Holder

The more I ponder this book, the more intriguing I find the story. Beigh Masters is an "asset-hunter" in search of a legendary diamond from India, The Emperor's Tear. Her research leads to a connection with a distant relative, Hannah Easton, who lived in Salem, Mass., in the 1670's. Now fascinated by her own familial ties, Beigh traces Hannah's life from New England to the Coromandel Coast and the powerful East India Trading Company. Most extraordinary, Hannah becomes the "Salem Bibi", the white lover of a Hindu Raja, carving herself a place in history.

But there is more: the novel is so brilliantly themed, the premise so unique, that this reader was guided through a journey of staggering originality. Beigh's lover/companion, Venn, is developing a computer program that would allow an individual to experience a few moments in the past, set to a specific time frame, with pertinent information entered into the program. Beigh provides the structural facts, creating the opportunity to ......? Is it really even possible? This is not "time-travel" as usually written, but Virtual participation in real time. Mukerjee actually ties the threads of history together, from one side of the world to the other, suggesting infinite permutations. Not your traditional historical novel, Mukerjee fashions an ending worthy of any mystery-adventure devotee. Experiencing this story is an adventure in itself.

Bharati Mukherjee emigrated from her Brahmin family's insular compound in India to study at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and her abiding literary yantra ever since has been inter-cultural dislocation, transplantation and rebirth -- in particular the collision of intransigent tradition with the chaotic possibilities at freedom's edge. In "The Holder of the World," she does not merely turn her personal experience on its head, but she does dizzying somersaults with full twists in midair. The context and model for her treasure-hunt mystery is one of the fascinating artistic traditions of the Indian subcontinent: Mughal miniature painting. The unexpected depiction of a fair-skinned Western woman in one of these 17th-century paintings launches the narrator on detective work she expects to lead to material treasure, but what she exhumes as virtual reality and historical truth converge is both tantalizingly less tangible and inestimably more valuable. The particular virtuosity of this slender volume is Mukherjee's determined compression of plot, narrative, character and information that makes reading something akin to aerobic exercise. Brief phrases and gestures become complex characterizations; sketches and outlines evoke transcontinental adventures; narrative whizzes by in a blur that somehow suggests rich detail; well-placed smudges and squiggles expand into vast landscapes. "The Holder of the World" is a sprawling, wide-screen historical epic, painted in miniature with a one-hair brush.

If someone told me that an author could transplant a seventeenth century female Protestant from Salem, Massachusetts, to the excesses of southern India and have the character enjoy that life, I might raise an eyebrow at its improbability. If someone told me that the vividly bloody action of King Philip's (Indian) War in Massachusetts and a Muslim-Hindu holy war near the Coromandel Coast in India were connected, I might look askance in disbelief that such atrocities on opposite sides of the world, committed for totally different reasons, could possibly be related. If that someone then told me that a narrator might locate a missing three hundred year old jewel by using a virtual reality program developed by her MIT researcher/lover, I'd be picturing a bodice-ripper with Fabio on the cover. And if that someone still had the nerve to suggest that all the above could be combined seamlessly, knowledgeably, and totally successfully in one astounding novel of fewer than 300 pages, I absolutely would not believe it. I still don't. Yet that is exactly what Bharati Mukherjee has done in The Holder of the World. In doing so, she manages to create a true literary bridge between East and West, reaching so far back to the roots of our respective cultures and thinking that for the first time in the dozen or so novels I've read by Indian authors, I feel as if I'm beginning to understand how and why we and they became who we are.

I found this book to be quite useful as a reference guide. Though the knotting techniques are all quite simple, it shows different and creative arrangements for beads. The beginning of the book is wonderful to use if you need to refresh your memory on various knots. It shows a picture of the knot, a brief explanation of why you may want to use that particular knot, and a step by step instruction. I recommend the hardback version for your collection, for I fear the paperback version will get worn out very quickly!

This book is excellent. It is all I needed to start making hemp necklaces. The first chapter tells you all the supplies you need as well as a little history about hemp. The next chapter talks about all the different knots (such as the square knot, half knot, wrap knot, chinese crown and berry knot - to name a couple) used in making hemp necklaces complete with black and white, easy to understand illustrations on making these knots. The remainder of the book contains over 30 different projects in color ranging from chokers, bracelets, anklets, earrings, keyrings and even an amulet bag. Overall a great book to own.

This book was exactly what I was looking for. It has more than twenty seperate complete designs for different types of hemp jewelry, as well as great color photos of each so you can easily see what it will look like. It has several knotting techniques, about four weaving techniques, and a few braids as well. I would recommend this book to any novice or above.

So far this book has been helpful in my review of Algebra and Trig., but I wish I could find the study guide or problem solver manual that is no longer published.

This is the best first year college algebra book I'v ever used. Mr. Holder is a very talented writer / teacher, who doesn't waste the student's already overtaxed mental capacities doing all kinds of unneccary mathematical summersaults. He get's right down to the heart of the topic at hand and does so with an amazingly easy to understand narrative. This book is a definite must have for first year maths as well as for second and third year reference.

I have the 5th edition and still use it today. This is the book if you need a refresher or would like a great overview of all the mathematics needed for Calculus.

The Man in the Moon is a Don. The Earth has become a Puritan's dream, so if you want to have any fun, you have to go to the Moon. Moonbase Vegas, that is. But never forget to pay your respects to The Six Families, though, as they run the place. Think Pulp Fiction meets The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Now meet Deuce McNamara, adopted son of the lowliest of the Six, and all-around nice wiseguy. He's caught up in the biggest shake-up since The Families took over. If he can stay alive, he might just come out with a nice piece of the action. Viola. Nancy Holder is a very accomplished and award-winning author of horror, romance and media tie-ins. The Six Families is her first major foray into original science fiction and, quite simply, the most enjoyable book I've read in recent memory. As this is only Gambler's Star: Book One, she'll obviously be around for awhile, and for that - mille grazie. So all you fans of TV's Vegas and Wiseguy, and you fans of a good story, take note: You don't want to miss these. Capisce? --PMH

I can honestly say I was surprised by this book. It was given to me as a gift and I had initially dismissed it after reading the back cover. I thought it was just some cheezy Mafia knock off.

I picked it up again a month later and read the first few pages. I was immediately hooked and couldn't put the damn book down! I'm trying to track down the rest of the series now...

You don't have to be a fan of mob films and books to enjoy this first novel in the Gambler's Star trilogy. Author Holder has taken a unique, cleverly satirical view of the Moon's future, and told her story with wit, style, and an ingenuity difficult to find in sf these days. Once you realize that, of all things, toilet paper is the black market currency of choice, you know you're in for one heck of a grand ride.

Holder, a Ph.D. candidate in comparative literature, goes on personal odessey to Mexico, seeks sexual freedom, which she feels is denied to her in ultramacho heterosexual America, gets revelations, sends back letters in prearranged agreement with one friend to get letters published as book, and is murdered by lover whom she hoped to bring back to her home in New York City. Brilliant side essays on various topics, as well as investigation into true self (or selves).

Mindblowing, searingly honest search for self by woman whose true identity (beautiful, vibrant) had been masked by deformity (some facial paralysis on one side caused by childhood surgery). Maryse, a brillint academic (enrolled in Ph. D. comparative literature program in New York City , CCNY) set out on personal and sexual odyssey in Mexico.Graphic and hauntingly beautiful descriptions of Mexican culture, including machismo and violence.

I have to disagree with the reviewer below. Throughout this book, Maryse Holder was obsessed with her looks: "I had taken the last step--had killed my beauty." "I'm quite fat." "...my anxiety about my creepy nine-years-older flesh..." And on and on. In the epilog, after her death, the writer goes on at some length about her looks: "Her enormous chic made it difficult to regard her as squat, but she was...She had grape-trampling flat feet, which she ignored, except when she wanted sympathy." It's one of the central themes of the book and you can't help but wonder what she did look like.

There's shining beauty in the writing, but there's also ugly self absorption and vanity, the kind that's exacerbated by alcholism and days of taking drugs. To be fair, these are a series of letters home, published after her death. As such, they're raw and perhaps not how someone would choose to portray herself. The net effect of the book is to make you think Maryse Holder went to Mexico and remained drunk and stoned, picked up young Mexican men to try and shore up her disintegratingsense of self. This book is the rstory one woman's alcoholic descent, and it's heartbreaking. Because despite all that, she was an astonishing writer.

This work warrants three stars on the merit of its relatively little-explored subject matter and often excellent photo selections. The authors do a fine job casting light on many lesser-known but intriguing air transport projects, as well as showcasing the more familiar US airlifters. Unfortunately, the authors' attempt at a conversational (as opposed to documentary) prose style savagely detracts from the work. Reading the text was a vexing chore. With stringent editing, "C-Planes" could have been a real gem.

A simply fabulous book with details that are unbelievable! You want to know what serial numbers of C-47s the USAAF bought? It's here. Each airplane is detailed and has it's own story. An interesting and informative format for a book. I enjoyed it immensely!

It has good pictures with good info. It's simply a good book. but this web-page only sez Bill Holder is the author when the cover of the book sez Bill Holder AND Scott Vadnais as authors.

Pretty good audio book. Especially enjoyed the poem by S. Wilkins. I would like to see/hear more from him.

i enjoyed these stories as i listened to them at work. it made the day go by at 65 mph!

My mother, Lane Taylor, was one of the writers of this book. So I listened to it and I thought it was pretty neat!

Christine talks to children about Christmas, "I like everything about Christmas, don't you?" she asks. Christine proceed to tell all the things she likes about Christmas. Each page ends with, "But that's not the best thing about Christmas." The repetition will have children reading along. The book ends with the story of Jesus and the with the best thing about Christmas.

It is July and my 2 1/2 year old son still loves this book. He has it memorized. I think the illustrations are exceptional and geared for small children. If you have a toddler, or want an excellent gift for a toddler in your life, this book will be treasured. In fact, we used it as a "guide" to prepare for the holidays last year - on page one it shows children decorating a christmas tree, talking about the ornaments, the lights, page two shows gifts beautifully wrapped, page three shows the special foods of Christmas, but the whole book emphasizes that while all these things are fun, exciting and delicious, the BEST thing about Christmas is Jesus. I like the fact that Santa Claus isn't even mentioned to take the focus off of Jesus.

Halfway through "Long Way Home," the final book in the Unseen Buffy/Angel Crossover Trilogy by Nancy Holder and Jeff Mariotte, the story gets as complex as a Tom Clancy novel. At one point, in terms of plot threads, (1) Buffy, (2) Angel, (3) Spike and (4) Salma are all in different alternities; back in Sunnydale (5) Riley is dealing with a shadow monster, (6) Giles, Xander and Anya are looking for Riley, while (7) Joyce is at Giles' apartment worrying about Buffy; in Los Angeles (8) Wesley, Willow and Cordelia are trying to get Alina to fix the Reality Tracer, as (9) the Latino gangs are fighting the Russian Mafiya, (10) Nicky is having a heart to heart with his grandmother; (11) Kate is investigating the disappearance of all the kids and (12) Faith is having fun in prison; meanwhile (13) Mischa is still planning on meeting Alina at the Grand Canyon. I think that covers everything, since there are no scenes of Gunn or the Flores family doing anything at this point and I assume Dennis was already finished with the dishes back at Cordy's apartment.

What all these plot threads mean is that Buffy and Angel are competing for time with every other character in the story, so those who pick up the Unseen Trilogy hoping for the two main characters to spend significant time together, are going to be disappointed. All you have to do is look at the front and back covers of "Long Way Home" to know that Spike and Faith are supposed to have prominent roles in the story, but Spike gets caught in something of an alternity dead end while it takes a while for Faith to become involved, even when you know what the plan is regarding the reformed Rogue Slayer. The last part of the book basically has all those groups meeting and slowly reducing the number of plot threads until we are down to three locations where stuff is happening. There really is not a big climax here; it is more a case of things winding down.

When reviewing the first book in the Unseen trilogy I commented on the inherent problems with characterization in writing Buffy/Angel books, so that most of the characters are pretty much treading water. This time around I want to point out one plus and one minus in this regard: on the plus side, Holder and Mariotte do a really nice job of fleshing out Riley's feelings for Buffy, their relationship, Angel, and a lot of other stuff going on. But on the minus side of the equation I think Faith regresses a bit too much to where she was before the big confrontation with Angel. Another nice touch was that the writers presented Buffy and Angel as having different conceptions of what the best of all possible worlds would be. The bottom line is that while the Unseen Trilogy is not the grand epic we saw with the Gatekeeper Trilogy, it is a worthy effort. But next time there is a Buffy/Angel crossover, the two one time starcrossed lovers better be together for a bigger chunk of the action.

The "Unseen" triligy comes to a close as Buffy and Angel are sent to alternate realities in order to find all the missing teenagers. Meanwhile, things get very complicated in our world with gang wars in L.A. reaching a fever pitch and monster activities in Sunnydale getting worse and worse with Buffy and Spike gone. And Faith is broke out of prison (by Riley and Gunn, no less) to help guide Angel and Buffy through the portels.This was pretty good triligy, a little uneven, not the best in the Buffyverse. I liked how some of the characters go here and there to help (Gunn in Sunnydale, Willow helping in L.A.). The action was much better in this volume with the monsters of other worlds to fight (I liked the empty suit of armor to fight Buffy). The best was the Night of the Long Knives, in the first volume, and how the Mexican gang leader tried to bully it out of the wizard. The final fight between all the mobs, psychics, vampires, and Slayers was very cool.

This is an informative work. Philip Holder's knowledge and experience shines in this manual.

The Executive Protection Professional's Manual is an excellent read both for those involved in the profession and those of us who have been on the periferal of such work. Dr. Holder's unique perspective may stem from his extensive martial arts training, his considerable life experience, or analysis of human behavior.
Whatever the source, the tone of the book is about preparedness and common sense. It is called the "Professional's Manual" , likely to its matter-of-fact approach and and the sense of urgent preparedness stressed in the reading.
There are a multitude of aspects to being successful in this line of work not thought out even by experienced "professionals" who have made it their line of work. This book explains, even to the layman, a great number of these details while at the same time, making it all seem as though its just common sense.

After viewing Grandmaster Holder's martial arts videos I had to get this book. I highly suggest this book to anyone with an interest in EPP. Understanding EPP from one of the worlds greatest martial artist and seeing it from his point of view really opened my eyes to a new approach in my own EPP training.