William Holden Books

Sacramento author William M. Holden, I thought I knew all about him from my casual conversatons at local book events and from his book "Sacramento Excursions Into Its History and Natural World". However, I was not prepared for this fantastic adventure story of his personal experiences in his book "Dhow Of The Moonsoon" which is the short title. The subtitle gives the book even more mystery, "From Zanibar to Oman in the Wake of Sindbad: A memoir of a Man's Adventure in His Youth". This is one of those pleasant discoveries that makes you wonder why it took the author from 1958 when he set out on this personal quest until to 2005 to publish this memoir. It is a tale for the ages and conjures up visions of an Indiana Jones or the voyages of ancient mariners.

The book begins in the middle of his story, as the younger Bill Holden is about to board a old teakwood boat called a "dhow" and sail from Zanzibar to India, or at least that was the initial plan. These boats are built exactly the same as they were some 3,000 years ago--with no navigation equipment, no radios, no running lights and primitive accommodations for its crew. The crew, in this case, was 7 Indian Moslems with very little understanding of the English language, which left the author with no real meaningful conversations for the voyage. Holden has second thoughts about boarding the boat after seeing what they look like and thoughts of losing his life in some unknown part of the ocean. But he goes ahead and begins a true journey of a lifetime.

His story then flashes back to Sacramento where we learn why he planned this adventure. The birth of his dream actually began, of all places, at the Sacramento Library. He then sent a proposal letter to True Magazine to inquire if they would be interested in buying a story and the photos of his trip. Two weeks later they actually replied and liked the idea but told him they would take it on spec--meaning there was no guarantee that they would buy his story when he came back. That meant that he would be footing the entire costs of this trip from his own resources. That would entail flying half away around the world and then getting back home again to Sacramento.

We find out that this adventure story is a perilous one indeed and one worthy of any ancient explorer. Major storms called monsoons, or as they would probably call them in Florida-- hurricanes, made the sailing frightful at times. Then there were the ever present sharks and the constant dangers of collisions with large ocean going ships (They had no running lights!) which are just more parts of the thrill ride the author enjoyed. Of course, nothing really ever goes as planed and they end up in Oman and not India.

There is so much more to his story about people, history, nature and even his own outlook at life. This is one riveting read and would actually make for a great movie. The old black and white photos add another level of enjoyment to the reading experience. If any non-fiction book could be called "a page turner" then this one qualifies. A fulfilling reading adventure for anyone who has dreamed of doing something daring and wild; now you can vicariously experience that thrill from your favorites arm chair!

First Published in the Elk Grove Citizen Newspaper

Bill Holden's Dhow of the Monsoon is superb--literate, insightful, revealing, wide ranging. The book encompasses a bit of geography, history, meteorology, seamanship, marine biology, with characters abounding, exotic locales, AND a well-told story. As a bonus, the book includes a selection of the author's photographs--black & white, a bit grainy, and a bit washed out, but for all that well suited to the story.

The book starts in the middle of things, gets the reader right into the action on the dhow (an ancient type of sailing vessel), and then backs up to explore how the author got to Zanzibar, and why, and how he finally made connections with a ship sailing to what he thought was his intended destination (India). Holden makes effective use of details of sound, sight, taste, and other sensations, and introduces the reader to memorable characters on the voyage and preceding it.

Read it with an atlas nearby, as it will help in picturing the geography of the trip. A diagram of a dhow, labeling some of the features, would have been a nice addition to the book, but one cannot have everything. Holden cites elements of history and mythology and shows the reader images of ocean life that make the story vivid and that will, I suspect, lead many readers to learn more about marine biology and about the region in which the voyage took place.

This one goes on my short list of recommended books as a great book for armchair adventurers.

When I was at Texas A&M (Class of 1982!), I was told - don't take Physics from anybody but Bassichis. I was told right. His book is easy to understand and he's a great teacher, both in the classroom and on paper. I still remember turning in my test on Physics of Electricity. I finished in half the time, re-did every problem and still turned it in early and told Dr. Bassichis "Either I screwed up or this stuff is easy." Dr. B said "When you're taught well, it's easy stuff." And when you can do it, it ain't braggin and Dr. B can help you understand physics. The test - I even got the bonus for a 105 out of 100.

In his book, Dr. Bassichis explains the concepts of mechanics very clearly. Although he takes the complicated calculus approach, not much of the mathematics is complicated. He only uses elementary calculus to explain the concepts. Each of the problems in the chapters contain very thorough solutions as well. There are hardly any errors in his book, if there are, he usually corrects them in his recent editions of this book. For anyone interested in learning college-level introductory physics, I highly recommend this author!

Bill Holden shatters the icon through a varied and classically challenging story telling. He selected a classic historical happening, held it up to a mirror, remained true to it general literalness and fashion a thought provoking novel. His story of discovery sails from the West to the East, from the Carribbean to Europe. In his book Columbus is played by his mirror image, "Subumloc". "Between Heaven and Hell" remains true to discovery, conquest and revolutionary actions, but with the "Caribs" victorious over the "Red Indians" of France.
This is a must read for all.

_I cannot believe that I never came across this book before in all my reading. I also cannot believe that it was originally published in 1907. This is because it combines two of my favorite life-long interests: realistic sea stories and weird monster tales. In fact, this book reads like C.S. Forester meets H.P. Lovecraft. Or perhaps it is more like _Mysterious Island_ meets _At the Mountains of Madness_. In any case, I loved it.

_Not only is the narrative tight and well crafted, but the technical details are fascinating and accurate. The old fashion style is charming. No one speaks English that perfectly anymore- not even the English. Plus, you can really tell that the author was a merchant seaman in the last days of sail. As for the story itself, it is set in 1757- one hundred and fifty years into the author's past. It is the tale of the strange adventures of the surviving crew of the good ship Glen Carrig after she rips her bottom out on an uncharted rock- and they have to take to the boats. Yet, that rock was the least of the unknowns to put them in peril. They happen first on the unearthly "Land of Lonesomeness" and its otherworldly denizens. Yet, this is only a practice run for the living hell and stark terror of the "Continent of Weed." This appears to be the first use of the Sargasso Sea in a horror story. And Hodgson must have actually been there, for he got too many details right- like the tiny little craps that infest the weed.

_If you like this story, then seek out the author's _The House on the Borderland_. It is even more like Lovecraft- but written long before.

Philip Holden's study of Maugham's exotic fiction is masterful, a brilliant analysis of the underlying complexities in terms of gender and imperialism that inform Maugham's texts. This book surpasses many other critical studies which all to often dwell on the obvious and the commonplace. Can't recommend this study more highly. Superb.

unless you are prepared to do nothing else until you finish it! i could not put it down. a very fast read with neat, original characters. a man's last letter to his son sends five people on an odessey; a search for what happened in germany (50 years before in the closing days of WW2) between the son's father and grandfather and a young nazi. it all comes home to roost in a life and death struggle with a hurricane in the atlantic. totally surprising finale.

this is a very informative book about Sacramento history, for anyone interested in Sacramento this is a must read, full of informative facts you might not get any where else. However, be very carful when ordering, this book is in it's third printing and the current printing has more than a hundred new pages of information than the first edition, most copies of the used copies listed for sale on Amazon are old editions and are not as good as the third even though the picture on the web site depicts the third edition

THIS IS THE ONLY BATMAN FILM I HAVE EVER REALLY CARED FOR, BUT BOY DID I LIKE THIS ONE!!!

THIS FILM WAS EXCELLENT IN MY EYES, AND BETTER STILL, THE HD DVD WAS OUTSTANDING. THE VIDEO AND AUDIO ARE STELLAR.

I CAN NOT OVERSTATE THAT THIS IS A MUST OWN FOR ANYONE WITH A HD DVD PLAYER. AND HEY, IF YOU ARE BLU ONLY, PICK THIS UP AS SOON AS IT IS RELEASED.

For Blu-ray owners, this disc is finally available. I have had this HD-DVD version for several months and never grow tire of it thanks to the brilliant direction of Christopher Nolan and an excellent cast headed by Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Rutger Hauer & Morgan Freeman. With the possible exception of a wan Katie Holmes (sorry, Tom!), the performances are pitch-perfect. And the disc is reference quality up there with HD discs like "The Aviator","Blade Runner", and "King Kong". Am looking forward to the sequel in the summer, "The Dark Knight", featuring almost the same cast although Maggie Glyennhal replaces Holmes as the love interest and of course the late Heath Ledger in his last major role as the Joker.

I have been hoping that this version would be created, since I bought my ps3....

Batman has been my favorite superhero for over fifty years. I have seen every Batman movie a number of times and even though they were campy and fun, I wasn't completely satisfied with any of them. I wanted Batman to be darker, sinister and more complex, more like a vigilante outside the law, and I didn't want Robin and Batgirl tagging along either. When I saw "Batman Begins" on opening day in the theaters in 2006, I was pleasantly surprised. Christopher Nolan had given me the perfect Batman portayed by Christian Bale. The supporting cast was outstanding. Michael Caine as Alfred, Gary Oldman as Gordon, Katie Holmes as his childhood love, Rutger Hauer and Morgan Freeman to round out the cast and all gave superlative performances. The story was fitting for a superhero, and the Batmobile was an added bonus. Even the background music track was excellent. This movie surpassed all my expectations. My only criticism is the editing; all the rules of continunity were broken and some of the shots were so brief that it was hard to grasp what just happened, but somehow they made it all work. The HD rendition is superb, revealling little things I missed on the dvd version.

Batman Begins tells the story of how Bruce Wayne became Batman. It explains how his parents were killed, his fear of bats, and some of the extremities he went through with some of his training...among other things. Gotham City is dying since guys like Carmine Falcone are practically able to get away with anything because "he keeps the bad people rich and the good people scared," as Rachel Dawes would put it. Bruce Wayne trains with Henri Ducard, the right hand of Ra's Al Ghul, and the Legion of Shadows before things turn ugly. The Legion of Shadows believes in justice, but doesn't think people who have committed such crimes deserve to live while Bruce Wayne believes in compassion and thinks criminals should have a fair trial before passing judgement. Leaving the Legion of Shadows in shambles, Bruce Wayne makes his way back to Gotham after a seven year abscence. As Bruce Wayne said, "As a man, I'm flesh and blood. I can be ignored, I can be destroyed. But as a symbol...as a symbol I can be incorruptible. I can be everlasting." This is the story of Batman's uprising and the criminals he encounters along the way.

Let me start by saying this is my favorite film of the franchise. That may change once The Dark Knight is released, but I'm sticking with that statement as of this writing. None of the other films are as dark as this one. Tim Burton's original film comes close, but I think Christopher Nolan's version surpasses Burton's in almost every way. This film has a lot of strengths and I think it starts with the storyline. It doesn't stray too far away from Batman classics like "Year One" and is just as dark in tone. It's also incredibly well-written, which is something that is always a plus in my book. None of the dialogue seems forced or out of place and everything seems to take place in a consistent and reasonable fashion...or at least as reasonable as superhero films go. The acting is also impressive as the main cast is filled with excellent actors. With actors like Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, nobody can really go wrong as they always bring their best to whatever project they're involved in and this film is no exception. The other thing that people are going to notice is how this film is shot. It's beautiful. The colors are so bright and vibrant and the scenery is gorgeous. While watching this again today, this is the only time I wished I had some sort of high-definition entertainment system because it would really pay off with a film like this.

One of the elements of the film I really enjoyed was Cillian Murphy as Johnathan Crane/Scarecrow. I tend to be a fairly big fan of his anyway thanks to films like 28 Days Later and Sunshine, but I think he does an exceptional job in this role even though it's a little small. The other actor who seems to be a bit overlooked in the film is Liam Neeson. He does a great job as Henri Ducard and is part of the film's twist that Nolan has been known to put into his films. Gary Oldman, who's another actor that's a bit underrated in my eyes, also seems to steal just about every scene he's a part of. It's just rare to see a supporting cast that's as strong as the lead actor(s) in the film.

Now a movie that's this good and has this many strong points has to have a few weaknesses, right? Right. This may be considered knitpicking to some, but here are the things that bugged me a bit about the film. I thought it was a little weird that Christian Bale had to put on his "Batman voice" whenever he was in costume. It's like he talked normally while he was Bruce Wayne, but he had to talk in this rough, raspy voice when he was Batman. I guess it could help conceal his identity and add a bit more realism to the film and character, but it just seemed awkward the first time I heard it. I hardly notice now, but it's something that stuck out like a sore thumb when I first watched the film. Katie Holmes was a little bland as Rachel Dawes in this, as well. She just seemed to kind of be in the background in every scene she was a part of. It's like she was there and everyone knew she was there, but she didn't really do anything to grab anyone's attention. I think Maggie Gyllenhaal will be a better fit for the role as she's impressed me more than Holmes with what little I've seen of her in the trailers. The other thing that I hear a bunch of people complain about is the tumbler and how ugly it is. I mean, I agree, it's ugly but I don't think it takes away anything from the film because Batman is driving an ugly car. I feel the same way about the Batpod or Batcycle or whatever the vehicle in The Dark Knight is called. It matches the tumbler, so of course it's going to be ugly.

If there is one Batman film anyone should see, this is it. It's a superhero film with a dark tone that's very well-written with nothing but incredible actors involved. In a world where most movies these days are usually either remakes or films that are made as quickly as possible to cash in on the latest trend in Hollywood, I think the well-written part should say a lot. If there was one film that could make somebody who didn't care about the Batman character like a Batman film, I think this would be it. This is a good enough film to stand on its own regardless of how the viewer feels about Batman going into it. So, if anybody hasn't already, check this out before The Dark Knight hits theaters on July 18th. Or if they already have, tell them to watch it again so the events from the first film are fresh on their mind before they see the sequel.

Rating: 9/10

This film is a wonderful combination of ideas on what the mass media system is doing to our perceptions of the world and how humanity is in constant struggle with the ways success has taken the place of real human emotions. It also presents the argument that corporate globalization is an inevitable process that will be to the ultimate benefit of mankind. A very interesting spin on so many of the most popular conspiracy theories. This film provokes serious thought on many controversial topics the people of the world are currently facing. Awesome film!

es la vida misma.... todos sus discursos, paracen validarse en nuestro dia a dia....Visionaria.... es hora de que las personas creemos mas conciencia en donde vivimos y para lo que trabajamos....

A refreshingly cynical film about the fallout occuring from transitioning the business of journalism to a commoditized commercial interest. A peak experience movie that captures the business of marketing anger, as enabled by the ambitious personalities beholden to nothing but competitive advantage.

The conflict is a struggle of principles for prominence, one that serves the sense of an individual free will against the "forces of nature" argued as capitalism. The prophet for the humanistic cause makes his choices and the captivated public echoes him enthusiastically whatever his position happens to be. Why? The business of amusement doesn't serve any great human design, only the ceremonious murder of boredom.

There is also a love story, that serves as an excellent compatibility experiment between the old and new. William Holden, our objective old school news executive is loyal to the news and the traditional values, and we see his transformation upon realizations of whether falling for the seductive charms of a mercenary agent of entertainment are really worth the conversion. And what is to be said of this new mercenary, how would she fare having to face the responsibility for genuine human experience? Who, needed whom?

I think my favorite part had to be the legal terms and conditions negotiations between the ecumenical liberation army and the network attorneys over the Mao Tse Tung Hour.

I am amazed at the extent to which the makers of this film demonstrated lucid self awareness with vivid and meaningful representations of the competing ideologies at work. I wonder to what extent the hippy celebrations for the dawning of the age of aquarious mantras had something to do with this film's themes, given its timing and central arguments against the hypocrisy inherent in the new order of things. Many have wondered if the hippy generations really added anything to the American Experience. Perhaps this film could be argued in favor of the cause to expand American awareness through creative license.

I think my review is only about 32 years overdue, however, I just discovered this film a couple of months ago, and to be honest, I was very young when it came out, more captivated by Sesame Street at that point in time.

Altogether a fascinating and intriguing story with brillint dialog, direction, performances and an outstanding story in general. I wonder how the people of Fox News would comment on this film given their current criticims.

Intense viewing experience. This movie certainly is not for everyone. If you are looking for a very intelligent and rewarding viewing experience, this is a movie for you. With a warning - it is a slow moving vehicle, with some fantastic scenes no doubt, but not the kind of action people are used to these days.

This film takes a little (or a lot depending the person) patience as a viewer. Beyond the pacing, I couldn't believe how on-point this movie was. Not simply about television and media, but about life. Wow, what a message this movie delivers to those who are listening. And this was 1976 to boot!

There are a few monologues from Howard that are fabulous and packed with emotion and words that may shake you, if only slightly. There Is a particular scene, when Howard is in the office talking to Max and Max tells him they are taking him off the air. Listen carefully to Howard's monologue about energy and purpose and oneness of life. Wow.

Peter Finch is fantastic, but all main players do excellent. He won the Oscar for best actor and it was certainly deserved. This move is worth seeing for his performance alone.

This movie should definitely find an audience in today's new age spiritual movement and those questioning the veils of society. It gets five stars from me. Highly recommended for the patient viewer.

Finch won a well deserved Oscar for his portrayal of Howard Beall, a highly disturbed news anchorman, whom the network uses to increase its ratings.Holden, his supposed best friend, has too many problems of his own to urge Finch to receive the psychiatric help he needs. Chief among Holden's problems is Dunaway, a power hungry runaway train who's been directly responsible for his firing. Nevertheless, Holden has an affair going with her, a relationship that has no rational sense. Then, we have Duvall in his prime, convincingly portraying a man who's just staged a coup d'etat. All goes reasonably well until Beall's ratings begin to drop. Enter corporate chair Arthur Jensen, giving Beall one of Hollywood's great all time lambastings. When ratings continue to drop, it's Dunaway who indirectly delivers the bad news. This movie will always stand up because its main themes of money, power, and sex are timeless. It's about time you saw it.

This film is a wonderful combination of ideas on what the mass media system is doing to our perceptions of the world and how humanity is in constant struggle with the ways success has taken the place of real human emotions. It also presents the argument that corporate globalization is an inevitable process that will be to the ultimate benefit of mankind. A very interesting spin on so many of the most popular conspiracy theories. This film provokes serious thought on many controversial topics the people of the world are currently facing. Awesome film!

es la vida misma.... todos sus discursos, paracen validarse en nuestro dia a dia....Visionaria.... es hora de que las personas creemos mas conciencia en donde vivimos y para lo que trabajamos....

A refreshingly cynical film about the fallout occuring from transitioning the business of journalism to a commoditized commercial interest. A peak experience movie that captures the business of marketing anger, as enabled by the ambitious personalities beholden to nothing but competitive advantage.

The conflict is a struggle of principles for prominence, one that serves the sense of an individual free will against the "forces of nature" argued as capitalism. The prophet for the humanistic cause makes his choices and the captivated public echoes him enthusiastically whatever his position happens to be. Why? The business of amusement doesn't serve any great human design, only the ceremonious murder of boredom.

There is also a love story, that serves as an excellent compatibility experiment between the old and new. William Holden, our objective old school news executive is loyal to the news and the traditional values, and we see his transformation upon realizations of whether falling for the seductive charms of a mercenary agent of entertainment are really worth the conversion. And what is to be said of this new mercenary, how would she fare having to face the responsibility for genuine human experience? Who, needed whom?

I think my favorite part had to be the legal terms and conditions negotiations between the ecumenical liberation army and the network attorneys over the Mao Tse Tung Hour.

I am amazed at the extent to which the makers of this film demonstrated lucid self awareness with vivid and meaningful representations of the competing ideologies at work. I wonder to what extent the hippy celebrations for the dawning of the age of aquarious mantras had something to do with this film's themes, given its timing and central arguments against the hypocrisy inherent in the new order of things. Many have wondered if the hippy generations really added anything to the American Experience. Perhaps this film could be argued in favor of the cause to expand American awareness through creative license.

I think my review is only about 32 years overdue, however, I just discovered this film a couple of months ago, and to be honest, I was very young when it came out, more captivated by Sesame Street at that point in time.

Altogether a fascinating and intriguing story with brillint dialog, direction, performances and an outstanding story in general. I wonder how the people of Fox News would comment on this film given their current criticims.

Intense viewing experience. This movie certainly is not for everyone. If you are looking for a very intelligent and rewarding viewing experience, this is a movie for you. With a warning - it is a slow moving vehicle, with some fantastic scenes no doubt, but not the kind of action people are used to these days.

This film takes a little (or a lot depending the person) patience as a viewer. Beyond the pacing, I couldn't believe how on-point this movie was. Not simply about television and media, but about life. Wow, what a message this movie delivers to those who are listening. And this was 1976 to boot!

There are a few monologues from Howard that are fabulous and packed with emotion and words that may shake you, if only slightly. There Is a particular scene, when Howard is in the office talking to Max and Max tells him they are taking him off the air. Listen carefully to Howard's monologue about energy and purpose and oneness of life. Wow.

Peter Finch is fantastic, but all main players do excellent. He won the Oscar for best actor and it was certainly deserved. This move is worth seeing for his performance alone.

This movie should definitely find an audience in today's new age spiritual movement and those questioning the veils of society. It gets five stars from me. Highly recommended for the patient viewer.

Finch won a well deserved Oscar for his portrayal of Howard Beall, a highly disturbed news anchorman, whom the network uses to increase its ratings.Holden, his supposed best friend, has too many problems of his own to urge Finch to receive the psychiatric help he needs. Chief among Holden's problems is Dunaway, a power hungry runaway train who's been directly responsible for his firing. Nevertheless, Holden has an affair going with her, a relationship that has no rational sense. Then, we have Duvall in his prime, convincingly portraying a man who's just staged a coup d'etat. All goes reasonably well until Beall's ratings begin to drop. Enter corporate chair Arthur Jensen, giving Beall one of Hollywood's great all time lambastings. When ratings continue to drop, it's Dunaway who indirectly delivers the bad news. This movie will always stand up because its main themes of money, power, and sex are timeless. It's about time you saw it.