The Nevada Trivia Book by Richard Moreno is another trivia book devoted to fascinating facts about Nevada. It differs from the Bouton book by offering more indepth answers to the trivia questions and includes substantially more historical information. I would highly recommend it for anyone interested in Nevada.

NEVADA TRIVIA is by far one of the best of the state trivia books. This is due to the colorful history of the state of Nevada as well as the obvious skill of the authors, including the depth of their research. I would highly encourage anyone who lives in Nevada, the many people who visit there, or anyone who is intrigued by the mystique of this famous gambling state to buy a copy of this interesting book.

This book covers the history of the Black Rock Desert region near Gerlach, Nevada from roughly 10,000 BC until the early 1970s.

The writing style is a little stilted, but this book is a quick read. The longest chapter discusses the war with the Paiute Indians, but there is also discussion of some of the mining activity, and an excellent chapter about the ranchers of the area.

It would be nice to see this book updated to include more information about the founding of Gerlach, and to discuss some of the activities of the 70's and 80's.

If you've been to Burning Man, and are wondering about the history of the area, then this is the book for you.

A good read! Gives a a nice over view of the regions history. However, it should be updated with a little spot on the Burning Man project, and other activities that have taken place out there. I read the book while I was in the Black Rock looking for a Geocaching.com project. A more perfect book, I think you couldn't find.

This is a short guidebook devoted to a subject that deserves volumes: hiking in beautiful Lake Tahoe. This guidebook focuses on a very narrow area of the lake, the South Side, and ignores the Nevada side almost totally. This is an irritating omission, even if the majority of great hikes are on Tahoe's south side. There are also some slightly out-of-the-way hikes (like Desert Rose) which are omitted from the book. The predominant focus of this book is on short, easy hikes, the kind of little forays families can take with their children. Thus the most famous and classic Tahoe hike, Mount Tallac, is not mentioned because it's rated as too strenuous. Tinker Knob, at 14 miles, is also ignored.

These omissions will unsettle veteran hikers with endurance. But for many more casual folk, this guide will fit their needs to a "T." If you're interested in short, scenic and not very strenuous outings, then Stone has provided you a piece of Nirvana. His descriptions of the trailheads and directions on how to reach the hikes are adequate and accurate. He also dispenses advice on bug repellent, sunscreen, band-aids and proper footwear. If you decide to embark on some of these short treks, and your fitness level is good, I urge you to tackle more ambitious peaks at Tahoe, the hiking here is beautiful and among the best in the state. Happy hiking!

We thought we were going on an easy, 1.5 hr hike. 3 hrs later, we got back to the car. Problem was that the hike wasn't quite described as accurately as it could have been and there was no warning that we should ignore the trail markers. We got very turned around and had to ignore the map provided in the book and use our common sense to find our way back. (This was the hike at Fallen Leaf Lake)

This guide should be renamed "Day Hikes Around South Lake Tahoe." Out of the 21 hikes, only 5 of them are around the North Shore and 3 on the Nevada side of the lake. The rest are all around Emerald Bay and South Lake Tahoe. Aside from this disappointment, each day hike has easy to follow directions and maps.

The Hamlet-esque mind of Mike Rose is the hook to Ventura's "The Death of Frank Sinatra". His head whirls in the indecision of what he loves or hates and in some cases what or whom is the object of both extremes. The italicized asides in the first person are probably the strongest portions of the book as Rose's wannabe existentialist is continually crippled by loathing for himself, his past, his connections, and perhaps most of all, for Las Vegas which he believes is his puppet master and submissive lover all at once.

Here is the crux of the novel which centers on a private eye who has bathed with and been raised by mobsters but has remained on the edge of the precipice without ever truly jumping in. It is an intriguing dilemma when his unstable brother unwittingly blabs "too much" in front of a grizzled old Outfit veteran, although as with most of the book what is spoken is half said, a half truth and, well, to be blunt, only half convincing. It's all well and good having the circle of insecurity forever turning in one's head, but surely no group of people are as instantly tuned in as Ventura's characters are. It seems half the time that, whoever it is, they are inexplicably able to read their conversation partner's mind, irrespective of intelligence, age or familiarity. What we get is a series of unfinished statements and knowing glances, which doesn't quite wash.

At first, I thought the insight into Vegas, spearheaded by the persona and rep of Frank Sinatra - a nifty touch - was about as illuminating as a travel guide, but without really being conscious of it, the constant bombardment and repetition of the town's warts and all, became quite intoxicating and ultimately revealing. I was less convinced by the insider knowledge of the mob, which seemed to focus on shock value and sensationalism, in marked contrast to the understatement of the book's overall tone. The little nuances that are so prevalent in Scorsese's films, for example, that help to humanize and rationalize are absent for the most part here.

The plot is convoluted and difficult to grasp with several intertwining threads that don't really mesh. However, in truth, most of the action happens in Rose's head, so that's not as disastrous as it sounds. Still, there seemed to be several loose ends that Ventura was content to let lie, which was a little unsettling.

Overall, I felt it was indulgent and melodramatic, teetering on the edge between dark social commentary about an inately corrupt city, and simply incoherent rambling, but the well expressed sadness and stolid, if misguided defiance of the central character, along with the admitted originality of the style was enough to earn 3 stars. Just.

OK, I picked up "The Death of Frank Sinatra" as an impulse-buy $2.99 hardcover from the "used library books" aisle...so I was pretty much purchasing it by-the-pound...no expectations, other than it was Vegas-fiction and sounded fun.

Now, I feel like I owe somebody. Which is not a good feeling in the hardboiled world Ventura describes so bristlingly.

I have been turned on to a fusion of genres so rich and bountiful, that a full $24.99 pricetag seems only fair. So...if anyone wants to collect the remainder, no pistol-whipping will be necessary.

It's quite simply pulp poetry.

Crackling descriptions of the blood-in-your-urine doings of a Vegas private dick, featuring characters that jump off the page to pin your arms back while kicking your nuts and a geo-real Vegas that resonates with anyone who can "recite" the Strip from the Alladin to the Sahara and whose secret desire is to be buried at the YESCO graveyard.

It's great stuff, and if you've never heard of Michael Ventura, (cause I sure as hell hadn't) you'll soon be saying the same thing I am now..."How the hell is this guy not being read on every Flight 711, instead of Grisham?"

...

Michael Ventura really knows how to tell a story that's more than just plot or characterization, but also SAYS something. I bought this book, read it right through, and then re-read it in bits right away, just for the enjoyment of it. This is as good as it gets.

Delorme's Nevada Atlas and Gazeteer does not approach the quality of its other western states atlases. Users will be disappointed to discover that contour lines are rarely labelled. There is no distance scale, either on the pages or in the key - an oversight which would produce an automatic 'F' in introductory cartography. Furthermore, land ownership status is not indicated on the maps by color coding as with other atlases - instead there is only a single statewide page which is essentially useless. Finally, the maps on each page run to the edge with approximately a half-inch overlap between pages. Although convenient for inexperienced map users - it is a source of frustration for those with greater map experience. If you really need a Nevada atlas, then get this one. Otherwise, wait until Delorme reissues a new edition correcting its most serious flaws.

The DeLorme Nevada Atlas & Gazetteer is useful if you're planning to travel off of Nevada's main highways. But there's a notable flaw that I hope DeLorme will correct in future printings. The atlas shows many spots, represented by a black diamond as a "City or Town" according to the key on the inside front cover, that are no such thing. Some of those places are deserted. Others may have a house or two but no services. You may run out of gas if you rely solely on this atlas.

Take, for example, page 62 in the current edition. The hamlet of Hiko is listed in large type; you'd think it has every convenience. But the 2000-2001 edition of the Nevada Official Highway Map, published by the state's department of transportation, shows that Hiko has no services at all. On the same page of the atlas you'll find Logan and Crescent. Neither "City or Town" appears on the official highway map, and the atlas itself shows that Crescent connects to the outside world by the tiniest road -- probably a rough dirt track. On the facing page (page 63) you'll find Uvada, in large type, just across the Utah state line. The last time I drove by Uvada, in 2001, the place consisted of a railroad siding; I didn't see a single dwelling, much less any services.

Similarly, roads that appear to be modern thoroughfares according to the key are sometimes not paved. If you're familiar with Nevada, you'll know instinctively which ones are likely to be and which are not. But if you're visiting from New York or California, again beware.

Outside of Reno, the Carson City-Lake Tahoe area, and Las Vegas, Nevada is spectacularly empty, with lonely, starlit, sometimes snowy valleys that may contain a few hundred people in an area the size of Connecticut. Public services in those places are few and far between. Most roads are unpaved. Do not rely on the DeLorme atlas for the location of urban amenities, or even a gas station. Rather, obtain the official state road map. The 2000-2001 version that I have shows which places have services and which do not. And it shows which roads are paved and which likely are not.

These comments pertain to the third edition (2000) of the atlas. I hope that it will be updated and that my observations will become obsolete.

I use the Delorme Gazetteers, including this one, for planning my fishing trips every year. They include comprehensive coverage of the state in question with sufficient detail to identify all the major topological features one will find, including streams and lakes. Also, they show all the roads. One criticism is that they don't contain road mileages between locations, unlike a highway atlas. But, a highway atlas will not show topographic coutour lines, or indicate locations where one may launch kayaks or rafts, or show locations reputed to have good fishing. I keep a Delorme Gazetteer for each state in which I expect to travel on any extended drive. They enable me to find campgrounds (in the indexes and shown on the maps), roads, topography, and all the essentials to plan a trip.

I do not believe this book can even be considered a guide book. No topos for certain areas. Poor descriptions. I went to Red Rocks with this book and it only got me to where I needed to park. I used the kindness of locals to get me to where I needed to go. Don't waste your time on this book. It's a pile.

The book is a decent additional resource to Urioste's "Red Book" (see also her 2003 26 trad routes addendum). Combined w/ the Red Rocks' SuperTopos the three will almost give you one good guidebook's worth of beta.

It IS your Red Rocks' "Bible" if you are a sport climber.

I've been living and climbing at Red Rocks for two years now. Swain's guide book publicizes a number of new routes that are not in the previous guide; however, not all descriptions are adequate, and a few are even dangerous (such as fixed anchors indicated in the book where there are none in reality). You may also tire of the author's rather feeble attempts at humour! Having said this, I do use the guide alot, and when coupled with the older Urioste guide it serves its purpose. I am saddened however, by Swain's decision to not include a relatively large number of very good routes that were in the old guide-- thereby effectively 'erasing' good routes from the public memory. This amounts to a kind of bizarre censorship, as many of the routes he has left out are quite good and worth preserving. I, and many others, hope for a more enlightened guide book in the future; meanwhile, however, Swain's guide will suffice for most occasional visitors.

This book is primarily written by a handful of contributors, mainly journalists and edited by a seasoned journalist and former journalism professor at the University of California-Berkeley. Because of the number of authors, the quality of the chapters vary, but in general, this was a very noble effort and a well-thought out and implemented project. The idea, according to the editor, was to demystify the resort destination and to look at it as a real, although unique American city.
The introduction by the editor is excellent, as is his epilogue, synthesizing and analyzing the content of the book.
The chapters in between discuss various aspects of the city, the educational system, the plight of the homeless, the large population of hispanic immigrant workers, the casino and sex "industries", the scarce water supply, etc. The book also attempts to discuss such things as the special characteristics of Nevadans.
Many of these chapters are very well written, and are all very easy to read. Some of the authors tend to fall into a pattern that I find particularly troublesome about, in particular, television journalism. The author is looking to make a point (for example, there are a lot of kids in the Clark County School District who use drugs). So, they interview and present the most shocking results from their interviews regarding what a few kids say about their drug use. Never mind the fact that one could have probably obtained similar comments from some kids in any other city. Reading the chapter on the schools, I would think that it is impossible to grow up in Las Vegas and to be a good kid and not drop out and go onto college. However, quite on the contrary, over the last 4 years that I have lived in this city, I have interviewed 30+ high school seniors on behalf of my alma mater on the East Coast. I have met kids who are outstanding students, have some of the highest test scores in the nation, are deeply involved in athletics, music, and community service and have never touched a drug and don't regularly hang out on the strip.
It is very difficult, I believe, as a visitor, to get a true picture of this city. The tourism economy actively attempts to create and maintain the atmosphere of "anything goes" "have fun and drink and gamble and do whatever you want" for the tourists. However, as the editor astutely notes, beyond the strip, "many conditions recorded in this book will be recognized by Americans from other states and cities..."

Beyond some of the shortcomings, this is a very well-done work. Some of the authors spent a great deal of time locally researching their work. The introspective thoughts by the editor really pull it together. As a resident, I find this book helps me to get some critical distance to evaluate the city in which I live. My only fear is that for someone not familiar with the city, the work of some of the authors may paint a uncharacteristically negative picture in some cases that does not give Las Vegas the proper perspective in these problems relative to other places.

It seems from the reviews that some people were disappointed by this book, but I really enjoyed reading the various essays. The book is a series of journalistic essays from different writers, and each one writes for about 5-7 pages on a specific topic. Some of the topics the book covers are housing/development, water, the sex industry, African Americans in Vegas, crime, growing up in Vegas, etc. Some of the essays were more serious (water) than others (sex industry), but all of them offered a nice insight into the city, especially if you've only been there a few times and have never ventured beyond the strip. I read this book a few months before moving to Henderson, NV., and thought the book was a nice way to get acquainted with the city and what goes on there. This is definitely not a book for tourists or someone planning a trip to Vegas, but more for people who live in the area, people considering moving there, or perhaps people who have visited and developed an interest in the area. It's an easy read, and an enjoyable one.

Having spent at least 1 week a year in Las Vegas since 1960, the scope and breadth of the "Real Las Vegas" was rewardingly real, and suprisingly interesting and very readible. Staying at the Sands Hotel in the sixties with my family and - the obvious metamorphousis of a few casinos in the desert to what is is today is a marvel and wonder. The 2 reviewers listed seemed to be looking for some explanation or reason for the diversity of L.V.. Answers. Answers - You won't find any here. The stories and straight up, direct, and frank. Real investigative insight into some of the many facets of life in Las Vegas. What I really liked about this book is it's about real people, with real dreams and disapointments. It's about a city that's grown too fast, under the stewardship of gaming, sex and power. It's about the extremes. Las Vegas is a wonderful metephore for the United States society - some are just turned off the the brash and brazen display of human nature Las Vegas encourages. You won't like all the stories, but you will find some very moving people and issues. The introduction is 1 of the best sections in the book. They had to leave out many sories because of space. I hope there's another volumn.

I read this book on the beach in Ixtapa (along with about a dozen other books) and thought that the plot was OK, but the execution was iffy at best. He tends to dawdle a bit when exploring the sexual side of his heroes (darn near stops the book, in fact). He explains in excruciating detail what he is doing with his girl in bed (an embarassing look at his ideas about women and what he THINKS they want) while glossing over important plot details that would explain his protaginist's motivation and goals. If you enjoy the types of books that Bill Branon is trying to write, a better choice would be any of the books in the 'Bob the Nailer' series by Stephen Hunter. I will probably buy his next book, but if it has the same 'narrative stoppage' with his sex scenes that this book does, I will not buy any more.

Mr.Branon should be and could be a great writer, if he could improve his trivial and roaming writing style like James Joyce. His two books were both with hopeful stories but just failed to deliver clearly and conclusively. You could only absorb some of the scenes and plots in his two books, but just could not patiently read through. Such as DEVILS HOLE, for example, the 2nd Chapter should become the 1st Chapter, and the 1st chapter should be completely deleted and/or moved to the back with just several condensed short paragraphs in narration. Because if not doing so, it would turn off a prospective reader to drop the book after three minutes. The twin assassins as shooter/spotter are a very good design but failed to deliver again. Their acceptances and carrying out contracts for common people is but an idealistic poetic justice, but how they got such contracts and how regular people would know their existence and how they approach them for how much cost, Mr. Branon simply overlooked it. There are so many scenes totally unnecessarily probed but went nowhere, like chapter 14, from page 141 to 144,42-43, 66-67(two lines),151-152,181-198, 211(lowest part)-212, and etc, were totally waste of readers' time, and definitely should be deleted. Chapter 12, is alike Thomas Perry's BUTCHER'S BOY, the readers and the author should both be conscious! The whole chapter 7, is a long but tasteless going-no-where. Yet some of the Chapters and scenes were beautifully written and should be collected into some writing textbooks! Such as chapter 3,p.135-p.140. The worst problem of Mr. Branon's writing is the obscurity of his characters,especially the male characters and frog-leaping writing style with too many unnecessary flash-backs. No-big-deal characters doing no-big-deal jobs, making the readers going no-big-deal whereabouts. Like LET US PREY, same problems didn't improve but worsened in DEVILS HOLE. Lot of digressions, lot of blab,blabs,blabs! These are two books which should be rewritten, if possible. And the vertical stripes on every page should also be deleted, since they bothered the reading a lot!! Mr. Branon should write a book with clearer characters instead of vague personalities, it should developed like a tree grow into a forest, not a forest into a tree, especially, a rootless and fruitless tree

I happened to run across this book knowing nothing about it, but the description on the jacket cover intrigued me so I picked it up. I had not heard of the author before, but after finishing it I can say that I was extremely impressed. He has a special talent for developing characters through subtle scenes, and I found myself really rooting for all of the characters. There is one chapter where Arthur and Melody go shooting in the desert which was one of the best chapters I've ever read in any book for the interaction, bonding and friendship between the characters. It helps to explain what would otherwise be an unlikely relationship between them. Unlike other customer reviewers, I thought that there weren't any unneeded scenes or chapters, and thought that the 1st chapter, although not really referenced later in the book, was an attention-grabbing opener. I'm really looking forward to reading his other books!

Personally, when I read a fiction book, I like to be able to believe that the people and events in the book COULD be true even though I know it is fiction. This book was a big disappointment in that respect. I really don't recommend reading it if you want to read really good historical fiction.

First of all, the authors took way too long to develop the background of the story; the background actually ended up being a detraction rather than a support for the plot, because later the authors had to make up for lost time by rushing through the really important parts.

Second, I agree with the reviewer who said that putting Mrs. O'Leary in the book was stretching it a bit. I think the book would have been better if the authors were content to use a historical setting, instead of going all out like they did and trying to put famous people in as buddies of the main characters.

The third, and most annoying, reason that this book is not exactly believable, enjoyable Christian fiction is that the characters are not at all consistent. I feel that not only did the authors not stop to figure out just how their characters' personalities should be, they also tried to write about individuals and classes of people they don't know much about. For instance, take the rich and snobbish Maria Stallworth. When Kathleen is looking for a job, Maria warmly takes her in, goes above and beyond the call of duty to help her, and even calls Kathleen "dear." Definitely a sweet and charming lady! But, when she gets mad at Kathleen later, she turns into a cold, cruel, sneering snob- and pretty much stays that way for the rest of the book. Talk about erratic! No, the characters really aren't well developed at all, and therefore it is difficult to really like any of them.

This is really only a good book if you want a light read to pass the time, and nothing else will do. For that purpose, it is amusing enough. But I don't recommend it for someone looking for interesting, believable Christian fiction.

Basic love story with too much religious emphasis. Unlikely ending....I couldn't even finish it.

I bought this book because it was cheap and I wanted to try new authors (besides Lori Wick). This book was an easy read, a nice escape from the reality of school and work. I will buy other books by Al & Joanna Lacy because I think they have potential. However, I did not care for the development of this story. In the beginning of the book, I kept wondering about the sequence of events. By the end of the book, I still wondered about the time spent on the fire danger and how it all fit into the plot. I would have liked to see more of the book written about Kathleen and Tom instead of so much time spent on the fire danger and her time before becoming a mail order bride. The step son seemed a little too mature for a 6 year old. I felt it was unrealistic how quickly he began calling Kathleen Mommy, especially considering his strong feelings against calling her Mommy when they first met. The way they forgave and helped the Stallworth family was encouraging...I have to wonder if I would be able to forgive so easily and give so much to the people treated me so badly. I recommend this book if someone is looking for an easy read to escape from reality for a time.

"War of the Godfather's" is not that bad of a book. Roemer does write a great story in the first half of the book, it is filled with action and suspense. The last half of the book is the weak part of it. Roemer constantly pats himself and the other agents on the back, only to get egg on their faces when the Chicago boss, Accardo, walks. By mixing fact with fiction, it does give a good story, thats what is missing in the last half.

Have to agree with Lars: Accardo is by far the most powerful mob boss in the history of this country. Where the New York mob was split and disorganized and ran a relatively small part of the country, Accardo and the outfit ran practically every other area, not just Chicago, but LA to Vegas to Kansas City and most points in between. The fact Accardo never spent a night in prison is enough to show you how good he was at what he did. Of course, Bonanno was small potatoes compared to the other NY Godfathers, so we'll never be able to tell who would have won a "real" war.

What does a Canadian know about the Chicago Outfit? Accardo was the Godfather of all Godfathers. He ran Chicago for half-a-century, without splitting power like the NY families, and then ran Vegas, too.