Standup Zone Forum
Stand Up Paddle => SUP General => Topic started by: headmount on January 16, 2015, 12:39:31 AM
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http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SAEQZ7U
Some of you have expressed interest so here it is. The process was slow as molasses for me but finally on the table.
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Guys, buy this. The stories are pretty mind blowing. Our friend here has seen a few adventures.
Congrats man, now let's get it made into a film.
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Is there a dead tree version, or is it only on Kindle?
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Congratulations! I would love a print version. Will keep my eyes peeled.
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Awesome will buy and read on my holiday next week
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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How can we get a signed autographed version?
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Also being a non Kindle fan, I'm hoping for a book, as it looks like an awesome read
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Ditto on PDLSRF question!!!!
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Bill, congratulations for getting it into publication!
Thanks for the heads up....I am stoked to read it.
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Also non a kindle person. A signed paper version would be awesome though.
I like your writing style just in terms of your sessions reports so the book has got to be great.
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Nice. Really looking forward to reading this.
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Looks great Headmount, any way to get a hardcopy?
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i will buy any which way, but, agree--would prefer a signed zoner copy, in case that might be available. pls advise.
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Cool....
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No hard copy yet but that will be next step. And thanks for the response.
My Dad is a pivotal character in the book and to really get a little better understanding about who he was, check out this video of life on a carrier during combat ops in the Pacific.
In another twenty years WWII will have the same distance from the present as the Civil War was when I grew up. That blows my mind because kids my age (and many on this forum) grew up with WWII history all around us. Many of our fathers were vets in that war, Korea or both.
Landing on a deck of a carrier has about as much chance of completion as a drop on a critical wave. And my Dad did it at night. You'll see some pretty wild landings where the pilot still ended up walking away. But mostly you'll see our fathers. Real footage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEDDRLeSKF0
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Also if you want to check out my book website about the book. Yes and I'll be happy to send signed copies when I get them printed.
http://www.billboyum.com
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My father-in-law said he was always more worried about landing, especially at night than on the bombing runs. He flew a dive bomber......kind of puts the landing danger in perspective....flying straight down at a ship that has every gun on it shooting at you is less scary than landing?
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My father-in-law said he was always more worried about landing, especially at night than on the bombing runs. He flew a dive bomber......kind of puts the landing danger in perspective....flying straight down at a ship that has every gun on it shooting bullets at you is less scary than landing?
And pulling out of that dive with no hydraulic controls.
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I bought it, but I'm in the middle of reading the Martian. I just don't know which to read .
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I bought it, but I'm in the middle of reading the Martian. I just don't know which to read .
Thanks. Well finish the Martian. It's a page turner. Thanks to PBill I'm hooked on it.
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Guys, buy this. The stories are pretty mind blowing. Our friend here has seen a few adventures.
Congrats man, now let's get it made into a film.
I couldn't help but thinking the same thing after reading the draft. Headmount goes from one incredible setting to another, from watching a war break out from a hotel bar with the arms dealers who supplied both sides, to some of the most amazingly scenic spots on earth. I'd watch the movie just for the locations, even without the story. Only thing is they may have to cut out some of what actually happened to keep it seeming credible.
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Yup. My father never talked about his experiences as a dive bomber. However, I did have a chat with another older gentleman who was a WWII vet maybe 20 years ago who talked about how flimsy the planes were and surviving the landings and takeoffs from the carriers were as hazardous if not more so than being in the air and being shot at.
I don't have a kindle, but a Sony Reader, so if you get your book in ePub or PDF let us know and I will buy a copy.
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PDX, that is true. Long about '68 it gets pretty unbelievable. (I think that's Aspen) but the end really got me. I want directions to that island some day Bill.
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Well did you ever have a pal who every time you hung with him something sketchy might occur? That was my brother Mike. It was always scary and exciting at the same time. I was looking to toe the line like every other kid from that time but it just didn't turn out that way.
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I don't have a kindle, but a Sony Reader, so if you get your book in ePub or PDF let us know and I will buy a copy.
SUPcheat, I have the Samsung Nook and I downloaded the Kindle App. I works pretty good and allowed me to read Pono's and Headmount's books. Another option is to download calibre-e-book management ( http://calibre-ebook.com/) which allows you to conver any ebook formate to any other ebook format andshare it with any ebook reader.
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I don't have a kindle, but a Sony Reader, so if you get your book in ePub or PDF let us know and I will buy a copy.
SUPcheat, I have the Samsung Nook and I downloaded the Kindle App. I works pretty good and allowed me to read Pono's and Headmount's books. Another option is to download calibre-e-book management ( http://calibre-ebook.com/) which allows you to conver any ebook formate to any other ebook format andshare it with any ebook reader.
Tom this is great. I try to convince (dead tree ala Spookini) print people how great these readers are and realize there are many out there. The fact that Nook can download Kindle app is fantastic. Thanks
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Another 67 year old dead tree guy wants hardcopy!
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Another 67 year old dead tree guy wants hardcopy!
I hear the call for print and am working on it. One option is createspace which I've heard and read is lower quality. Something like Bookbaby presents many choices on paper and binding.
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I don't have a kindle, but a Sony Reader, so if you get your book in ePub or PDF let us know and I will buy a copy.
SUPcheat, I have the Samsung Nook and I downloaded the Kindle App. I works pretty good and allowed me to read Pono's and Headmount's books. Another option is to download calibre-e-book management ( http://calibre-ebook.com/) which allows you to conver any ebook formate to any other ebook format andshare it with any ebook reader.
Thanks, Tom, I'll buy it from Amazon and see if I can convert it.
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Another request for a print copy here Bill. Looks like a great read.
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For those interested in getting free info about the book and all the issues involved, check out my website at www.billboyum.com
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In another twenty years WWII will have the same distance from the present as the Civil War was when I grew up. That blows my mind because kids my age (and many on this forum) grew up with WWII history all around us. Many of our fathers were vets in that war, Korea or both.
Very true. WW-II was the defining moment of my parent's generation. The animosity for the Japanese was still very palpable into the 60's amongst my relatives who had fought in the Pacific. That war remained within a lot of people for a long time.
I just got done reading Unbroken. It is a true story about an American bomber crew that survived a crash landing and imprisonment by the Japanese in WW-II. The death rate for American airmen in the Pacific theater was truly grim, most of it not even during combat. The sad thing is they were all kids.
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Just bought it. Can't wait to read it on the plane! Thanks Bill.
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I finished the book last night. Intense, to say the least. Please add me to the list of people who would like an autographed copy when you put the book into print.
If you don't mind me asking, how does Amazon compensate the author when I add the book to my KindleUnlimited?
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I finished the book last night. Intense, to say the least. Please add me to the list of people who would like an autographed copy when you put the book into print.
If you don't mind me asking, how does Amazon compensate the author when I add the book to my KindleUnlimited?
Kindle Unlimited is part of Amazon Prime or you pay $9.99 for a year of unlimited books. Don't know how the author is compensated for those. I'm learning as I go on this first time into the ring. Thanks for reading it.
One Zoner contacted me saying how he enjoyed the different voices (inner voices) at different junctures in my life. That he got those voices was particularly gratifying. I don't think many people keep the same POV through their years and I certainly didn't. Now my inner voice has been replaced with ringing in my ears but when I'm out on the water I don't hear a thing.
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HM - I just went through your whole web site - great stuff there. The book sounds like a fascinating read. Now if I can just figure out how to read the book without a Kindle.
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You can get the free Kindle app for most phones, tablets and computers.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/digital/fiona/kcp-landing-page?ie=UTF8&ref_=sv_kinh_3
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Been reading some every day and at where you are just getting to Maui. This is where I think it starts getting to where I have been curious about and I can honestly say, with my mouth hanging open........WOW!. How do I say this.........good for you and congratulations on telling so much of the story to lead up to.....well, I guess that's the story. The big stuff for sure but also all the little things.....the dentist,........
Yes, the different voices and pov is a good way to put things.
Your take on the demeanor, (and why they were there) of the kids during the summer of love in The City, (wow, you were there too) is something in itself too. Now I wonder if without WW2 if that whole.........hippie thing would have happened like it did. All the kids of all the people that were in the war............
I was curious so went back to the Amazon site to see some reviews.....blonde kid from Aspen I think.....and you is moving up the charts too.
I would love a hard copy too.
Nice writing and telling of a story.
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Been reading some every day and at where you are just getting to Maui. This is where I think it starts getting to where I have been curious about and I can honestly say, with my mouth hanging open........WOW!. How do I say this.........good for you and congratulations on telling so much of the story to lead up to.....well, I guess that's the story. The big stuff for sure but also all the little things.....the dentist,........
Yes, the different voices and pov is a good way to put things.
Your take on the demeanor, (and why they were there) of the kids during the summer of love in The City, (wow, you were there too) is something in itself too. Now I wonder if without WW2 if that whole.........hippie thing would have happened like it did. All the kids of all the people that were in the war............
I was curious so went back to the Amazon site to see some reviews.....blonde kid from Aspen I think.....and you is moving up the charts too.
I would love a hard copy too.
Nice writing and telling of a story.
Well that blond kid is 68 now and lives on Kauai. And you have the same take as me about WWII. That "Greatest Generation came out repressed, alcoholic and smoking cigs like crazy. That's what we grew up with. And it spun us out into an orbit that included surfing some of the best waves in the world by ourselves. If we'd grown up with a Dad who was a grocer at the A&P we would have probably stayed in one place and toed the line. You never know but when a whole generation rebels the way the hippies did, you know something was on the table. Thanks for reading.
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still want to save my $ from amazon and buy a signed hard copy--ill send you a check up front, if you'd like.
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Interesting---now #62 on Amazon's list of Biographies and Memoirs of Criminals.
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I just saw American Sniper which was extraordinary. Very heavy and dealt with the war trauma from the soldiers POV. There have been a few others like "Brothers", "Deer Hunter" and a film released right after WWII titled "The Best Years of Our Lives." They aren't comfortable films and except for Deer Hunter which was loaded with the best actors of the day, most of these movies slipped under the radar.
I don't think "Sniper" will slip away unnoticed. Clint Eastwood did an outstanding job of portraying all the issues at hand.
The big impact word the main character had to endure was 'legend'. You could tell he cringed every time he heard it. Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and all the scientists that created vaccines for deadly diseases... these are the kind of people you can call legends. Not someone from yesterday or the week before and definitely not any surfers.
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Damn Boyum what a ride! I'm astounded you guys were able to hit all those locations and come out without being shot, eaten by wildlife, illness, etc, etc. Great read and perspective of a true adventurer (willing or not). Made me evaluate my lot in life and focus on delivering a solid foundation for my three. Appreciate you laying it out there.
Mike
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Damn Boyum what a ride! I'm astounded you guys were able to hit all those locations and come out without being shot, eaten by wildlife, illness, etc, etc. Great read and perspective of a true adventurer (willing or not). Made me evaluate my lot in life and focus on delivering a solid foundation for my three. Appreciate you laying it out there.
Mike
Thanks Mike. Parenting is a big issue in my book. I was certainly unfit for parent duty but things turned out OK. You live long enough and they usually do... but living is the trick.
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Man...I haven't even gotten to the adventure part yet and I'm hooked. Great reading, I like Mikey and Billy already.
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Man...I haven't even gotten to the adventure part yet and I'm hooked. Great reading, I like Mikey and Billy already.
My friends call me Brother Bill. Thanks Stoney. Probably some stuff that is similar to your brother experience.
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Just finished it. Wow, what a great read. Takes alot of courage to go through all that again, not to mention putting it out there. Constantly walking on egg shells around a Dad with PTSD sure brings up a lot for me. Awesome book.
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Been reading some every day and at where you are just getting to Maui. This is where I think it starts getting to where I have been curious about and I can honestly say, with my mouth hanging open........WOW!. How do I say this.........good for you and congratulations on telling so much of the story to lead up to.....well, I guess that's the story. The big stuff for sure but also all the little things.....the dentist,........
Yes, the different voices and pov is a good way to put things.
Your take on the demeanor, (and why they were there) of the kids during the summer of love in The City, (wow, you were there too) is something in itself too. Now I wonder if without WW2 if that whole.........hippie thing would have happened like it did. All the kids of all the people that were in the war............
I was curious so went back to the Amazon site to see some reviews.....blonde kid from Aspen I think.....and you is moving up the charts too.
I would love a hard copy too.
Nice writing and telling of a story.
Well that blond kid is 68 now and lives on Kauai. And you have the same take as me about WWII. That "Greatest Generation came out repressed, alcoholic and smoking cigs like crazy. That's what we grew up with. And it spun us out into an orbit that included surfing some of the best waves in the world by ourselves. If we'd grown up with a Dad who was a grocer at the A&P we would have probably stayed in one place and toed the line. You never know but when a whole generation rebels the way the hippies did, you know something was on the table. Thanks for reading.
Hmm... really? that whole generation wasn't a bunch of hippies. My dad saw some heavy combat in WW2 (he was the only survivor of his B-17). he wasn't an alcoholic. and he didn't smoke. a few of those guys did pretty well. like Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy to name two. while all the hippies were out smoking pot and not working, some of us spent decades in the military and/or the intelligence service, keeping you safe. as my sons do. in my opinion, the "Greatest Generation" (your quotes) was in fact the greatest. unless you think hundreds of thousands of American dying to eradicate Nazism, Fascism, and Imperial Japanese aggression is of no consequence.
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Wing, without picking up the book yet, I think the premise is that the Greatest Generation came home scarred, and it impacted their kids -- who then rebelled and became hippies. :). Coping mechanism.
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yes I get that. My point is the percentage of people that became hippies (good thing for the USA) was pretty low, compared to the children who got into the workforce, didn't use drugs, and made the US a better place. I grew up on a military base. For every hippie my town produced, I can name 100 military officers, doctors, teachers, police officers, etc.
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I think your experience growing up on military bases and in military towns likely skews the results a bit wing. growing up in Boston (also skewed but the other way) the percentage of hippies was pretty high....as were the hippies. That said not everyone became hippies, there are lots of routes to rebellion against authority. I can certainly see how rebellion against a Dad like Bill's could lead to that route though.
My wife's dad was somewhat like Bill's, no question related to what is now known as PTSD (he used to wake up screaming in the middle of the night well into the 70's). Alcoholic, his kids disliked him because he was the disiplinarian, wife divorced him finally in the 80's. It wasn't until my wife was an adult and had reconciled and even gotten close to her Dad that I came to know him and understand what an extraordinary guy he was. He was still stuck in his ways...except he quit drinking and he fortunately mellowed with age and was a pretty good granddad and great grandad. Of course that a LOT easier than being a Dad most of the time.
Reading this makes me count my blessings. If anything my Dad was too easy on us, or at least me. I can't even remember him yelling at me never mind hitting me and always supportive of my efforts......and some of the things I did when I was young make Mikey look saint like. My dad was in the military too during WWII. Always told me that he fought in the battle of Niantic, CT....didn't realize he was borrowing Jimmy Stewarts line until I was around 10. The only action he saw was picking up drunks in bars...he was an MP at the base. I wonder how much real exposure to war might have changed the man I knew. I miss him everyday and measure myself against him often. Would I feel the same if the horrors of war had changed him.
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Been reading some every day and at where you are just getting to Maui. This is where I think it starts getting to where I have been curious about and I can honestly say, with my mouth hanging open........WOW!. How do I say this.........good for you and congratulations on telling so much of the story to lead up to.....well, I guess that's the story. The big stuff for sure but also all the little things.....the dentist,........
Yes, the different voices and pov is a good way to put things.
Your take on the demeanor, (and why they were there) of the kids during the summer of love in The City, (wow, you were there too) is something in itself too. Now I wonder if without WW2 if that whole.........hippie thing would have happened like it did. All the kids of all the people that were in the war............
I was curious so went back to the Amazon site to see some reviews.....blonde kid from Aspen I think.....and you is moving up the charts too.
I would love a hard copy too.
Nice writing and telling of a story.
Well that blond kid is 68 now and lives on Kauai. And you have the same take as me about WWII. That "Greatest Generation came out repressed, alcoholic and smoking cigs like crazy. That's what we grew up with. And it spun us out into an orbit that included surfing some of the best waves in the world by ourselves. If we'd grown up with a Dad who was a grocer at the A&P we would have probably stayed in one place and toed the line. You never know but when a whole generation rebels the way the hippies did, you know something was on the table. Thanks for reading.
Hmm... really? that whole generation wasn't a bunch of hippies. My dad saw some heavy combat in WW2 (he was the only survivor of his B-17). he wasn't an alcoholic. and he didn't smoke. a few of those guys did pretty well. like Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy to name two. while all the hippies were out smoking pot and not working, some of us spent decades in the military and/or the intelligence service, keeping you safe. as my sons do. in my opinion, the "Greatest Generation" (your quotes) was in fact the greatest. unless you think hundreds of thousands of American dying to eradicate Nazism, Fascism, and Imperial Japanese aggression is of no consequence.
Yes, you're correct. All the post WWII vets weren't alcoholics and all, in my age group, weren't smoking pot. But those were generational habits that were significant enough to be noticed as a whole. For instance in the realm of being able to return from combat and resettle into civilian life, the divorce rate in post WWII was twice what it was before. My mention of alcohol and cigarettes were to show that many of these men were trying to cope.
Please don't get me wrong. I came from a long family background of military service and totally appreciate all the sacrifices made during any war. They were of consequence. The point I attempted to make (and was obviously misunderstood) was that the consequence of one facet of that sacrifice was that many of these vets came home with the deeply embedded memories along with an inability to cope with the lack of order in civilian life.
You were fortunate that your Dad was emotionally strong enough to put the war behind him raise you in a way that worked out so well. But there were and still are many service people that have brought these experiences home and that battle can erupt into family dynamics. My experience is the story in the book I wrote. Growing up in Naval Air Stations around the country I know my experience wasn't unique. But what was different between now and then was that war trauma or PTSD wasn't on the cultural radar for kids growing up as baby boomers. My pals and I saw our Dads as heroes and had no idea why they were the way the were with us.
BTW both Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy were drinkers. While Ike was stationed at Fort Meade with another military legend, George Patton, the men found creative ways to get around that pesky Prohibition. Patton made some home-brews that may or may not have exploded, while the future leader of our country mixed grain alcohol in a bathtub into bootleg gin. Kennedy was famous martinis and flirting with stewardesses on his flights. Coping is a very real mechanism for surviving emotionally in stressed circumstances but there is fallout. The fact that you and your Dad have avoided all those vices is exceptional. I tip my hat to you.
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My brother graduated from Coronado High School in 1964. In the "in Memory of " part of their reunion in 2004 I read a telling stat. The biggest number of those gone were from drugs, alcohol, and suicide. It was one of the instigations for me to write my book. When I saw that suicides were greater than battle casualties in Afghanistan I thought that his multi generational issue was a worthy subject and hopefully can create some understanding.
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No smoke here brother Bill.. :)...your book has captured me like few ever have. My heart is aching for you and your brother as kids. This had to be amazingly difficult to write so honestly. You should be proud of what you produced. I can see why you and Mimi spent hours crying and laughing. I still haven't gotten to the adventure yet and I can already see movie rights being sought. An important story, well told.
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yes I get that. My point is the percentage of people that became hippies (good thing for the USA) was pretty low, compared to the children who got into the workforce, didn't use drugs, and made the US a better place. I grew up on a military base. For every hippie my town produced, I can name 100 military officers, doctors, teachers, police officers, etc.
Hippies is a rather vague term and I knew many that could and were categorized as such yet did work as doctors, especially as teachers and many other occupations. Not so much as police officers. But while probably none were military officers, I knew many enlisted personnel who served in Vietnam, surfers drafted before the protest movement was in full swing, pre 1967. The ones I knew, started various forms of coping while in Vietnam. But my mistake for using such a vague term. In a real discussion specifics should be accentuated.
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People sometimes have a hard time seeing the bad in good people, and vice versa, let alone talking about it. That's something I liked about the book.
And something doesn't need to be true for a very large portion of a population or generation for it to become an important or even defining feature--true whether you're talking about hippies, unemployment or anything.
Mentioning Kennedy, Patton, and Eisenhower is a reminder that the same thing headmount writes about with returning war heroes happens in other realms (business, politics...). Some of the greatest in those fields are not great parents. That doesn't lessen their greatness, it just shows another dimension. Characteristics that make someone great in their field can make them great parents, or horrible ones.
The thing I thought was insightful was (at least as I interpreted it) that the 60s were a result of things that happened decades before, when the soldiers who came home later as heroes left their homes to join the military. Even if only a few percent of returning heroes came home with problems, that's enough to impact the next generation. And the 50s were pretty deaf to psychological problems, anyway. The solution seemed to be to drink, smoke and suck it up. The world at that point just didn't understand things like PTSD, let alone know what to do about it.
One lesson I got was that whether it's an individual or thousands of people, if they can benefit from some attention, therapy or just sympathy, they need to get it, or their problems will be passed on in some new form to their children.
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My brother graduated from Coronado High School in 1964. In the "in Memory of " part of their reunion in 2004 I read a telling stat. The biggest number of those gone were from drugs, alcohol, and suicide. It was one of the instigations for me to write my book. When I saw that suicides were greater than battle casualties in Afghanistan I thought that his multi generational issue was a worthy subject and hopefully can create some understanding.
In no year of the Afghanistan war were suicides in theater greater than KIAs. Not even close. from the inception of the war thru 2008 there were 37 suicides In country. if you take all suicides military -wide of the 1.3 million serving (about 300 suicides last year) they do exceed the 55 US battle deaths in afghanistan In 2014. These 300 include many people who never deployed. i will buy and read your book, but I just have this thing for factually accurate writing, even on forums. Your statement tries to convey that soldiers were killing themselves in afghanistan faster than the enemy was.
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The 2014 stat was what I heard but I can dig what you're saying. My point wasn't to convey that one was greater than another but just that the number was substantial. Anyone who has dealt with suicidal issues is radically affected by it. 300 in a year is startling.
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Here's a bunch of stats. I'm sure there are conflicting ones out there, and don't know how reliable these ones are, but I'd guess even conservative figures are going to show that there are signifficant problems:
http://www.pbs.org/coming-back-with-wes-moore/about/facts/ (http://www.pbs.org/coming-back-with-wes-moore/about/facts/)
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Also in this day when people are so gung ho with talk about supporting the troops there is surprisingly little on the table in the way of actions to do so. Not having a draft separates the majority of the country's population from what it really means to fight a war. But a draft would concentrate more political focus on why and how we use troops. As it is, since Vietnam, people can accept war without too much emotional attachment to its consequences... except for the ones and their families doing the fighting.
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Well PDX's stats from the famous Wes Moore contradict my saying little has been on the table in the way of actions to help vets. 5 billion dollars is a huge number but my source has been guys I know that are out and frustrated with their Veterans Affair experience. Where all that dough goes is a wonder.
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The young guys I know are coming back to broken relationships, jobs in mall security, living with a bunch of roommates, etc. This war is also different with being able to hear from them daily on facebook, etc. You hear a bunch, then there'll several days of silence, then more. Even when they're painting an optimistic picture for the folks back home, you can tell they're going through tough times there, and again when they get back.
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Wing Suit, I want to express my appreciation to you challenging me in how I express this stuff. The wonderful aspect about writing a book is just putting down on paper chronological events and POVs that I had at each time period which of course evolve.
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Been reading some every day and at where you are just getting to Maui. This is where I think it starts getting to where I have been curious about and I can honestly say, with my mouth hanging open........WOW!. How do I say this.........good for you and congratulations on telling so much of the story to lead up to.....well, I guess that's the story. The big stuff for sure but also all the little things.....the dentist,........
Yes, the different voices and pov is a good way to put things.
Your take on the demeanor, (and why they were there) of the kids during the summer of love in The City, (wow, you were there too) is something in itself too. Now I wonder if without WW2 if that whole.........hippie thing would have happened like it did. All the kids of all the people that were in the war............
I was curious so went back to the Amazon site to see some reviews.....blonde kid from Aspen I think.....and you is moving up the charts too.
I would love a hard copy too.
Nice writing and telling of a story.
Well that blond kid is 68 now and lives on Kauai. And you have the same take as me about WWII. That "Greatest Generation came out repressed, alcoholic and smoking cigs like crazy. That's what we grew up with. And it spun us out into an orbit that included surfing some of the best waves in the world by ourselves. If we'd grown up with a Dad who was a grocer at the A&P we would have probably stayed in one place and toed the line. You never know but when a whole generation rebels the way the hippies did, you know something was on the table. Thanks for reading.
Hmm... really? that whole generation wasn't a bunch of hippies. My dad saw some heavy combat in WW2 (he was the only survivor of his B-17). he wasn't an alcoholic. and he didn't smoke. a few of those guys did pretty well. like Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy to name two. while all the hippies were out smoking pot and not working, some of us spent decades in the military and/or the intelligence service, keeping you safe. as my sons do. in my opinion, the "Greatest Generation" (your quotes) was in fact the greatest. unless you think hundreds of thousands of American dying to eradicate Nazism, Fascism, and Imperial Japanese aggression is of no consequence.
Yes, you're correct. All the post WWII vets weren't alcoholics and all, in my age group, weren't smoking pot. But those were generational habits that were significant enough to be noticed as a whole. For instance in the realm of being able to return from combat and resettle into civilian life, the divorce rate in post WWII was twice what it was before. My mention of alcohol and cigarettes were to show that many of these men were trying to cope.
Please don't get me wrong. I came from a long family background of military service and totally appreciate all the sacrifices made during any war. They were of consequence. The point I attempted to make (and was obviously misunderstood) was that the consequence of one facet of that sacrifice was that many of these vets came home with the deeply embedded memories along with an inability to cope with the lack of order in civilian life.
The thing I thought was insightful was (at least as I interpreted it) that the 60s were a result of things that happened decades before, when the soldiers who came home later as heroes left their homes to join the military. Even if only a few percent of returning heroes came home with problems, that's enough to impact the next generation. And the 50s were pretty deaf to psychological problems, anyway. The solution seemed to be to drink, smoke and suck it up. The world at that point just didn't understand things like PTSD, let alone know what to do about it.
Bingo......
I never thought, nor meant to say, nor took it as, and never could imagine imagine anyone taking it as......most people were this or that.
I wanted to read because I am curious about this G Land place and all of the myths and mystery that surrounds it. To get the real scoop. What I have opened up and am reading is an extremely well told story of............life. It is told, by one person (two??) from many viewpoints......a child, a son, a brother, even a bystander. I can relate to some things in it............I can not even come close to relating nor even somewhat fathoming many of the things in it. It says I am half way through and I don't even think anyone involved in the story has a clue about this G Land yet. Well, I THINK I am to a part where a clue starts to form by Mike.
Wing, I hope you do read it. I think you will take much from it. I think you would relate to it more than I with your background it seems. I can not imagine anyone reading it not taking away from it.......
Thank you for writing and getting my brain thinking.
Life is a journey..........what a trip it is.
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Not really sure where to post this, but I thought this place is probably the best.
I went to see "American Sniper" last night,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, holy crap, what an amazing movie!!!!!!
When watching it, I was thinking about this thread with its discussion about PTSD, that movie really illustrates it very well. You want to get into the mind of our modern day worrier, and what they have to go thru when coming back to "the world", and then back to battle, assuming they re-up? Then you have to see this movie, maybe the best true war movie I have ever seen, Clint Eastwood knows how to make a movie, damn!
I saw the movie in a small town near by, and it was just about sold out, something very rare for that movie theater. Most of the people were older than me (64), figuring that there were many vets in there, it was great to be amongst that crowd, and it was especially great to be amongst them at the end of the movie, they applauded. When leaving I looked around and almost everybody had swollen eyes but with smiles on their faces at the same time. There was an older gentleman sitting on the other side of my wife, he came by himself, and was obviously very effected by what he saw, we could both hear him. Turns out he was walking just in front of us on the sidewalk after the movie, and he was still very emotional, my wife went up to him and asked if he was alright, he said "yes, it's just that it really got me". She then asked if he was a vet, he said "yes", she said "thank you", he said "thanks, but I was just a soldier".
BTW, Bill, I'm going to get a couple of copies when it comes out on paper.
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Wow, really enjoying this book. 16 in aspen heaven.
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Weasel--your comments got me thinking--one of the biggest differences between WWII and now is that WWII ended so cleanly. People went over, fought, won, had an formal surrender ceremony to make it official, and all came home together to parades. I know that's somewhat simplified, but in any case it's a contrast to today, where people go over, fight, come back one at a time while the war still goes on, and not even the enemy or the location stays the same.
Certainly your friends and family can celebrate that you made it back, but when it's one person coming back at a time, with no end in sight to the war, and his buddies still back there, that's a whole different thing that coming back in a huge block where your friends and family are not only glad you're back, they're surrounded by thousands of others doing the same thing, and you're also celebrating the relief that the fighting's over for just about everyone.
It's like the WWII soldiers are the guys who build a bridge. Then they finish it and there's a ceremony and everyone cheers, and they go home. The soldiers today are the guys who come to paint the bridge so it doesn't fall apart. They know they'll never finish, because when they get to one end, they or someone who replaces them has to start over at the beginning on another coat. They don't leave after it's done, they just leave and hand over the brush.
A big difference too is that now there's the whole issue of re-upping. I know guys who never intended to do that, but they do, out of a combination of coming back and not adjusting to life here and having poor opportunities here, and at the same time feeling like they've abandoned their unit.
So the events in headmount's book--the whole combination of having a war so huge, with huge popular support for fighting it, then having it end so cleanly--is something that may never happen again. That also means there may never be a generation like the baby boomers, since they are the result of all that, as the book describes so well.
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Every war is different, and every participants experience and viewpoint is unique. I have a crap memory, but I don't have any problem remembering what it was like coming home from Vietnam and leaving the service. I was only in-country once--for a few weeks. Other than that few weeks I was on the Enterprise in Tonkin Gulf, so really never in danger, never all that uncomfortable. I didn't think much of it coming back, but it was pretty easy to see that a large part of the population thought I was too stupid to avoid the draft, or some kind of fascist. It didn't bother me, my service was lightweight, but seeing the reaction to the guys on the ground that fought was pretty hard to stomach.
I like to see people in airports jump to their feet and applaud when soldiers in uniform file by. I like to hear people thank people in the military for their service. But it's a new thing, and kind of strange to me.
I really like Bill's book, it's a different perspective of the time, and a clear look at a different life. That's what I read for.
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Today I was thinking about buzz words that have emotional baggage, like hippies. For me most hippies I knew and saw were in the pre-work era of their life, usually school age runaways, students and young teachers, people of draft age. Along with them, I saw many surfers and skiers in Aspen and Lahaina who had all the appearances of the counter culture but also worked hard in restaurants or on the mountain as instructors. Basically they were athletes with long hair who smoked a bit of pot. But along with that marginal habit the counter culture I knew focused on eating better than than the TV dinners we had grown up with and though they smoked pot, they didn't drink booze. Many were tuned into what we know now to be very healthy eating habits.
On the other hand it's obvious that some have an entirely different vision of what a hippie was. I saw some of that as well. Unhealthy runaways, emaciated slumped shoulder characters who sometimes went off the deep end with varying high impact drugs, roaming the streets of big cities. Protesters shouting vile things, rebels parroting something someone else told them. People that lived on 'muchie' food and had no regard for their health.
So even though the multi faced versions of hippies may have enjoyed some of the same music and outward style, there were vast differences in who they were. Really the main unifying concept among young people of that time, who were stereotypically called hippies, was the resistance to our involvement in Vietnam and that included many who went. That voice was so strong that in the years after the end of the war, the draft was eliminated. Now the government can conduct military involvement without as much political fallout as occurred back then. I guess history will tell us how that worked out.
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Also in this day when people are so gung ho with talk about supporting the troops there is surprisingly little on the table in the way of actions... people can accept war without too much emotional attachment to its consequences... except for the ones and their families doing the fighting.
Whew, that is fuel for a whole 'nother thread (and one which would quickly turn to heated partisan sniping. :-[ )
Yes, IMO the majority of 'support the troops' rhetoric is hollow and lacks any real meaning.
If you wore a flag lapel pin you're a "great American" (to borrow a certain TV/radio commentator's jingo).. if you questioned things, you're something less.
Meanwhile, few make ANY real sacrifice.. the President's instruction to the public after 9/11 was to go out and go shopping.
Anyhoo, won't go there; better to keep this thread on-topic!
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Just finished the book, thanks for that HM.
Your Dad and Mike were such standouts in their life choices. Pop on the leading edge of discipline and order in the military - sort of a 'Patton' character. Mike the 'Indiana Jones' - out in the hazardous frontier, making deals. So different, yet so alike - on the edge.
Great storytelling and nicely tied up. You sir, have been around! Thanks so much for writing it down and trying to make sense of it all. Your discipline to pull it off and continued adventures in the water are a nice link to Jack and Mike. Keep it up and stay healthy so we can continue to enjoy your wisdom and company.
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I'm gonna offer that headmount's book might stay the topic here and that since a guy put his whole life out for us to read, that we keep this congratulatory and perhaps hold opinions for our own several hundred page books.
Also, his book is full of great surfing. Other pop culture that might mention similar subjects might be best put into "random" threads of their own.
I'd hate to see one of our true brothers here have to defend his life and experiences online.
Now, who wants to talk about him trekking into Java to find G-land or surfing Kuta when they didn't even have electricity?
Or the paddle out to Uluwatu? Could you even do that with a SUP?
Or finding Gerry on the path and showing him how to GET TO ULUWTU!!! Yes, our boy here showed the legends the spots where they built their legends.
My bucket list includes the island in the Philippines where Mike spent his last days. I want to see that place and hoist a toast to true adventure.
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I'm gonna offer that headmount's book might stay the topic here and that since a guy put his whole life out for us to read, that we keep this congratulatory and perhaps hold opinions for our own several hundred page books.
Also, his book is full of great surfing. Other pop culture that might mention similar subjects might be best put into "random" threads of their own.
I'd hate to see one of our true brothers here have to defend his life and experiences online.
Now, who wants to talk about him trekking into Java to find G-land or surfing Kuta when they didn't even have electricity?
Or the paddle out to Uluwatu? Could you even do that with a SUP?
Or finding Gerry on the path and showing him how to GET TO ULUWTU!!! Yes, our boy here showed the legends the spots where they built their legends.
My bucket list includes the island in the Philippines where Mike spent his last days. I want to see that place and hoist a toast to true adventure.
Exactly!!!
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I agree with the sentiment guys, but Bill is pretty bulletproof. Nice guy, and sensitive in his way, but he knows himself. When he thanked Wingsuit for challenging him, it's just Bill being Bill. Open to other ideas, but still grounded.
The very best thing about the zone is that it's all family. We can talk about stuff like this and still like each other.
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Now, who wants to talk about him trekking into Java to find G-land or surfing Kuta when they didn't even have electricity?
Or the paddle out to Uluwatu? Could you even do that with a SUP?
Or finding Gerry on the path and showing him how to GET TO ULUWTU!!! Yes, our boy here showed the legends the spots where they built their legends.
Easy on the use of the word 'legends' !!! HM hinted at the over use of that word earlier in the thread! (Maybe you are being facetious, If so - apologies).
As for the surfing, that's the stuff dreams are made of. HM ain't no legend, he's a mean motor scooter.
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/HM%20800x564_zpsqkhqglcx.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/HM%20800x564_zpsqkhqglcx.jpg.html)
My bucket list includes the island in the Philippines where Mike spent his last days. I want to see that place and hoist a toast to true adventure.
Indeed. That spot was a big link. Jack's flying - Mike's final days - The Japanese troops...
Woo hoo HM! Inspiring stuff! Your Dad and Mike raised you well - you tough old bastard!
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj308/risley47/008700x393.jpg) (http://s275.photobucket.com/user/risley47/media/008700x393.jpg.html)
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Speaking of which, I smell southside run today. Thank god. I'm spending too much time with boogie boards and fins. My grandson leaves today but I got a pass on taking him to the airport. Let the games begin.
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Yes to what that old guy just said. Clear expression is a skill everyone should continue to improve on and one that seems to be fading in general in our culture. But contrary to that trend I see incredibly well formulated thoughts here on this forum. It keeps me coming back. And yes, as PBill says I'm up for challenges, especially on this forum where I know people are basically friendly even when contentious. I thank everyone who has responded and I'm open for any discussion.
In 1967 my brother Mike left Lahaina for the south pacific to search for his soul. Instead he found perfect waves. My book is this journey.
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Mate I'm enjoying the read at the moment. Looking at my kids and wondering if they will have these kinda of opportunities for adventures.
Maybe I just need to take them on some with me!
Again great read so far.
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I'll give Lopez legend status, but I too think it's thrown around too much these days. (Check any north shore instagram account)
Kiwi, theremare still places to get lost on this planet, you just have to go a little deeper and further than you used to.
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No surf on Mars. I checked.
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Yeah I kinda hope space travel isnt required.
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Damn ipad keyboards are hard to type on.
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Just finished it on my flight back from HI last night. SHIT MAN!
I was sitting on the look out at punch bowl reading it as well as in my in-laws back yard over looking Pearl Harbor. So the scene was set.
My father-in-law will be interred there in a few months (paperwork!) His services were this past weekend.
As I read through it, I found myself drifting into my relationship with my dad. It added an emotional dimension to the read that I didn't expect. I could relate on a lot of levels. Thank You.
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Just started reading it on Kindle cloud. I have just gotten through the first couple of pages, but it's slightly eerie parallel existence. We were probably in Coronado at the same time as children. I was in the fourth grade at the public grammar school and had a mad crush on my teacher, Ms. Tracewell. My father was Navigator on the carrier Shangri-la and was away in the Orient while we lived there. I can remember the haircuts and the funny clothes, too, and how the civilians were always better dressed in nicer clothes with longer hair while we were in short, stubby hair cuts, baggy dungarees and t shirts. Also, the same attitude about having anything to do with the sailors who were off limits on the rare occasions when we went on the ship. The ship was amazing and the officers seemed to be treated like kings, with fantastic food, fruits etc. and served their dinner on nice dishes and silverware etc.
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was out with Strandleper the other day Headmount and he was raving-gonna get it myself. Congrats on the book!
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Thanks guys. I really like it that some of you that have similar backgrounds, have read it. And SUPcheat, at one period my Dad flew off the Shangri-la as well right before his command of the Pine Island. I think Weasels Wake had a similar childhood as well and there are undoubtedly many others.
But I got pretty choked up reading Talldudes post.
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was out with Strandleper the other day Headmount and he was raving-gonna get it myself. Congrats on the book!
He has been incredible and posted me a powerful review. SL's way with words shows how obviously good he is at his work. You'd want him in your corner that's for sure. Here he is on a FB pic that looks like he's surfing on Mars. He reports that his friend Josh Call took this great pic.
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Hmmm. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe that's why Elon Musk wants to go so badly.
Speaking of Elon, too bad he's native South African. There's a guy I'd work for to elect president. Of course it would be a step down for him.
I just finished my reread of the book. Magnificent.
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Here's a piece of odd trivia about the "Pine Island" naval ship, with a stage left to Antarctica, Admiral Byrd, and UFO's, of all things:
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/antarctica/antartica11.htm
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Thanks guys. I really like it that some of you that have similar backgrounds, have read it. And SUPcheat, at one period my Dad flew off the Shangri-la as well right before his command of the Pine Island. I think Weasels Wake had a similar childhood as well and there are undoubtedly many others.
But I got pretty choked up reading Talldudes post.
My dad is now 81. It's really cool having him watch my son play club basketball. My son listens to his advice. I always give my dad a hug, ....Now. In the back of my mind, I'm still angry. There was a pivotal time in our relationship where I was big enough and strong enough to bust him one. Just then I realized he was getting old and always in pain from his hard upbringing. I suddenly felt sorry for him.
I worked for my dad doing concrete and framing from about the age of 12 till I was 24. he would just yell at me and my older brother Mikey all day. Constantly belittling us. 'Why the hell did you do that!" and " You two are so dam slow!". It was never good enough. When I finally quit working for him, and framed for someone else, they couldn't believe how fast I worked. I always work fast when I'm mad, and my dad new it. We built houses along the beach. During summer my high school friends would walk by on their way to the beach. My dad would yell at them," don't talk to Matt, I want him to keep working." At the end of the day they would tell me how the surf was. They'd be nice and say "You didn't miss anything."
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at my dad's law firm:
"sons of other can be late all they want--my sons get to work on time, or early"
at least he lived by example, working many 18 hours days and weekends--could be he was hiding from us?
he was a tough nixon republican, with four damned hippie sons living in his very own household.
he couldve been better with us, but boy did we serve him some shlt we was not prepared for!
despite the polar opposition of our politics, we get along great....NOW. Lots of laughs and hugs. It's a bleesing for me. I'd feel like shlt if it was any other way. And he is tough stock. His medical history is truly astounding, and he lost my mother 3 years ago--yet he lives on his own, hanging tough.
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This was a great spot to sit and read your book. My father-in-law had a great view during his retirement. Both of my in-laws were Navel doctors.
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Both of my in-laws were Navel doctors.
Gastroenterologists? Or naval doctors? Sorry, couldn't resist. :)
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That darn spell check. Doesn't it know I'm an idiot!
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This was a great spot to sit and read your book. My father-in-law had a great view during his retirement. Both of my in-laws were Navel doctors.
I've been up there. It is stunning. Also during my father's cancer treatment we went up to Tripler Hospital on the hill. Quite a view from up there as well. Thanks for your post TallDude.
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“You guys got smoked by that set.” “Yeah, man, kept getting bigger with every wave. Getting spooky.” “Hey, where’s Laverty?”
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Was Bob the first guy you found floating dead? How big was it getting?
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Ten to fifteen. If you're familiar with Ulus it was breaking all the way through from the outside corner. One wave, no sections. Three guys out. Two lived.
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“Come on, wake up. It’s Kabul, Afghanistan calling, do you accept a collect call?” “What?”
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I see a lot of people here that want a physical version of your book but its a drag to have to fork over a bunch of money for printing and then you have to decide if you want to inventory and ship them yourself or have someone do it for you. That can be expensive and cut into your profits big time. However, there is no need to do that because Amazon has an option where your customers can at the time of ordering choose a paperback copy and they (CreateSpace) will print the book and ship it to them for you one book at a time. :) I'm not sure how you'll deal with the signed copies though.
Also if you want to check out my book website about the book. Yes and I'll be happy to send signed copies when I get them printed.
http://www.billboyum.com
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There's a little more involved in using Createspace. You make some choices that you can't undo right away. I chose to have the physical versions of my book done by BookBaby--but there are lots of choices these days. The old vanity press screw job companies are on life support (though they keep coming back like that Bamboo I soaked with Roundup), and CreateSpace is one of many good alternatives.
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I haven't used CreateSpace yet for my books but read somewhere that because Amazon owns them that the order process is seamless. Whats the downside?
There's a little more involved in using Createspace. You make some choices that you can't undo right away. I chose to have the physical versions of my book done by BookBaby--but there are lots of choices these days. The old vanity press screw job companies are on life support (though they keep coming back like that Bamboo I soaked with Roundup), and CreateSpace is one of many good alternatives.
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Createspace offers a free option, but you have to ensure your book is completely ready for print. If you use any of their services to improve the quality you can get into substantial costs, and you don't own the formatting--you can't choose to get the source file and take a less expensive route later for producing print books--you have to start over. Other than that it's fine if you want to do only on demand printing. You won't be selling any copies to bookstores or libraries and the only outlet is Amazon, but if that's OK then it's a great service.
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“Hey, Mikey, I was snooping around Dad’s room the other day when he was gone. Knocked over a stack of quarters and dimes he had on his dresser. Was real careful to stack them back perfect just the way he had them.”
“So?”
“So I found pictures of mushroom clouds. That’s A-bombs, right?”
“Yeah, that’s A-bombs. You see anything else?”
“One picture showed a small island. The other was just a hole, no island.”
“The old man was taking pictures of A-bombs? How do you have the balls to take pictures of an A-bomb? They blow the crap out of everything. Nothing lives. Hey Duke, you think anyone has a shelter here in Coronado?”
A conversation on the beach in 1963, a year after the missile crisis.
Like this discussion about print. What I've also heard is regular publishers won't have anything to do with you once you've gone to Createspace. Still, it's no $ up front that is obviously a gamble. Been told that I would definitely lose money printing. So I'm waiting a bit.
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Just finished the book. Loved it, great story and even better writing. Don't sell yourself short on this one.
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Just finished the book. Loved it, great story and even better writing. Don't sell yourself short on this one.
Wow that means a lot to me. Thanks. Still in holding pattern about print options.
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Thats good to know. Thanks. Would the best solution be to have the formatting done outside Amazon by someone that knows how to format so it works with CreateSpace and then you'll have the source file and be able to print books outside CreateSpace?
Createspace offers a free option, but you have to ensure your book is completely ready for print. If you use any of their services to improve the quality you can get into substantial costs, and you don't own the formatting--you can't choose to get the source file and take a less expensive route later for producing print books--you have to start over. Other than that it's fine if you want to do only on demand printing. You won't be selling any copies to bookstores or libraries and the only outlet is Amazon, but if that's OK then it's a great service.
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Yesterday I'm talking to a co worker. He's 65 and tells me of his youth spent skiing Colorado and surfing Kauai back in the 70's.
"Do you know Bill Boyum"?
"I never met Bill but I knew Mike".
So I tell him about Bill's book and a few highlights.
Big catamaran surf trips, Bob's death, Afghan adventures...
So he tells me about metal boats and machine guns. Adventures on the high seas running hash out of Cambodia.
Get going on that sequel HM! There's another movie!
I'll finish The Martian this weekend (Mutiny!) and eagerly anticipate rereading Journals From The Edge. Woo Hoo!
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The problem with "normal" publishers, as I'm sure you already know, is that there is very little profit in it for the authors. You get bragging rights and certainly more room for negotiating a better deal with your next book if it becomes a best seller though.
Check out James Altucher's podcast channel on iTunes because I think he's done lots of stuff on self-publishing. The guy is brilliant and super generous with freely sharing his knowledge. He has two channels on iTunes and one is called "Ask Altucher" where you can text his phone and ask a question and he will answer it personally or feature it on his show. http://www.amazon.com/James-Altucher/e/B001IOBN80
Like this discussion about print. What I've also heard is regular publishers won't have anything to do with you once you've gone to Createspace. Still, it's no $ up front that is obviously a gamble. Been told that I would definitely lose money printing. So I'm waiting a bit.
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Thats good to know. Thanks. Would the best solution be to have the formatting done outside Amazon by someone that knows how to format so it works with CreateSpace and then you'll have the source file and be able to print books outside CreateSpace?
Createspace offers a free option, but you have to ensure your book is completely ready for print. If you use any of their services to improve the quality you can get into substantial costs, and you don't own the formatting--you can't choose to get the source file and take a less expensive route later for producing print books--you have to start over. Other than that it's fine if you want to do only on demand printing. You won't be selling any copies to bookstores or libraries and the only outlet is Amazon, but if that's OK then it's a great service.
Not necessarily. It's worthwhile to realize that very few books by unknown authors sell more than a few hundred copies. If that's the case for you then Createspace is fine. And the "problem" of doing your printing elsewhere is one that's very good to have. If you need to take that path it's not that big an issue. But every avenue has it's good and bad points.
This is a fine time for people to fulfill their dream of writing a book, but not necessarily the dream of getting rich from doing it.
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I'm reading this like it's a fine brandy. Taking small sips, feeling it in my mouth, enjoying the complexity and the bite. Only small tastings each time because it's the last bottle. I know I'll only get to experience reading it for the 1st time once.
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I'm reading this like it's a fine brandy. Taking small sips, feeling it in my mouth, enjoying the complexity and the bite. Only small tastings each time because it's the last bottle. I know I'll only get to experience reading it for the 1st time once.
Yeah Stoney. You're the good son!
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It was August 1964. My father and I had just crossed the country from Coronado to Alexandria. I had dreaded leaving surfing and also the thought of driving alone with my Dad terrified me. But that trip with him turned into something very endearing. We actually talked like real people for the first time. I thought that maybe he was calming down from the way he had been all those previous years.
But after settling in to Alexandria, I saw headlines of the Washington Post, about an attack on US destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin. The Pentagon began calling him into work on the weekends and he spun back into his old paradigm. That was the point things began to slip away between me and my Dad but of course you have no idea of what is happening when it happens.
My brother Mike returned from a hell raising trip to the Bahamas. He was just about to begin college at GWU.
“So tell me how you survived that trip across the country with Dad.”
Everyone and everything is changing, and telling Mikey about Dad is complicated. I don’t even understand it myself, especially now that he’s changed back.
“You know, it wasn’t bad.”
Mikey rolls his eyes.
“No, Mikey, he was different on the trip. It was cool. But since we’ve moved in here, he’s…”
Mikey lifts his eyebrows at me. “The same old Dad?”
“Mom says…”
“Mom’s always making excuses for him. But hey, it’s all cool, man. It doesn’t matter what the old man thinks. That’s his world. There’s a different world out there that is fun and happy.”
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When's the movie?
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wow-just finished it Bill.
I was surprised by my tears at the end, im a sentimental soul and the youngest of three raised at the hands of a loving-but sometimes heavy handed father.
Humans are fragile things and the book had me re-living both good and bad times-i think most of us have been through similar, although for me no where near the level you experienced. My dad passed of cancer also-i was able to bury the hatchet and extend forgiveness. That in itself was a life changer and was the impetus to changing my perspective on how i raised my two sons. My brother is 7 years older and we decided to use his passing to make a vow that we would not repeat our fathers obvious mistakes, even though we have yet to this day to completely understand what was behind them.
Just a great read, i really appreciated the story telling, my review or how much i enjoyed the book is not really coming through but i will end it with sincere thanks for the opportunity to read such a fine book and taking me on a little bitter-sweet journey of my own.
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wow-just finished it Bill.
I was surprised by my tears at the end, im a sentimental soul and the youngest of three raised at the hands of a loving-but sometimes heavy handed father.
Humans are fragile things and the book had me re-living both good and bad times-i think most of us have been through similar, although for me no where near the level you experienced. My dad passed of cancer also-i was able to bury the hatchet and extend forgiveness. That in itself was a life changer and was the impetus to changing my perspective on how i raised my two sons. My brother is 7 years older and we decided to use his passing to make a vow that we would not repeat our fathers obvious mistakes, even though we have yet to this day to completely understand what was behind them.
Just a great read, i really appreciated the story telling, my review or how much i enjoyed the book is not really coming through but i will end it with sincere thanks for the opportunity to read such a fine book and taking me on a little bitter-sweet journey of my own.
I think you did pretty damn good expressing yourself. Thanks. Are you Mike? If so your comment on Amazon was great. Really great. Lots of positive feedback so far.
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This is my brother Mike running down Kuta beach in the 70's. He was a showboat in those days. Pretty fit and so I took this pic as a goof with the lei and all. Note the empty beach with a few motorcycle tracks on it. The locals liked to buzz the beach back then. It's bumper to bumper people now and that tree line ain''t nothing but buildings. And also a pic of my brother on a screamer at "Speed Reef" He had dabbled with it but didn't really get into surfing until he was 28 which is pretty old to enter the sport. He dropped into it at one of the heaviest places you could ever learn at and certainly paid with some flesh on the reef. But he finally got it. I was fortunate and got to do a fair amount in my late teens which really makes a difference.
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Making my way slowly through the book. My steps through the Naval Gulag were kindergarten: Oahu; first grade: Rhode Island; second and third grade: Alexandria; fourth grade: Coronado, CA; fifth and sixth grade: Corpus Christi,Tx; seventh through tenth: Salinas/Monterey where my father was forcibly and traumatically retired.
I remember making skateboards from broken skates nailed to boards in Coronado. I also remember the tense road trips from place to place. We had five kids in the family packed in a station wagon. I remember that alcohol had a lot to do with my father's "military" personality, but in those days it seemed nobody mentioned post traumatic stress disorder from WWII. My father also was dangerous and you never snuck up on him. He almost stabbed me with a screwdriver when I did it once.
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i try to "watch video of myself" dealing with my kids. vigilance is required to not repeat the behaviors of my father which upset me so as a boy. we tend to repeat what was modeled for us.
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.........haven't even redecorated here, think their going to redecorate the war.......
.......Bananastan...
.....they spend more than chicks.....
(paraphrasing, sorry)
What a great read. I have looked up places all over after reading this and researched more on WW2. I could just babble on and on.
I will probably read it again before winter is done.
Cool to see some more photos here also, especially that Suzuki in that boat.
So, you have watched what you eat for a long time......"......boxes and boxes of noodles stacked everywhere..."
What kind of noodles? Do you still eat them? Yes, I really am curious about that.
. The locals liked to buzz the beach back then. It's bumper to bumper people now and that tree line ain''t nothing but buildings. And also a pic of my brother on a screamer at "Speed Reef" He had dabbled with it but didn't really get into surfing until he was 28 which is pretty old to enter the sport. He dropped into it at one of the heaviest places you could ever learn at and certainly paid with some flesh on the reef. But he finally got it. I was fortunate and got to do a fair amount in my late teens which really makes a difference.
Your first few trips out there, did I miss it?.....I know the first time no, but.......how many locals came out and wanted to learn to surf? What did they think of the crazy white boys playing in the water? Do you go back often? I know there are other camps there now and it sounds like it has changed beyond imagination, which things do but was wondering how much it has changed. Perhaps that's another story.
I dabbled in skiing but never really got into it till my early thirties.......same results with it.
Once again, great book. It will touch many people for many reasons.
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Making my way slowly through the book. My steps through the Naval Gulag were kindergarten: Oahu; first grade: Rhode Island; second and third grade: Alexandria; fourth grade: Coronado, CA; fifth and sixth grade: Corpus Christi,Tx; seventh through tenth: Salinas/Monterey where my father was forcibly and traumatically retired.
I remember making skateboards from broken skates nailed to boards in Coronado. I also remember the tense road trips from place to place. We had five kids in the family packed in a station wagon. I remember that alcohol had a lot to do with my father's "military" personality, but in those days it seemed nobody mentioned post traumatic stress disorder from WWII. My father also was dangerous and you never snuck up on him. He almost stabbed me with a screwdriver when I did it once.
Geez. Sounds like a parallel upbringing. I'll tell you my Dad's retirement story. He had worked his way up to command rank, Captain, by way of his proficiency throughout his career. But flag rank, Admiral, has to do with social skills, specifically being able to negotiate defense contracts with forked tongued politicians. He wasn't good at that. In fact he developed a reputation as a hard assed prick among those he dealt with in D.C. Most of them were as scared of him as we were. So he got passed over twice and that was that. He died of brain cancer two years after retirement and who knows how long cancer had been plaguing he personality. I know when I'm sick, that I'm horrible.
"nobody mentioning PTSD from WWII" as you pointed out, is really the thrust of my book. it was like waking up in the dark and touching the walls to find your way. Thanks for your post. BTW in Coronado I was at Crown Point elementary with the fat Mrs Burrell in 6th grade. They swatted kids in school back then... with a paddle.
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i try to "watch video of myself" dealing with my kids. vigilance is required to not repeat the behaviors of my father which upset me so as a boy. we tend to repeat what was modeled for us.
You got that right. Constant vigilance. You get home from work. You're tired and have no patience. They're in chaos mode and that's when you need to dig deep.
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Making my way slowly through the book. My steps through the Naval Gulag were kindergarten: Oahu; first grade: Rhode Island; second and third grade: Alexandria; fourth grade: Coronado, CA; fifth and sixth grade: Corpus Christi,Tx; seventh through tenth: Salinas/Monterey where my father was forcibly and traumatically retired.
I remember making skateboards from broken skates nailed to boards in Coronado. I also remember the tense road trips from place to place. We had five kids in the family packed in a station wagon. I remember that alcohol had a lot to do with my father's "military" personality, but in those days it seemed nobody mentioned post traumatic stress disorder from WWII. My father also was dangerous and you never snuck up on him. He almost stabbed me with a screwdriver when I did it once.
Geez. Sounds like a parallel upbringing. I'll tell you my Dad's retirement story. He had worked his way up to command rank, Captain, by way of his proficiency throughout his career. But flag rank, Admiral, has to do with social skills, specifically being able to negotiate defense contracts with forked tongued politicians. He wasn't good at that. In fact he developed a reputation as a hard assed prick among those he dealt with in D.C. Most of them were as scared of him as we were. So he got passed over twice and that was that. He died of brain cancer two years after retirement and who knows how long cancer had been plaguing he personality. I know when I'm sick, that I'm horrible.
"nobody mentioning PTSD from WWII" as you pointed out, is really the thrust of my book. it was like waking up in the dark and touching the walls to find your way. Thanks for your post. BTW in Coronado I was at Crown Point elementary with the fat Mrs Burrell in 6th grade. They swatted kids in school back then... with a paddle.
I had the sex bomb Ms. Tracewell in fourth grade in Coronado. She always wore perfume. She had her favorites, and would flirt shamelessly with the rapt young male students. Of course, she liked the cute, athletic guys, not shy, dough boy me. She would plop her butt right down on a kid's desk she liked with one leg up and another leg on the ground while she read stuff out to the class.
I always wished she would plop her butt on my desk, too. I got my wish, but not in the way I wanted. I was discovering that I was smart in school. I refused to help a classmate cheat, so that classmate told her I was the cheater and she docked me on a perfect test score I got. I was so traumatized, I couldn't react or do anything for days. She saw how hurt I was, and here came that butt and perfume, I just about had a stroke when she plopped it on my desk. Talk about etched in memory. I would ride by her house on my bike to check up on her, a child stalker I guess, but it didn't seem like it at the time. She saw me once, I was so embarrassed, I never did it again.
We used to play dodge ball in the play ground. I just started developing some skills when we moved again. I had no idea how to move my paralyzed body for a while, kind of like SUP and surfing now, and never thought I had any athletic potential because I was a nerd.
By the time we were in Monterey/Salinas, I was in the seventh grade and my father drank like a fish, smoked a couple of packs a day and was way overweight. He got up to Commander in rank but it was his glass ceiling because he came in from the reserves and entered regular service because of WWII, not the Academy. At that time, the Navy was on a campaign to reform their officers, and told them to lose weight, stop smoking and get in shape.
My father didn't, but never thought they would actually force him out. He nearly committed suicide over it, and we had a couple of incredibly miserable years while he sorted himself out. Some of the worst years of my life. I could hardly wait to leave home, and left at 17 for Cal Berkeley. I never spent more than two weeks at home again, usually just a couple of days to do laundry. I would camp out in the empty dorms rather than go home. The dorm monitors got used to having me there during holidays and made me an unofficial proctor. They would even take off themselves because I was there. The cold cruel world was preferable to spending time at home with my dysfunctional parents.
My father was incredibly hostile to my going away to school. When I came home for the first break from UC with straight A's, my father and my brother made it clear there was no place for me at home any more, they were both brooding and hostile. For the first time, I got physical, and punched my older brother in the stomach and knocked his breath out, to his great surprise, and my father knew that I was lethal from look in my eyes and didn't touch me. I just stayed away after that. I didn't speak with my father for the last eighteen years of his life, because it never was anything but painful.
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Good for you, dude. My dad was a tyrant so I made a blood oath pact to myself with the first kid that I wouldn't be like my dad. The consequences to raising my two boys with peaceful parenting is that they have always come to me for advice and consolation when struggling with gnarly life situations and even as adults they genuinely like to hang out with me. Its good for us, our kids, and the world that we have CHOSEN to rise above the crap foisted on us as children.
i try to "watch video of myself" dealing with my kids. vigilance is required to not repeat the behaviors of my father which upset me so as a boy. we tend to repeat what was modeled for us.
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So, you have watched what you eat for a long time......"......boxes and boxes of noodles stacked everywhere..."
What kind of noodles? Do you still eat them? Yes, I really am curious about that.
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Your first few trips out there, did I miss it?.....I know the first time no, but.......how many locals came out and wanted to learn to surf? What did they think of the crazy white boys playing in the water? Do you go back often? I know there are other camps there now and it sounds like it has changed beyond imagination, which things do but was wondering how much it has changed. Perhaps that's another story.
I dabbled in skiing but never really got into it till my early thirties.......same results with it.
Once again, great book. It will touch many people for many reasons.
Spinach noodles. Don't eat them anymore. Just a little brown rice with my salad. The noodles were massive filler for active teen age boys, one was on swim team. Taught them how to cook which was a very good move.
In that beach pic... in those days most of the older locals only interest in the beach was to rip down it at low tide on motorcycles. With clogged traffic (Bali is very populated) it was their only chance to open the bikes up to, wind in their face full speed. Later this use of a motorcycle gave me the inspiration to use one the same way to venture out to the SE tip of Java.
When I first arrived, local interest in the ocean was minimal and if they touched the water it was ankle deep. That changed slowly as the young boys saw us bodysurfing the shore break and they, being young and not succumbing to adult cultural fears about the ocean, learned just like we westerners all did, with little steps. When we broke out the boards they went crazy. We had a mob around us just so they could touch the boards. Each year we left we gave away our boards to the kids and they learned quickly. If we broke boards, they figured out how to put them together.
Today, with an abundance of perfect waves, there is such a high quantity of great local surfers on Bali that it is just about impossible to get a wave. They are superior prone paddlers and are feather weight. They're up and ripping their first turn before you're even on your feet. It's been a remarkable transition.
Yes I still go to Indonesia but not to Bali. Bali is just simply too much these days. Even people that went there as late as the 90s say the difference is impossible to handle. The surf is of course fantastic but very overcrowded. There are spots but traveling on the roads is a nightmare. Even in the early days we saw guys gnarled on the side of the road on the way out to Uluwatu, motorcycle crushed, contusions or worse everywhere. We always used a muscle car.
Something we did that I'm very proud of was starting the Bali Life Saving Club in Kuta. We had been bodysurfing the beach break one day and a bunch of visitors from another inland part of Bali decided they would walk out into the waist deep ocean. Tidal changes there are around 6-8 feet and during those changes radical rips can occur along the beach. Surf was significant so rip was maximum. They felt the tug and attempted to swim back to shore but being very poor swimmers they were swept out to sea quickly. We had just come in and were sitting on the beach digging the surf when a concerned relative ran up to us pointing at heads bobbing out beyond the break. Why us? We were the only fit people there, had swim fins and all the locals knew we were the go to guys. So we pulled in 12 live people, plus one I brought in that was dead. So it was a big splash. These people took us up to their village and treated us like kings. But it also gave the leverage to start the Bali Lifesaving Club that exists to this day.
My grandson now competes against one of the top swimmers in Indonesia who is from Bali. So swimming and ocean safety have become the new norm.
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Once again, great book. It will touch many people for many reasons.
That's so true. It's the reason the replies have gone all over the place from talking about surf spots to the draft to fathers and sons.
Speaking of that last one, it's interesting to see several people bringing up how they intentionally behaving differently to their own kids than how their fathers behaved towards them. You always hear the conventional wisdom that people pass bad behaviors from their parents onto the next generation. So if the dad was a tyrant, the son automatically grows up and becomes a tyrant to his own wife and kids. You don't hear much about the guys who intentionally change things to STOP passing that stuff one--the child of an alcoholic who never drinks, the peaceful kid of a violent parent, the family-guy son of a workoholic dad, etc. Men in particular can get labeled by wives, courts, etc.--"He was abused as a child, so of course he became an abuser". Even if they are doing it with some sympathy (for instance, as an explanation why he became that way) there's still the presumption that men are likely to repeat their fathers' bad behaviors.
People forget the power that seeing that abuse has on kids. For instance, the kid who got bullied by his dad also grew up watching that same stuff happening to his brothers and sisters, and his own mom. Kids who grow up watching that and being powerless to stop it have a big personal incentive to never want to see it happen again, and will do whatever it takes to make sure they're never guilty of it themselves. They of all people realize what it feels like to be on the receiving end, in a way others can't know.
Sorry if this is a sidetrack, but headmount's book and everyone's comments get my mind going in 10 different directions...and you can even think of how it's weird that people have a hard time accepting that individuals may turn out entirely different, by intention, from their parents, but at the same time, can readily accept how a whole generation can turn out much differently than the previous one (which headmount's book discusses so well) rather than being somehow destined to become the same as the previous one...
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HM, I haven't quite finished the book but I do want to say that it is one of the best books I have read. And it is great in many different ways...the story, how it is told, and from the comments you read here, it obviously touches many people in many different ways. It is hard for someone to read the book and not reflect on how he's grown up. My parents were more like Ward and June Cleaver, so I don't relate to your relationship your father, but your description of what was going through a draft eligible male's mind during the Viet Nam war really hit home for me. I too was lucky enough to avoid the draft with help and strong encouragement from returning vets.
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HM, I haven't quite finished the book but I do want to say that it is one of the best books I have read. And it is great in many different ways...the story, how it is told, and from the comments you read here, it obviously touches many people in many different ways. It is hard for someone to read the book and not reflect on how he's grown up. My parents were more like Ward and June Cleaver, so I don't relate to your relationship your father, but your description of what was going through a draft eligible male's mind during the Viet Nam war really hit home for me. I too was lucky enough to avoid the draft with help and strong encouragement from returning vets.
I ran into many more guys like you as I got older and wasn't living in or near Naval Air Stations... guys that had nice parents. Tried to show that contrast in the book with the neighbors of my grandparents and their son who I ran with. "They're even polite to me." That was my impression of southern Virginia, polite people that were nice to their kids. And then later kids I ran with whose fathers had a business they would step into after school. I envied that. Life would have been a lot simpler if my father and all the other guys on this forum that had aggravated military fathers, had instead been pharmacists or grocers at the A&P. I always wanted Ward and June Cleaver because I was very much like the Beaver.
On the other hand I wouldn't have ended up going to the SE tip of Java in 1972.
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On the other hand I wouldn't have ended up going to the SE tip of Java in 1972.
No doubt. Looking back, I'd say you worked everything out pretty well!
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Yes I still go to Indonesia but not to Bali. Bali is just simply too much these days. Even people that went there as late as the 90s say the difference is impossible to handle. The surf is of course fantastic but very overcrowded. There are spots but traveling on the roads is a nightmare. Even in the early days we saw guys gnarled on the side of the road on the way out to Uluwatu, motorcycle crushed, contusions or worse everywhere. We always used a muscle car.
This just popped up on one of those stupid "20 best blah, blah, blah," that I will click on sometimes.
"Bali
If there were a contest for most hotel openings on an island in 2015, surely Bali would win, as it will unveil at least five major resorts. The long-awaited Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, will open by summer, with 60 luxury villas. Also coming by summer: the Alila, on the last sandy frontier of Seminyak, while exclusive Jumeirah Bali will be opening 80 suites and 25 private villas In the Jimbaran district. The Chedi Club, with 34 pool villas, will also join the resort scene in Jimbaran by summer. And that’s just a handful of what to expect. Several more big names are coming to the island next year, including Andaz, Mandarin Oriental, and Waldorf Astoria."
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On the other hand I wouldn't have ended up going to the SE tip of Java in 1972.
No doubt. Looking back, I'd say you worked everything out pretty well!
It is weird to see what unexpected things result from the whole mix of experiences that people go through to get to where they end up at any given point.
Also, there can be a "Boy Named Sue" effect of growing up with some adversity.
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Bill,
Can't tell you how much I enjoyed your book. We definitely lived a parallel life, but I am about 5 years younger, so was a little behind you on the timeline. My Dad was a 27 year career US Marine officer. Enlisted in 1942 at 17 and finished up as Chief Warrant Office. He was a hard ass, but still really a good guy, and sounds like a cupcake compared to your father. I always said I did my 18 years in the corps early. He spent alot of time with me and my friends in an old camper in the mid 60's at San Onofre when it was still private...I think those times molded me for life more than any others.....then spent a lot of time on Maui in the late 60's surfing Breakwall and Shark Pit....but my favorite wave was always Windmills.....moved back in '72 and lived in Kihei when the only thing there was Suda's and Azeka's store with the post office inside. Built Ladyland Surfboards with Del Miller (old Harbor shaper) in Kihei those years...and surfed Pakakalo and Mudflats a lot...we probably paddled by each other more than once during those years....then moved back to the mainland and spent 10 years a ski patrolman in Mammoth.....I danced around the smuggler's flame over the years....but never as close as you and your brother.....got lucky and never went too far down that road....anyway thanks for the stories and all the memories it brought back to me.....we grew up in a great era for adventure... Stay Salty....
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Bill,
Can't tell you how much I enjoyed your book. We definitely lived a parallel life, but I am about 5 years younger, so was a little behind you on the timeline. My Dad was a 27 year career US Marine officer. Enlisted in 1942 at 17 and finished up as Chief Warrant Office. He was a hard ass, but still really a good guy, and sounds like a cupcake compared to your father. I always said I did my 18 years in the corps early. He spent alot of time with me and my friends in an old camper in the mid 60's at San Onofre when it was still private...I think those times molded me for life more than any others.....then spent a lot of time on Maui in the late 60's surfing Breakwall and Shark Pit....but my favorite wave was always Windmills.....moved back in '72 and lived in Kihei when the only thing there was Suda's and Azeka's store with the post office inside. Built Ladyland Surfboards with Del Miller (old Harbor shaper) in Kihei those years...and surfed Pakakalo and Mudflats a lot...we probably paddled by each other more than once during those years....then moved back to the mainland and spent 10 years a ski patrolman in Mammoth.....I danced around the smuggler's flame over the years....but never as close as you and your brother.....got lucky and never went too far down that road....anyway thanks for the stories and all the memories it brought back to me.....we grew up in a great era for adventure... Stay Salty....
Thanks Glider. Probably surfed with quite a few guys on this forum. It's really wild and I think that's why the book is being so well received. And as PDX noted the Boy Maimed Sue effect was an experiment we all went through during that time. No ultimate complaints as understanding is achieved but there were sacrifices... as there always are.
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I'm starting to wonder when Oprah is going to call.
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I'm starting to wonder when Oprah is going to call.
Would she have called about Huck Finn? I might not be in her genre.
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So mad at myself. I have a few hours free tonight and was planning on going to bed early and reading....kindle is in my backpack at work.
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I like the Kindle app on my Samsung phone. I always have it handy. You only get one paragraph at a time, but it keeps me from reading ahead ::)
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I get what people say about holding a book and I know about the eye strain from a computer but the B&W Kindles (which are cheaper as well) push the lettering up to the top of the screen so the experience is very close to reading a printed book, but with the added benefit of great back lighting, adjustable font size and easy page turning.
I'm as hard headed about resistance to new high tech gadgets as anyone (still have a flip phone) but this Kindle ebook reader is really good. 3000 books in one tablet is just plain out of this world. Who needs all those books cluttering up the house?
Reading on a phone sounds wild. With the font size I need, that would be about two sentences per page. But if it makes it work, I'm thankful.
A top 100 reviewer for Amazon grabbed and used this quote and I like it that he did.
“Yank on the ejection handle when there’s no hope left. Fires them out of the jet like a rocket.”
“Oh. That sounds scary.”
“Well, it’s the only thing left to do if they want to live but, like I said, they need two thousand feet.”
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Here is what it looks like on my phone. The font (two sizes of font option) is about the same size as on a Kindle. Hope you don't mind me posting this paragraph? Didn't even think about it till I looked at it :-\
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I'm reading it on my computer from Kindle cloud or their Mac app. I have a 42 inch monitor and read it from my easy chair and so far that is OK. I do like reading from my Sony reader that uses e-ink, it is very soothing and involving.
I'm up to the Vietnam draft fears parts. Another blast from the past. When they had the lottery, my brother got in the high 340 and I got in the low 50. He laughed at me because he thought I was a shoo in to be drafted for Vietnam after college, so much for brotherly love, i think my family was even more ragged than Boyum.
I even went for the draft physical. The Cambodia crisis and Nixon's summary ending of the American participation meant I never got called up. Otherwise, I might be Canadian today, I just wasn't the cannon fodder military type.
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I'm reading it on my computer from Kindle cloud or their Mac app. I have a 42 inch monitor and read it from my easy chair and so far that is OK.
Now that's how you do it Cheat! From a 8' away in an easy chair ::) The whole family can read along with you.
I'm a little younger you advanced bracketer's, but I can remember my Grandma dragging me around to McGovern campaign luncheons. The funny thing was, Nixon used to play golf almost everyday on the golf course I lived on in San Clemente. My brother and I would grab our bags and run down the bank on to the course when Nixon rolled through. We new all the Secret Service guys, so Nixon would let us Tee Off with him and play out the hole. I never said anything about all the McGovern events I'd been to;)
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jfk used to sneak into the nyc building i grew up in. he had a long-running affair with a woman who was married to the us ambassador to cuba at the time. i think he appointed the guy so he'd know when to hit the wife.
i was 3 and 4 years old then so recall little but my father grumbling about the black cars out front, and that the elevator was locked down. he found out that it was jfk after the fact. had he known it was about jfk, he would have made a stink. he was not a fan of the kennedy's, to say the least.
doormen, mostly irish in those days, kept things tightly under wraps.
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Nixon and San Clemente, ha, brings back a cool memory.
Nixon had his summer white house on top of Cotton's Point, just north of upper Trestles back in the day, and we used to have to sneak into Trestles from the north, to go surfing because it was still off limits according to the military. The "jar heads" would steal your board when it would wash in after a wipe out, no leashes back then, and it would take months of red tape, and admitting guilt, to get your board back from them.
Anyway, we were walking back north from a morning sesh, which brought us by Nixon's pad, there was this long staircase that went from his back yard down to the beach below. I handed my board to my buddy and told him I was going up the stairs to look around the back yard, there was no gate at the bottom of the stairs, just a little shack off to the side, up at the top. I went running up the steps, got about half way, then this humorless looking guy, holding what looked like a small machine gun, stepped out of the shack, and just stood there looking down at me. I stopped, smiled, waved at him, then made a hasty retreat.
It wasn't soon after that (only coincidence), that Nixon, seeing what was going on between the surfers and the military over Trestles surf break, he opened it up for surfing, all the way down to lower Trestles and beyond.
To this day, I think he was the only president who did something directly for the surfer's benefit.
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These stories are great. Love it that Nixon, so often characterized as such a villain, was also an advocate for surfers. Who knew? Weasels, I've heard many Trestle's stories from that time period. Those Marines must have been so jealous of you guys surfing while they posted guard. The mini -war with surf rats. Probably a book all by itself.
We have all known about JFK's dalliances but I never knew the diabolical extent he went to satisfy his obsession. Very wild eastbound.
Talldude, That's a wild excerpt. It's revealing to see how some of the excerpts stand on their own as well as they do. That one you posted sure said a ton.
I used some of our letters (remember those?) in some sections to change up the storytelling mode. Did that work well for you guys?
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nice to see you having fun with the book, hm--hell of an accomplishment, can only have been a serious struggle to produce, at times--to be past the struggle, enjoying banter with your readers, has to be rewarding--i plan to read it while travelling next week.
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I've had different takes on the different halves of the book. One good family friend who has known my sister since running bulls with her in Pamplona, said that he was very interested up till when my father died and was irritated with my character after that period, for falling for my brother's schemes. i thought the two went together.
On the other hand some weren't so interested in early family history but the rest of the story was an adrenaline rush.
My only hope is that the ending provides some understanding and forgiveness because that is the only hope someone has of moving on with a healthy life.
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I thought the letters worked great. Definitely part of the story especially the way you included them. I know the first one I saw I thought how cool that was you still had them. Definitely part of the story.
I've had different takes on the different halves of the book. One good family friend who has known my sister since running bulls with her in Pamplona, said that he was very interested up till when my father died and was irritated with my character after that period, for falling for my brother's schemes. i thought the two went together.
On the other hand some weren't so interested in early family history but the rest of the story was an adrenaline rush.
My only hope is that the ending provides some understanding and forgiveness because that is the only hope someone has of moving on with a healthy life.
Well.......you were also 366 at that point if I remember correct so you were.....without a care so to say.
The two "halves"? They do go together for certain, without a doubt. Without them there wouldn't have been as much understanding and forgiveness.........nor "tying it all together"......without one there wouldn't have been the other......
Oh yeah, you were a Buffalo for a couple years. Not sure why, especially since you had already been to Aspen but that caught me off guard. Not sure if it was because you were in school or if it was where you went to school but still off guard a little tho I am also too young to have worried about the draft.
Weasel, I had seen San Clemente and you together before, always wondered if you had Nixon stories.
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I need to go back and read it again, now that it's out.
I saw it as 3 stories, early/family, surf/adventure years and then the Maui days/serenity. When they make the film ;), they will only do the middle, but the bookends really set that all up well and I really love the end section myself.
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I need to go back and read it again, now that it's out.
I saw it as 3 stories, early/family, surf/adventure years and then the Maui days/serenity. When they make the film ;), they will only do the middle, but the bookends really set that all up well and I really love the end section myself.
I'm glad you felt that way. The end is always important to me in any story. How you wrap it up so the reader walks away feeling life has an equilibrium in the world after all the ups and downs.
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Head,
Your avatar / zone profile photo says it all. Maybe because we zoners know how much fun you are having now, that your last written chapter wasn't the last chapter we know? No one really understands Moby Dick anyway. I think I'll only understand my dad to the extent I understand myself.
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HM, I told my dad about your book, and I wanted him to read it, but I was worried that if he didn't like/understand it, I would be pissed. Well, I should not have worried, he loves it! He can't put it down, and loves the kindle.
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HM, I told my dad about your book, and I wanted him to read it, but I was worried that if he didn't like/understand it, I would be pissed. Well, I should not have worried, he loves it! He can't put it down, and loves the kindle.
Did you get him a Kindle? So stoked he's into it. I'll check in with him on FB.
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Life is about the contrasts. Can you experience joy without knowing sadness?
I wouldn't trade my childhood for yours but adventures in life are like the color red. Think how bland the world would be without red. I envy all the red in your life. It occurred to me the other day, how awesome it must be to have a life worth writing about and that others would be interested in reading.
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Life is about the contrasts. Can you experience joy without knowing sadness?
I wouldn't trade my childhood for yours but adventures in life are like the color red. Think how bland the world would be without red. I envy all the red in your life. It occurred to me the other day, how awesome it must be to have a life worth writing about and that others would be interested in reading.
Interesting idea, though certainly during the process there were times when I would have traded with anyone.
Not in the book but referenced to another scene from the book. We had moved from Coronado to Alexandria,Virginia (the first time) and I had run away from home. Three days into my flight these guys saw me with my mouth wrapped around a water facet at the A&P sucking water like I had just crossed the Sahara.
They asked me if I needed a ride home. I said no. They examined me and asked if I even had a home. They wore biker boots and leather jackets. Greasers. I tried to act tough, "Of course I have a home, why you bugging me." They backed off.
The sun was going down and as I drifted along the road, they drove alongside of me, slowed and the driver said, "Get in kid. We'll give you a ride." "Go f##k yourself. I'm not getting in a car with a bunch of Chukes. (greaser guys from Chula Vista) You got a knife, I know it." "Chukes? Knife? You got us wrong kid." I stared at them blankly and snapped out of my runaway-no-food delirium, realizing our family had crossed the country and weren't in California anymore. Still I wasn't getting into a car with strangers until a cute girl stuck her head out of the car and told me, "We're going down to GW parkway to listen to Greg and Jeff play their guitars. They have a band. Come on. It'll be fun." So I did and it was until someone else bugged me. I got into a fight and grabbed by the cops who turned me over to my parents. My Dad didn't give me a warm homecoming.
So in those days I felt like one of those steel balls in the Pachinko (a Japanese style pinball) machine my Dad brought back from Japan, bouncing around through various labyrinths of nail studs, never quite falling into the bucket that resulted in a payload... of even more steel balls. It was my Dad's toy but I used to play with that thing endlessly when he was away at work. It frustrated me to no end. I finally broke the glass cover to his treasured Pachinko machine and dropped balls directly into the buckets to my hearts content... until he came home and I hit the road again. My brother had struggles as well but if he hadn't taken me under his wing I would have been plowed under by now.
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I finished the book and yeah, Headmount, it was wrenching. I don’t want to generate spoilers but things got harsh there, it was sad. I am sure there are also lots of untold stories, too, but usually autobiographical material is vetted to avoid liability and to not damage or libel the living.
The loose arc of similarity at being Navy brats took me down memory lane which I haven’t done in long time. I was largely alienated from my family for the usual reasons and my choice was to doggedly pursue my education. I thought that someday I would be able to buy records and go to movies without worrying about the price. Strange, I still worry about the price, I guess it didn’t work.
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I finished the book this weekend. I came up in the south about 5 years after. I don't know how I'd have made out given your situation. Seems like it worked out well. I'd have loved being able to experience Hawaii and Indo back then. Great story and great job opening up about some very personal experiences. Thanks for sharing.
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An amazing read, thank you so much for sharing it with us. I read it over the course of 2 days and could barely put it down.
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An amazing read, thank you so much for sharing it with us. I read it over the course of 2 days and could barely put it down.
Thanks so much for the feedback. Barely could put it down sounds as good as gets to me. There's only one sin in writing and that is when the reader loses interest.
This is a new cover design for the print (dead tree) version. One reviewer on Amazon wrote, "Don't let the serene picture on the cover fool you because this will blow you away." From this I knew I needed something else to add to the cover. This change has elicited great responses so far. What do you (anyone) think?
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Like
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Wow, that's perfect. LIKE.
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LIKE! Dead tree readers are eager to learn of its availability!! 8)
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I like it. Just while things seem calm down here, the gods are up above plotting their next joke or diabolical plot twist--fitting for your story.
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Yep, Wow, like, and pretty fitting. Kind of changes that serene setting to be sure.
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************** deleting - off topic **************
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For some reason I'm picturing something more like this....
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For some reason I'm picturing something more like this....
That's wild and might work well. Covers are difficult but so important. What makes the eye focus on a particular cover? Color, font, image? I thought writing a book was a challenge but the stuff afterwards is just as complex.
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Sort of Hippie Indo Aspen ish chick from Bananastan
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Very cool!
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headmount: was holding out for a hardcopy but decided to download....its on my kindle and I very much look forward to the read!!!!!
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headmount: was holding out for a hardcopy but decided to download....its on my kindle and I very much look forward to the read!!!!!
I'll post a separate thread when I print and send some signed copies out. Thanks for the read. I personally love my Kindle. I the midst of moving and have tons of books that I've saved and never look at. It's crazy how they are just so bulky. Not a new gadget guy but Kindles I love.
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I just finished reading Boyum's book again. It's a lot more powerful than when I read the early versions. Very well done and wow, what a challenging set of adventures and mishaps.
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I like both covers but yeah the new idea adds some "edge"
And I will be in for a hard copy as soon as you get some done, I have recommend your book to several non surfing friends and they loved it.
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I def want a signed hardcopy.
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Hey, hey, hey, no butting in line, I'm going for two signed copies. ;)
One for me, and one for a buddy that I grew up with that knew HM back in the day '69-'71, but is not part of this little society, even though he should be, he lives on the big island.
I'll PM you HM when your hard copy is ready.
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Hey, hey, hey, no butting in line, I'm going for two signed copies. ;)
One for me, and one for a buddy that I grew up with that knew HM back in the day '69-'71, but is not part of this little society, even though he should be, he lives on the big island.
I'll PM you HM when your hard copy is ready.
Rory?
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I think if this book takes off like it should, that Mr. Headmount would have no problem writing a few more that fill in all the gaps. The shell-shock story is fine for this book, but my god, the whole founding of the surf camps in Indonesia and all the stuff that went on there is just a few pages. There are one or two books there. And then all the stuff that went on in those smuggling trips, and the time in Bali, and then the years in Maui, and all the folks that make up the fabric of surfing in the 60 to the nineties--all those guys know Bill and he knows them. Surfed with them, lived with them, got fucked up with them. I'm thinking there's five to ten books there--before you start writing novels.
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Hey, hey, hey, no butting in line, I'm going for two signed copies. ;)
One for me, and one for a buddy that I grew up with that knew HM back in the day '69-'71, but is not part of this little society, even though he should be, he lives on the big island.
I'll PM you HM when your hard copy is ready.
Rory?
Heh, no it's a Bill, another Bill, another Navy brat (in a good way, a bro), his dad was in the silent service. We grew up together in San Diego, he moved over to Maui after graduating from high school in the summer of '68, with a couple of his buddies from the same school, I think they were Tim McCoy and Mike Burns, that's testing my memory though, I was in a different high school. They all enrolled into Maui Community College, a fine institution of higher learning, all they wanted to do was surf, I couldn't blame them, but I stayed In SD. He is Bill Leisk (Hawi, Big Is.), very blond hair, a total waterman/builder in all respects.
He says that he remembers you from the water/beach/around but isn't sure if you remembers him, but he is very interested in your book, so I'm going to make sure he gets a copy. He was in Maui for a number of years after MCC, met his wife there, then moved to Boston where she was from. What is it with the Boston area / Maui connection, I don't get it? Anyway that's frozen water under the bridge and he's back on the big island now, has been for awhile, couldn't handle the frozen water, besides he was born in Hawaii originally, it never left his blood.
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Headmount: I just wanted to drop a note to express my sincere thanks and appreciation in having finished your book.
I honestly have never been so moved...several times to tears. I started the read this past on Sunday and finished last night....two days, which is defintely the quickest I've ever read any book. Your story has resonated deeply....
I'd be honored to have a signed copy of your book in my collection. Please let me know if/when a hardcopy will be available for purchase.
Warm Regards,
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Headmount: I just wanted to drop a note to express my sincere thanks and appreciation in having finished your book.
I honestly have never been so moved...several times to tears. I started the read this past on Sunday and finished last night....two days, which is defintely the quickest I've ever read any book. Your story has resonated deeply....
I'd be honored to have a signed copy of your book in my collection. Please let me know if/when a hardcopy will be available for purchase.
Warm Regards,
Absolutely. I'll begin another thread titled Hardcopy. Formatting is almost complete. Thanks for the read and great review. If I have created any understanding then I'm stoked. PTSD is a real issue.
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Headcount,
Just finished your book. Enjoyed it.
Many aspects of the story resonated and caused me to reflect on my childhood and the impact my military career has had on my family.
Congrats on a fine effort.
Paul
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Headcount,
Just finished your book. Enjoyed it.
Many aspects of the story resonated and caused me to reflect on my childhood and the impact my military career has had on my family.
Congrats on a fine effort.
Paul
That is maybe the most impactful thing I've read about my book. Thanks.
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Bill: My wife just finished your book as well. Like me, in two days. She couldn't put it down! She too plans on submitting a review on Amazon.
Your story has been the topic of of several of our conversations. We both agreed that if there was ever a book made for movie this was it.....incredible scenary, adventure, danger, drama, love, anger, travel, etc... My wife stated that if this ever becomes a reality (a movie) "we'd have to try to get tickets to the premier". I've never heard to make such a comment and she reads A LOT!!!!
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Ol' slow-poke here, just strolled across the finish line last night. It was a great way to finish the weekend.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Bill.
RC
ps -- I kinda like the original cover shot.
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We shuttled back to the top after a southside downwind run the other day when Jimmy Lewis was getting ready to launch with a bunch of people. While Bill and I were putting my board back on my car Jimmy came over and buttonholed Bill, going on and on about how much he loved the book. Jimmy said he was around the same people then, and was aware of some of the stuff, but that he was just fascinated with the inside perspective on the surf camps, the drugs, the craziness.
Fun to see Jimmy so stoked about Bill's book. I haven't met anyone yet that didn't love the thing.
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I just got the paperback. Sue has it right now. She's heard me praising it so much and she experienced some of the PTSD issues with her Dad.
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Bill, I will have to download this book myself. Your brother was a legend mate, he discovered Grajagan and Cloud 9 and i'm sure many others.
I just recently finished Bali - Heaven and Hell and Phil Jarratt mentions Mike in it. They were the days man.
Well done on the book.
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http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SAEQZ7U
Some of you have expressed interest so here it is. The process was slow as molasses for me but finally on the table.
Bill,
Just finished your book; nice story with many cool adventures.
We have traveled a similar life path.
Moved to Coronado about the time you left; left for many years, then moved back here for good 5 years ago...
I had many of the same highs and lows as you.
Bravo on telling your story!!!
Bob
Keep the faith!!
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WOW!!!!
Just finished it, what an incredible journey, and the journey never ends, scenes change, characters come and go, but the journey is the unknown destination.
So many parallels, too many to list, but generally life is even better when you have something else to reference it to. You can become an expert at appreciation because of it.
If I may, a passage from your book, from back just before half way, that sums up the whole thing for me, on many levels, including the "ahem" inspiration.
[ The warm Pacific embraces us while we wait for the sets and soak in the sensation of colors. I scoop up two hands full of amoeba soup and pour it over my face.
"Life."
Mike reaches over and grabs some of the droplets that drip from my chin.
"Rivers of life."
He opens his hand and we see that it is empty. He's grinning.
"Water, time. No possessions. They just flow." ]
Thanks for writing that book, it served me, it will be read more than once.
I'm glad I waited for the print version.
Can't wait until my one and only brother reads it, but he has to promise to give it back, a risk I'm willing to take.
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WOW!!!!
Just finished it, what an incredible journey, and the journey never ends, scenes change, characters come and go, but the journey is the unknown destination.
So many parallels, too many to list, but generally life is even better when you have something else to reference it to. You can become an expert at appreciation because of it.
If I may, a passage from your book, from back just before half way, that sums up the whole thing for me, on many levels, including the "ahem" inspiration.
[ The warm Pacific embraces us while we wait for the sets and soak in the sensation of colors. I scoop up two hands full of amoeba soup and pour it over my face.
"Life."
Mike reaches over and grabs some of the droplets that drip from my chin.
"Rivers of life."
He opens his hand and we see that it is empty. He's grinning.
"Water, time. No possessions. They just flow." ]
Thanks for writing that book, it served me, it will be read more than once.
I'm glad I waited for the print version.
Can't wait until my one and only brother reads it, but he has to promise to give it back, a risk I'm willing to take.
So stoked you dug the read. Some might see that passage you picked and see the dialogue as babble, trying to describe the indescribable. But that was the time and the altered state so it was enjoyable to see that you 'got' it. From your posts it definitely seems that our path as well as many others have had many parallels.
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HM. Your book is an awesome read, and well well written. So descriptive, not only of your surroundings but of your feelings, through all sorts of emotions both good and bad, and "enhanced" too. I've not read something this good in a long long while. It's an incredible story and a must read. Apart from the US mainland, I've been to most of the places in the book, when I spent 15 months on the road in the late 80s with a backpack and met and travelled with some characters along the way. It brought back memories both good and bad of those times in crazy places with little money, no place to stay and a lot of hope.
Any father should read this. As a father of 3 of young kids, your book made me realise I can be better. Thank you for that that, and for a taking the time to share your life story with us all. Respect.
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Great book, read it in 3-4 sessions back when you released it. Much of it resonated with me, how having an older brother is a blessing and introduces you to things good and bad. a blessing and curse at the same time.
Be good if some younger people read it too. Lots of lessons in there.
Amazing we made it through 60s & 70s alive.
Thanks for writing it.
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Has anyone read "Welcome to Paradise, Now go to Hell"? It is a very entertaining book, based on "true stories". Some of the facts seem a little iffy, but entertaining none the less. I hope Bill Boyum doesn't feel like this is hijacking his thread. The book mentions his brother a couple of times, and this thread needs to get bumped to the top every once in a while so newcomers to the forum might discover Journals from the Edge.
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No hard copy yet but that will be next step. And thanks for the response.
My Dad is a pivotal character in the book and to really get a little better understanding about who he was, check out this video of life on a carrier during combat ops in the Pacific.
In another twenty years WWII will have the same distance from the present as the Civil War was when I grew up. That blows my mind because kids my age (and many on this forum) grew up with WWII history all around us. Many of our fathers were vets in that war, Korea or both.
Landing on a deck of a carrier has about as much chance of completion as a drop on a critical wave. And my Dad did it at night. You'll see some pretty wild landings where the pilot still ended up walking away. But mostly you'll see our fathers. Real footage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEDDRLeSKF0
That film was amazing. Thank you for sharing it. My father was a Marine in WWII----he was at Guadalcanal, and he never talked about it.
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WOW!!!!
Just finished it, what an incredible journey, and the journey never ends, scenes change, characters come and go, but the journey is the unknown destination.
So many parallels, too many to list, but generally life is even better when you have something else to reference it to. You can become an expert at appreciation because of it."
Bump for "Journals from the Edge." Great read, I couldn't put it down. Thanks to Bill for sharing his life adventure with us Zoners and fellow Military Brats...with a Father who was a combat-tested Naval Aviator during the Vietnam War, I also found many parallels in my childhood and early adult life, but they were nowhere near as extreme or adventurous.
MAX
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Indo, I wanna point out that Grajagan was discovered by headmount himself, not his brother. Credit where credit is due. Mini bikes and Jungle hikes made for new waves back then.
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Started a reread of this truly amazing book last night.....I'm bracing for another ride on the emotional roller coaster that hit me like a tons of bricks the first time I read it. I've got a VERY early release of Bill's book that he signed with a nice note that is, and will always be, a prized possession of mine.
Probably very few here who have not yet read this book....do yourself a favor and give it a go - you won't be disappointed.
Edge City here we go again.
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Synchronicity Whatsup.......I went into the cabinet where I had the book last night and when I saw it decided to re-read it. So good....
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Good timing Stoney! 8)
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Working on a screenplay now
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Working on a screenplay now
For your book? I think everyone who reads it wishes there'd be a movie, with all the great settings. Can we start recommending actors?
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PDX How about telling me if you think this is a good start... My brother has just returned home from his first year of college and when threatened pushes back for the first time. For visual scenes I think this is where they start.
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I really don't know. There are so many ways you could go. I do remember how chronologically, the scenes get increasingly visually dramatic--going from pretty conventional (domestic, schools, military bases) to dramatic (watching a war break out from a hotel bar, jungles, the South Pacific at night...).
If you want a completely fresh idea of a "documentary", watch Miles Ahead about Miles Davis, and read what Don Cheadle wrote about it. ( I got the dvd and it has a lot of interviews with him and the family, and their approach to writing it, and how it got funded and produced.) He intentionally didn't do a chronological recounting of Miles Davis' life, because he and the family thought that would have bored Miles to death. Also, the chronology, including the music, jumps all over the place, because they wanted it to.
The crazy thing is that they had to invent a lot of the drama for a movie about someone whose life was already dramatic. Yours already is so wild, it sounds fictional to begin with. On the other hand, he was probably a better musician, unless you're holding out on us.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssfTNCTVT5U
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open it with crocodiles?
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Keanu Reeves plays you..... ;)
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PDX, what you described is very much like the popular show in TV called "This is Us". It took me awhile to catch on to what they were doing, I missed the first episode, but once I caught on, I really like the format.
Casey Affleck could play Mike Boyum, kinda looks like him.
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Speaking of Keanu Reeves...this is not a skill I expected him to have....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u0auA-NWZo
Sorry for the thread hijack Bill but kind of cool you'll have a badass playing you....though I don't remember any gun battles in the book...but the studios will probably add one for dramatic effect in the movie... :)
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Mike should be played by James Franco. Your dad should be played by Harrison Ford. And you ........ maybe.... Mark Wahlbergh......Wait........ Zack Efron ;D You got to be the heart throb.
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Mike should be played by James Franco. Your dad should be played by Harrison Ford. And you ........ maybe.... Mark Wahlbergh......Wait........ Zack Efron ;D You got to be the heart throb.
That's getting way ahead of the game at this point ... but as for the young actors, I really like Lucas Black. He was in Friday Night Lights and currently on NCIS New Orleans. I disagree about Harrison Ford. Robert Duval was already the Great Santini so he's out. Will have to think about that but it's all far away and won't be my pick anyway.
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Mike should be played by James Franco. Your dad should be played by Harrison Ford. And you ........ maybe.... Mark Wahlbergh......Wait........ Zack Efron ;D You got to be the heart throb.
That's getting way ahead of the game at this point ... but as for the young actors, I really like Lucas Black. He was in Friday Night Lights and currently on NCIS New Orleans. I disagree about Harrison Ford. Robert Duval was already the Great Santini so he's out. Will have to think about that but it's all far away and won't be my pick anyway.
I vacillated on the Harrison Ford pick. I think it was that he can play a stern person and that he's a pilot. That's it. I pictured your dad as this mean guy in a flight jacket, with eye's that had that look of "you just wait, your going to get it later". I've seen that look in my friend's dad. And he would get it later. It's interesting the image your mind conjures of a character in a book. The more you read about that character, the clearer the image becomes. Sometimes it's liken to a person in your own life who has similar attributes. Your brother was bits and pieces of people I knew or know. Even though you have at least one picture of Mike in the book (it's been a while since I read it), I still picture him differently. I pictured you as a close friend of mine who watched go through drug and mental issues because of a childhood of physical abuse from his alcoholic father.
Now I picture you downwinding, all the time....
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I remember thinking to myself how great a movie this would make....I think I even day dreamed as to how it would open:
Scene opens with Mikey alone on the beautiful island deep in the throws of his final fast doing the best he can to make his last written entries. All the while he's slipping back and forth into hallucination of audience grabbing events over his life (half a dozen different minny snippits)...the stage is set. After a few minutes the movie flashes its second start....you, Mikey, Mini all youngsters along with your family in either Pax River or Coronado and goes from there.
Too predictable?
I think your story has the making of a long (2.5-3 hour) movie but I believe the story is captivating and the possibilities of imagery, story turns, etc., would be sit edge sitting throughout!
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I vacillated on the Harrison Ford pick. I think it was that he can play a stern person and that he's a pilot.
Slight hijack here~
Harrison Ford was a pilot, at least that's what I think is going to happen. My dad was a private pilot, used to fly with him for years as his unlicensed co-pilot, I got to know all the ins and outs of what it took to get and retain a pilot's license, as well as learning how to fly. If his license doesn't get outright jerked, he will at least have to take a physical on his mind and body, and if he passes, then he will still have to spend some time in the air with an instructor. I read that he even told the tower that he was flying his helicopter before asking why an air liner was below him, two huge red flags. Hopefully the FAA won't give him the celebrity leniency treatment.
I think Calista would rather him take up SUP'ing anyway.
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I vacillated on the Harrison Ford pick. I think it was that he can play a stern person and that he's a pilot.
Slight hijack here~
Harrison Ford was a pilot, at least that's what I think is going to happen. My dad was a private pilot, used to fly with him for years as his unlicensed co-pilot, I got to know all the ins and outs of what it took to get and retain a pilot's license, as well as learning how to fly. If his license doesn't get outright jerked, he will at least have to take a physical on his mind and body, and if he passes, then he will still have to spend some time in the air with an instructor. I read that he even told the tower that he was flying his helicopter before asking why an air liner was below him, two huge red flags. Hopefully the FAA won't give him the celebrity leniency treatment.
I think Calista would rather him take up SUP'ing anyway.
I read about that. It's one those "got to take the keys away from dad" moments. I have flown in lots of private planes with friends that are pilots when I live in the mountains. My old ski school director /boss flew for the mail service on and off the hill. He'd ask if any of us wanted to fly to Vegas or Palm Springs almost weekly. He had a tail dragger / high wing Helio Courier. That thing was a gut buster. After a lifetime of flying and in his later 60's he finally nosed plane on a landing into Santa Monica airport. Upon landing, he bounced in hard and must have bumped his brakes. Slammed the nose into the runway, and busted the prop off. He walked away and they suspended his license during the investigation. He eventually did get his license back, but he didn't fly much after that. It was probably the beginning some age related neurological issues he was starting to have.
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Bill's book reminds me of the great Santini, and the movie is probably much more famous than the book.
The Great Santini opens with the going away party for "Santini" where the jarheads are out of control, drunk and rowdy. When the squids complain, Santini hides a can of soup in his shirt and pretends to puke. The other jarheads produce spoons and start eating it.
Bill's book is more focused on his brother. I think Mike's rebellion against his father is the initiating action and his action at the airshow, where he transitions from brother wanting to scrape of his pain-in-the-ass little brother to substitute father figure happens. I think those elements need to be present and shown very early in the beginning of any screen treatment.
And of course the treatment needs to include surfing very early--it's the uniting element, the shared interest between brothers, and the vehicle for escape from a repressive family life.
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With luck, this will be headmount some day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hApP4_2wtiU
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Bill, I just finished your book in three sittings, which if you knew how slow I read, is pretty unusual. Thanks for sharing your story wth us.
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