This classic work by one of the great yarn-spinners of all time includes some wonderful descriptive information about California places and people in the early 1860s and some gripping, heartstopping tales about King's own mountaineering exploits. Even in his early 20s, Clarence King was recognized for leaderhip and intellectual ability. He served with the Army Topographic Engineers on the survey of the Western United States along the 40th parallel and was an intimate of Henry Adams and his wife in their small social/intellectual circle in Washington D.C. (See Patricia O'Toole's "The Five of Hearts"). He established his national reputation for being a shrewd, practical man of science when he discovered and exposed a stock swindle based on salted ore and fraudulent assay samples when asked to evaluate a mining promotion in Colorado. "Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada" is a non-chronological, semi-autobiographical reconstruction of some of King's time (circa 1862-63) with Josiah Whitney's Survey, commissioned by the State legislature to catalogue and evaluate California geologic and mineral resources. It is an entertaining and engrossing narration of one foolhardy, death-defying exploit after another. Like those of John Muir (another classic, albeit overrated talesman of the Range of Light), Clarence King's numerous renditions of his own hairsbreadth escapes from impossibly precarious positions by the power of luck, pluck and sheer physical prowess, while entertaining and enthralling, were made possible only by his own chronic rash foolhardiness, if not by tremendous powers of exaggeration. A better man was his fellow draft-dodger (the Civil War was going on back East all the while they were dancing around in the mountains of California, after all), William Brewer. Brewer served longer, harder and more responsibly than King in the Whitney Survey. Brewer also wrote a factually more thorough and reliable description of conditions in the young state of California in a series of letters home to his family in New England (collected as "Up and Down California"), with none of King's histrionics but just as entertaining in its own way. King's book does include some unique insights. One is his near-comic description of the "Piker" rubes (from Pike County, Missouri), rural folk residing in the foothills of the Southern San Joaquin Valley, which can be read as a precourser of all hilarious mountain folk descriptions, from Li'l Abner through the Beverley Hillbillies to Deliverance. But truth be told (rarely enough, one suspects), this book is mostly about the indefatigable King and his own personal exploits in the Southern Sierra. While King's literary talent was substantial, his writing (and indeed his entire public life and historic reputation) were seemingly unilluminated in any way by his own domestic arrangements. These included a life-long love relationship and common law marriage to a black woman, Ada, with whom he maintained a household including their several children. Not only did he keep the marriage secret from all of his prominent social contacts, but he kept his own notorious identity and true name a secret from his wife and children until just before he died. Still, under the constant strain of maintaining a double identity, he continued to support his family and maintained an exhausting schedule of international travel, geological consulting and writing until he died prematurely from consumption at the age of 59. (See Thurman Wilkins' "Clarence King"). You won't find any mention of King's real family anything King wrote for public consumption, or even for the consumption of his well-placed friends. Altogether, this book makes for a slightly less than satisfying cud to chew over, but it tastes pretty good the first time on the way down.

In the 8th book of the Wagons West series, NEVADA, Whip Holt is called for his last chance in the sun as he leads a wagon train full of silver the Union desperately needs to Missouri, where it then goes via train to New York City. Along the way Confederates try to stop him. This is also our first look at Toby Holt, who would go on as the focal character for the rest of the series.

I like the different personalities among the group, as well as the struggle that the Englishwoman and the courtesan had in choosing what is right. Unfortunately, the Rebel treatment of the blacks that were helping Whip was based more on PC propaganda than historical fact. Also, Ross seems to forget the plot point of Whip feeling his age whenever its convenient.

Still, a pretty good book.

From Hollywood blockbusters to obscure, direct-to-video titles. From obvious, Las Vegas-lensed features such as _Casino_ and _Leaving Las Vegas_, to films shot in lesser-known locales, such as _The Shootist_, John Wayne's last picture, filmed in the area around Carson City, Gary DuVal's _The Nevada Filmography_ does a comprehensive job of profiling films shot in the state between 1897 and 2000. The book covers both films that used Nevada as a primary location, as well as those which shot only briefly in the state for brief sequences.

The book is arranged alphabetically by title, and each entry provides complete information on cast and crew, as well as technical information and production credits. Also included in each entry is information on the locale. There are five appendices that cover locations, chronological listings of the films in the book, awards the films received, an extensive listing of alternative titles, and films available on videocassette. There are also a number of black-and-white photos of behind the scenes moments on some of the films.

This is an interesting book, with a lot of good information and behind-the-scenes anecdotes about the films. For example, the entry for the original _Ocean's Eleven_ (1960) includes mention of the fact that Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack made the film during a two-week engagement at the Sands casino, performing at night and filming during the day: "all the Las Vegas scenes were completed during the Rat Pack's two-week engagement at the Sands, which made for very long days for the stars."

Unfortunately, not all entries are as informative. The careful attention to detail in the cast and crew information, material which could be easily researched using the Internet Movie Database, often overshadows a one-sentence mention of the locations where a film was made. And the extended anecdotes and notes are rather few and far between, reserved only for the highest profile pictures.

It is hard to gauge who the intended audience is for this book. It would most likely be of interest to Nevada libraries, for general or film reference collections. It would also be of use to any library with a comprehensive collection of film books or Western memorabilia. But the cover price probably rules it out for most general collections.

A well written book on Virginia City and the silver mines. A good history of the whole area around Reno and Lake Tahoe.

An alphabetical presentation of a myriad of posts, camps, and other military sites in Nevada may sound more like a reference book that should be taken off the shelf when needed. This book, though, is much more than that, for author Rathburn has woven fascinating stories into his identifications. The book comprises a comprehensive picture of military action in early Nevada. It is also a guide book for those who choose to see on the ground the many historical sites across the state. For these, the author has provided a number of maps and detailed directions, including whether anything to see remains and whether the site is located on private property.
With long careers in the Nevada National Guard and the Bureau of Land Management, Colonel Rathburn demonstrates clearly his familiarity with Nevada and its military history. His book is a valuable contribution to the history of the American West.

I found a few errors in relation to directions (north, south, east, etc.) and other minor range info inaccuracies

This book goes a little deeper than just a look at a few casinos in Nevada. The emphasis is on the 1931 to 1981 period, and casino owners are looked at - not just as owners, but as people, why they came to Nevada, and why they thrived. The photos are terrific - with almost 50 that are from the 1930's and 1940's. Easy, and fun reading.

This book describes favorite off-road trips to the rugged natural beauty of the Las Vegas desert, including the Red Rock Canyon, an idyllic contrast of deep sandstone canyon forests and desert hills in spring bloom. Alas, though much of what is described still exists, the book is nearly thirty years out of date and requires revision. Hey, I can do that! Why? I've lived in the Radiant City for thirty-five of my forty-one years.

I am heartened that this book in the most popular purchase of the Las Vegas purchase circle. It means that those who have moved here truly wish to make Las Vegas home rather than the place they cashed in their Southern Californian real estate chips.

I had a hard time putting this book down, although I seldom read non-fiction. The case studies were very interesting, and I felt the book gave a good feel for life in the desert.

This book is a look back at Las Vegas and the area from prehistoric times to the present. It is very informative and packed with information that history buffs will love. It also explains the evolution of Las Vegas from a western town teetering on the edge of becoming a ghost town to the boom that started with the building of the Hoover (Boulder) Dam and continues today. This book is very academic in nature, so you have to love history to like this book. Overall a very interesting book.