#87 - Hold Strong with Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz, and Chris Crabtree
Jan 28, 2025
The authors of Hold Strong, Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langolz, and Chris Crabtree are here to talk about their new novel based on a true and never-before-told World War II story, out today!
Hold Strong: The Untold WWII Story That Will Change How You See Survival and Hope
An interview with authors Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz, and Chris Crabtree about their groundbreaking new novel
Some stories are so powerful they refuse to stay buried. For over 80 years, one of World War II's most harrowing and inspiring tales remained largely untold – until now. "Hold Strong," the new novel from Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz, and Chris Crabtree, brings to light the incredible true story of Japanese "hell ships" and the men who survived them against impossible odds.
This isn't just another war story. It's a testament to the unbreakable human spirit, the power of hope in darkness, and why some stories choose their storytellers rather than the other way around.
The Story Behind the Story: 10 Years in the Making
A Discovery in a Costa Rican Bar
The journey to "Hold Strong" began in an unlikely place – a bar in Costa Rica where Chris Crabtree, an English teacher who grew up knowing the name Father Thomas Zacina, shared an incredible discovery with his friend Jeff Langholz.
"I was trying to put together another manuscript that had a Catholic priest as a character," Crabtree explains. "But what I found out is that the story I was writing wasn't nearly as compelling as the story of this incredible Catholic priest who found himself at the center of pretty much every major event of the Pacific Theater."
When Crabtree told Langholz what he'd uncovered, the reaction was immediate: "My jaw was in my lap. So was my beer. I practically spit out my beer. I'm like, what? Tell me more about this story. And why didn't I know about this?"
The Research That Nearly Broke Them
What followed was a decade of painstaking research that took the authors to dark places – literally and figuratively. Langholz spent countless hours in the National Archives, sifting through thousands of declassified military documents, including three-by-five index cards filled out by codebreakers who intercepted Japanese military messages.
"The darkness swallowed us," Langholz recalls. "I lost myself there for a while during the process. I started drinking whiskey in the middle of the night working on this. I cut off contact with friends and family."
The emotional toll was so severe that Langholz developed a tumor the size of a softball in his chest – a physical manifestation of the psychological weight he was carrying. "The darkness was inside me," he says.
What Makes This Story Different
The Hell Ships: History's Forgotten Horror
"Hold Strong" centers on the Japanese "hell ships" – prisoner transport vessels that carried Allied POWs in conditions so horrific they defy imagination. These weren't military targets; they were cargo ships stuffed with human beings in conditions that would challenge every notion of survival.
The story follows Sam Carlson, a projectionist at the Paradise Theater in Eagle Grove, Minnesota, who joins the National Guard and finds himself caught in the machinery of war. Along with 1,800 other men, he's crammed into the hold of the Arasan Maru – a journey that becomes the ultimate test of human endurance.
Characters That Embody Hope
Sam and Sarah: The heart of the story is a love story between Sam and his girlfriend Sarah, whose bond proves stronger than anything war can throw at them. As Dugoni explains, "That bond is stronger than the worst that war had to offer, both for Sarah and for Sam. It survived the worst that the world could throw at them."
Father Tom: Based on the real Father Thomas Zacina, this character chose to stay with the prisoners when he could have opted out. "He could have said, 'I'm good. I'm not going to the prisoner of war camps. I'm not going on the hell ships,'" Dugoni notes. "The fact that he went is incredibly inspirational."
Pete Chavez: The humor-bringer who finds light in the darkest moments. "His goal is to keep the men's spirits up, keep them alive, keep them going," says Dugoni.
Why This Story Matters Now
Universal Themes for Modern Struggles
While "Hold Strong" is set during WWII, its themes resonate powerfully with contemporary challenges. The authors incorporated time perspective therapy principles – the idea that how we move between past, present, and future affects our mental health and resilience.
"Whatever challenges you face in your life, you too can hold strong," Langholz emphasizes. "You could be inspired by these folks in the story to persevere, put one foot in front of the other and keep going."
Finding Light in Darkness
Despite the horrific circumstances, "Hold Strong" is ultimately about hope. "In the darkest of dark moments, there's always light," Dugoni explains. "These men did not lose their faith, they did not lose their hope, they did not lose their sense of humor."
For readers struggling with their own challenges, the message is clear: if these men could find hope in literal hell, we can find it in our daily struggles.
The Writing Process: Three Authors, One Vision
Why Three Writers?
It's rare to see three authors' names on a novel, but "Hold Strong" demanded this collaborative approach. Crabtree and Langholz brought a decade of research and deep emotional investment. Dugoni, a bestselling novelist, brought the craft to elevate their material.
"It's not hard to write a novel. It's not that hard to write a really good novel. But that extra bit that goes from good to great, that part is difficult," Langholz explains. "Bob is a master of that."
The Challenge of Telling Horror Without Exploiting It
One of the biggest challenges was depicting the true horror of the hell ships without overwhelming readers or sensationalizing the suffering. Early drafts included even more graphic details – including cannibalism and vampirism – that were ultimately scaled back.
"Sometimes you leave things to the reader's imagination because readers can imagine things far better than any of us could ever write," Dugoni explains. "Allowing readers to use their imaginations to see and smell and hear the things that were going on inside that ship – they know."
Real People, Real Impact
Connecting with History
The authors' research connected them with families still seeking answers about loved ones lost in the war. In a remarkable coincidence, Dugoni discovered that a close friend's mother had lost her father on one of these ships – and the research helped provide closure about his fate.
"It makes you realize that there are still people out there that this story is very important to," Dugoni reflects. "It transcends World War II... this is a book that can offer a lot of hope and repair to people that are still dealing with pain that comes from war."
Lessons for Guys in Their 20s
The Hero's Journey Applies to Everyone
The story follows classic hero's journey patterns – ordinary people called to do extraordinary things. "Sam is just kind of an everyman, just like Sarah's an everywoman," Langholz notes. "Ordinary people called upon to do extraordinary things. And that just reminds me that we are all that person."
Action Conquers Fear
Throughout the interview, the theme of taking action despite fear emerges repeatedly. As Dugoni shares from another podcast he follows: "Action conquers fear." Whether it's writing a book, facing a challenge, or making a difficult decision, the antidote to anxiety is often simply taking the next step.
Finding Your Own Hell Ships
While most of us will never face anything approaching the horrors these men endured, we all have our own "hell ships" – periods of darkness, challenge, or uncertainty. The story offers a framework for survival:
Hold onto hope even when circumstances seem impossible
Find humor and humanity in dark moments
Support others who are struggling alongside you
Remember that suffering is temporary but character is permanent
Why You Should Read This Book
It's More Than a War Story
"Hold Strong" works on multiple levels. It's a war story, yes, but it's also a love story, a survival tale, and a meditation on faith, hope, and human resilience. Readers have compared it to "Unbroken" meets "The Imitation Game" with elements of "It's a Wonderful Life."
It Will Change Your Perspective
Reading about men who maintained hope while crammed into a ship's hold with 1,800 others puts modern problems in perspective. It's impossible to finish this book without a renewed appreciation for daily freedoms and a different understanding of what constitutes a "bad day."
It's Expertly Crafted
With Dugoni's storytelling expertise combined with Crabtree and Langholz's exhaustive research, "Hold Strong" delivers both historical accuracy and emotional impact. The book reads cinematically – you can see the scenes unfolding like a movie.
The Broader Message
For Anyone Facing Challenges
The authors hope readers will take away a simple but profound message: if these men could survive the hell ships and maintain their humanity, you can survive whatever you're facing.
"We want them to realize that whatever challenges you face in your life, you too can hold strong," Langholz says. "You could be inspired by these folks in the story to persevere, put one foot in front of the other and keep going."
About the Human Spirit
"The human spirit is incredibly resilient," Dugoni reflects. "Throughout the course of history has shown itself to be incredibly resilient. There's always that humanity that some people never lose."
Where to Find More
Read the book: "Hold Strong" is available wherever books are sold
Learn more: Visit jeflangholz.com for additional research and historical documentation about the hell ships
Connect with the authors: Follow their work for future projects that bring forgotten stories to light
The Bottom Line
"Hold Strong" isn't just a book – it's a reminder of what humans can endure and overcome. In an age of anxiety and uncertainty, it offers something precious: proof that hope can survive anything, that love can transcend any distance, and that ordinary people can do extraordinary things when circumstances demand it.
Whether you're a history buff, someone facing personal challenges, or simply looking for a story that will restore your faith in humanity, "Hold Strong" delivers. Fair warning: keep tissues handy. This isn't just a story you read – it's one that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
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Have a book recommendation or want to hear from a specific author? Send your suggestions – great stories deserve to be shared.
There are some incredible conversations in this episode on how they uncovered this story and how writing this book has deeply impacted each of their lives.
The episode is spoiler-free so you can still listen if you haven’t read the book yet, and I think you’ll want to read it after listening. If you haven’t picked up a book in a minute, you won’t regret reading this one.
Buy Hold Strong here!
Jeff Langholz's website mentioned here
Listen to the first episode with Robert Dugoni mentioned here
Hold Strong Description:
From Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz, and Chris Crabtree comes an epic and inspiring novel―based on true events―about love, heroism, and resilience during the darkest chapters of World War II.
Sam Carlson is a projectionist in small-town Minnesota, where fantasies unspool in glorious black and white―for him and for his sweetheart, college-bound math whiz Sarah Haber. When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, Sam is sent to the Philippines and captured as a POW. Brutalized but unbroken by the Bataan Death March and POW camps, Sam is one of eighteen hundred starved and weakened prisoners herded into the cargo hold of a barbaric hell ship called the Arisan Maru, his survival doubtful.
Determined to use her math skills on the home front, Sarah is recruited to Washington, DC, into the covert field of code breaking. When Sarah intercepts a message about a Japanese convoy, the US Navy’s mission is clear: sink the Arisan Maru and send it to the bottom of the South China Sea. Now, the lives of the two young lovers are about to inadvertently collide in one of the most shocking acts of World War II.
Anchored in an extraordinary true story and breathlessly re-created, Hold Strong is a one-of-a-kind novel that explores faith, courage, survival, and coming home against insurmountable odds.
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