While Thomson does give reasonable coverage to the history of Las Vegas, most of his book is about the rest of the state - places like Reno, Carson City, the not-so-secret "Area 51," and the sparsely-populated northwest corner of the state. Thomson's book is part history and part travelogue, although it is arranged in neither chronological order nor in any particular geographical sequence. If there is a theme to this book, it's the effect of atomic bomb testing and nuclear waste disposal on the state, a topic to which Thomson returns repeatedly. The book includes one map and about thirty photos. The book's drawback is that the author seems to be stretching for material to fill the pages. It's as though a student has to write a 5,000-word essay but has only 1,000 words of material. Thomson frequently lapses into empty rhetoric as though to meet some requirement regarding number of pages. Most travel writers interview local people to give their books a human tone, but Thomson seems to have talked to surprisingly few actual Nevadans. This is unfortunate, because Nevada is one of the more interesting states, and there should be no shortage of interesting characters and places to discover.

David Thomson's "In Nevada: The Land, The People, God, and Chance" was a disappointing read, owing only in part to its misleading title. The book consists primarily of parallel descriptions of the development of gambling & entertainment in Las Vegas and of nuclear-weapons testing at the Test Site. These are important topics, but their predominance is not suggested by the book's title. Substantial discussions of Lake Tahoe, Area 51/UFO-mania, and the Burning Man festival have very little to do with Nevada. Tahoe is geographically and culturally much more California than Nevada, and the Burning Man silliness and UFO-obsession have their origins outside of the state. Reno ("really the only city in Nevada," in Thomson's words) receives a scant 12 of the book's 320 pages. The treatment of the state's mining and political history is spotty and shallow. The author's sources are apparently restricted to a few standard references. There is no evidence of detailed research or thoughtful insight.

But the most disappointing aspects of this book are Thomson's descriptions (or lack thereof) of Nevada's rural interior (that 80% of the state that is neither part of a military reservation nor within 50 miles of the California line). He claims that this vast, sparsely populated region is his first love in Nevada, but if this is true, it is a strangely distant, sterile, and uncomprehending love. He provides vague and general descriptions of the landscapes, with mountain elevations seemingly taken from a road map. The only rural Nevadans that he describes in any detail are a young couple that he observed in a cafe in Fallon. He freely assumes that they suffer from sub-standard education and desperate isolation despite the fact that he has not spoken with either or them, or even overheard their conversation. In fact, Thompson reveals precious little evidence that he has ever spoken to ANYONE in rural Nevada, and his ignorance seems virtually complete in other ways as well. He relates a story of driving on I-80 toward Winnemucca, with the wind blowing "round balls of sage" across his path. He doesn't even recognize a tumbleweed, that icon of the American West, much less know that it is Russian Thistle, not sage. His descripion of Elko consists entirely of the menu of cable TV channels available in the Holiday Inn (along with a gratuitous swipe at Dave Thomas, of the Wendy's hamburger chain-What does this have to do with Nevada?). He was trapped in the motel at the end of March by a "late snow." Anyone who has spent any time in northern Nevada knows that snow is common and expected through Memorial Day. "Late snow" doesn't come until June. The author is simply oblivious to the many interesting aspects of the geography, natural history, industry, and people of northern and central Nevada.

In conclusion, "In Nevada" gives the reader very little insight into The Land, The People (other than Las Vegas mobsters and entertainers), or God. Chance (gambling) is pretty well covered. It reveals the author's fascination with Hollywood characters, distrust and loathing of the military, and ignorance & disdain for rural Nevada.

Granted Daid Thomson provides an entertaining read with "In Nevada" but I share some of the other reviewers' distastes. For instance, a couple of chapters (e.g., "Frankly and "In the Cards") felt completely out of place and off topic. One about Frank Sinatra and the other about a bridge tournament. Instead of Frank and bridge tournaments, how about covering the raging battles over land use and the constant clashes between Nevada's cattle ranchers and the U.S. Government? The author does a respectable job of stirring clear of most of the cliches that surround Nevada, but unfortunately not all.

The first half of the book is loaded with interesting and useful history like the finding of Spirit Cave Man. However, I got the feeling the author is fixated on moving the story's focus to Las Vegas. Like a first time tourist, he gave into the lure of the city's neon lights.

Having read all of Faye Kellerman's previous books, I was happy to see a new title arrive. I can understand the author's desire to create a new set of characters and try a slightly different writing style. With all those short, choppy sentences I thought I would be reading a more hard nosed type of mystery. Other than Poe, I found the characters shallow, couldn't get all the detectives straight until half way thru the book. When the story melted into into it's "fantasy" ending, Kellerman lost me completely. I finished the book simply to see how it ended, not through enjoyment! Please bring back Peter and Rina! If Poe is to return give him a more reasonable plot.

I regret several of my fellow readers did not enjoy this book. However, I found Kellerman's characters well developed and the plot enthralling. I just could not put this book down. Kellerman does an excellent job of allowing you inside the thoughts of all the characters, not just the main ones. I also enjoyed the Las Vegas setting and the excellent description of the topography-I "felt" the heat and the aridness of the city that never sleeps. Rom Poe is a likeable hero, but not without flaws. And Allison is an interesting villan. The new murders and the old unsolved murders of the Bogeyman kept me questioning who the killer or killers were. Just when I thought I had it completely figured out, Kellerman would throw me a curve. Thank you - I enjoy curve balls in a novel - especially in a murder mystery. The Indian mystic was also a nice touch.

A marvelous mystery, a divergence from Faye Kellerman's normal novels which have heavily revolved around the Jewish faith. This book holds the reader's attention from beginning to end. The research done on Las Vegas is the best. Being very familiar with the city, as the reader, I was moving and walking right along with the characters. And speaking of characters, she has some unique ones in this book.

If you are seeking a extraordinary mystery/thriller this is the book. If you are looking for the "same ole, same, old" from Kellerman, this might be your cup of tea, but she has opened the door to a vast new audience with this unique and fast paced book!

Frightening, imaginative, enthralling - what more can I say, this is a real page turner - best be ready to stay up all night with this jewel!

I am a Patricia Cornwell, Jonathan Kellerman fan, but this new book of Faye Kellerman's really hits the spot...excellent, hope to see more of this type of writing from her.

This is the 1995 edition which, while useful in showing how Slot Clubs work, is hopelessly outdated in its particulars. I had understood that there would be a 1998 edition which would have been more useful. None of the newer casinos is listed here because of the book's age. I also know for fact that the club at MGM Grand has changed its modus operandi since this book was written. If you want an overview of how slot clubs work, this book could be for you. I cannot recommend it for current information.

I used this book in the Las Vegas area in January. It was not very useful. The information given was marginal and years out of date.

First of all, never trust a guide book to Vegas which states "we don't gamble" (p. 31) and then tries to tell you which casinos are the best. This book is full of opinionated "top ten" lists which only appeal to a certain demographic. (Namely, the demographic which would drive all over town to find the number one 99-cent shrimp cocktail, and then would look for the number one spot to park the RV. Lucky for them, both lists are provided.)

Every traveler to Vegas should see Sehlinger's Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas, which would appeal to a wide variety of tourists. The younger crowd needs to check out Frommer's Irreverant Guide to Las Vegas.

I have to admit I was pretty dissapointed with this one. It has a great setup, Spotting the Hunsacker clan leaving town, Longarm hops a horse and races off in pursuit of them. Now he has got them cornered in the ghost town of Lodestar, Nevada. The group of them on the inside of an old abandoned stone house built like a fort, and Longarm without food or water on the outside...What a terrific setup for a story, imagine the ingenious ways that Longarm can pick them off one at a time,go in and get them or smoke them out. Instead Longarm spends the first third of the book sitting around with no clue and complaining about his job and reminiscing about some women he has had.

Then some women arrive and he kidnaps them and uses them for bait, but he is wounded and spends the rest of the book running away from the bad guys and getting weaker all the time. Finally at the end he has to use a woman to help him get the bad guys.

In the story I didn't have the old feeling that Longarm was the master of the situation, moving events along as he planned them, rather he was just reacting to things and trying to stay alive, not like the old (early) Longarm at all

Maybe not a bad book, but close. There are much better histories of Nevada and even of Reno (William Rowley's, for instance).
There is a map of the original town plan, or I would have given it but one star. The authors seem to have based their research on a book they were too shy to include in their bibliography, Gilman Ostrander's "Nevada, the Great Rotten Borough."

This is a really boring book. Things start to jump within two pages, but all that happens is that the setting gets murkier. My growing feeling as I struggled to follow the story was, with each new twist, "So What!"
This book is about stringing together an author's notes. It's not about realistic people. Dont waste your time or your money.

This is one of the most boring books I have ever read and I sure wish I hadn't bought the second one to go with it before reading the first. It takes place around Area 51...very appropriate since I feel like I have lost my way the entire time I've been reading the book. I can usually read a book in a day or 2, but I have been on this one 2 weeks determined to give it a chance. I can't believe the front of the cover compares this to Janet Evanovich's books. What a Joke!

To be very blunt, this book is dumb and disjointed. Previous books by this author are much better, especially her early novels.

The last reviewer almost got it almost right. Dr. Ulph was a cowpoker who poked one too many cows.

The writing of Mr. Ulph is too abstract and leaves too much to the imagine. Pity, he takes topics with interest and potential and then slowly loses the reader's interest by infusing his own personality into the word paintings he is trying to draw.

The professional reviewers of this work are correct in their high opinions. In this work, Dr. Ulph, a Professor of History at Reed College, shares observations of the life of a cowpoke. Although the book is based on historical lore, Dr. Ulph infuses the text with his personal knowledge based on owning an eastern Oregon ranch on which he poked cows for many years. His sometimes cynical observations on the realities of this difficult life are quite appropriate, even if they may offend some readers who want romance rather than reality in their depiction of the old west.

I bought this book after enjoying the excellent Guide to Texas and the Middle South from the same series. Unfortunately, the guides are all by different authors, and vary widely in the quality of their content. I've bought four of them so far, and this one is the worst of the bunch.

The Texas book is a "Blue Highways" (i.e., off the beaten track) guide, and contains descriptions of fascinating places that you're not likely to find anywhere else. This one, on the other hand, is no better than those free tourist guides that you find on racks in pancake houses and cheap hotels.

Mr. Dunn is both unimaginative and lazy, and this book suffers from it. The National Geographic generally does much better. They should own up to their mistake and pull this turkey off the market.