nonetheless I awaited that moment with great anticipation. After this meeting of the stories, the two stories diverged again, bringing each one to a satisfying conclusion. I loved the writing style and the story was very compelling. I couldn't put the book down. Thank you to Netgalley and Catapult, Counterpoint Press, and Soft Skull Press for the digital review copy.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of the development of satellite communications is, to me, the most entertaining part of this book, the remainder of which is a mildly interesting true crime story.

It seems like a bit of a stretch to link those two stories together. There were a lot of consequences to the development of modern communication technology other than the capture of one particular career criminal.

I suppose if you're a crime story fanatic, you might enjoy this book more than I did.

It was okay.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and well researched book. I especially liked the story line dealing with the development of the satellite and the improvement in worldwide communication. I was deeply impressed by Harold Rosen and his efforts to develop the geostationary stationary satellite.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and appreciated how well the author wove the 2 story lines together.

[David Petersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I found Rosen and the history of the satellite fascinating. I also enjoyed the story of LaMae, however the book bogged down during the trial portion. Also the hard reminder of LaMae at the end of each chapter became annoying. I would have enjoyed it with more information on the satellite angle and less LaMae especially when he is older.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is really about the development of the first commercial geosynchronous communication satellite. Apparently one of the first worldwide broadcast was a World Cup tournament. The story of catching a wanted criminal is included to add an example of the impact that worldwide instant communication had on just one aspect of society.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm listening to the Audible version of this book, which is not available to select.

I spent the first 35 years of my life in Montreal, which is why this book interested me.

While I enjoyed this story overall, I found Patrick Lawlor’s pronunciation of French streets, cities, or names to be so far off from how they are pronounced locally, and what I was used to, that it was painful to hear and it took me out right of the story. So French speakers be warned that you will hear the narrator phonetically pronounce French words as if they English and just butcher what your ear expects. Oh and listen for Lawlor’s pronunciation of Chicoutimi, that one was cringeworthy!

[Amy Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book involved a technical subject that probably wouldn't have been super interesting on its own (satellites), and paired it together with a bank heist story for some pizzazz. Can't blame the author for that, but it's a pretty thin thread between the two subjects. It drags a little but it mostly entertaining.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting angle between a satellite and a career criminal. Almost like the criminal’s life did not quite fill up a book so throw in a tenuous connection to a new type of satellite. Each story would be fit for its own book and I would probably tend more to the story of creating the satellite.

[Neal · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was really a story about a bank robber that included some about early commercial satellites. It was nearly 75% a story about the bank robber. The title "Satellite Boy" actually refers to the bank robber (not the satellite inventor).

[Poptart19 (the name’s ren) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, RTC!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read. Highly entertaining, deeply researched, expertly written, and as riveting as a novel. But it's all true. Don't miss it!!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Satellite Boy is an informative and excellent book about the development of satellite communications technology and the applications that were effectively utilized in criminal investigations.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this in a giveaway here on Goodreads. Engrossing 1960s history, especially for someone who is a NASA space history geek.

[Steve Wolcott · Rating 4 out of 5]

History told through great story telling about an unlikely match

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The information about the satellites was interesting, but I had zero interest in the Lemay story. Hard to get through to the end.

[Hector Soto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got a little too much into the weeds, and could not keep track of all the characters.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

light in the technical stuff but still fun

[Kara Thurmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminiscent of Eric Larson's Thunderstruck, this story is also about a new technology used to catch a criminal. Be entertained and learn a few things!