Nevada Books

Its exactly that. A little something for everyone. Its a great pick for book groups, or a a nice read curled up on the couch!

This is one of the most beautiful and eloquent stories I've ever read! Delicious descriptions and a suck-you-in story. Everyone looking for a good read should pick up this novel!

This hilarious little volume is a perfect gift for that child who sees things just a little bit off center. Herein, we meet old friends--who are up to some surprising new activities. Ever wonder what Santa does in the off season? The quirky, charming illustrations add another dimension. I laughed out loud at the portrait of Bigfoot as a short order cook. Adults and children will enjoy the subtle satire of an insatiable media unable to locate any real story--even when it's right under their noses.

I read this short chapter book while passing some time in an elementary library and was delighted with the genuine humor and the breezy writing of this original tale. Adults who read this story aloud to their children will enjoy the humor as much as their kids, and readers who have graduated to chapter books will find this one funny and entertaining.

I'm always impressed when I come across a fresh storyline in a children's book, and this tale of the mysterious (yet strangely familiar!) visitors to the Lonesome Cafe is definitely an original idea.

When Miners Sang by Gage McKinney is a terrific book for anyone interested in Christmas music, folk music, California history, mining history, or the history of the Cornish in Grass Valley. There is something of interest for almost anyone. The book is clearly well researched, complete, scholarly, and thoroughly documented. The marvelous thing is - it is also a compelling narrative written with style and brio. I found it to be both an enjoyable and an informative read.

Fascinating accounting of local history! While covering the facts about the singing group over many years, the author has given us a picture of the lives of Cornish people who traveled around the world to settle in a small foothill gold mining town in California. Recently the connection has been made back with families in Cornwall to complete the circle. The choir has been a vehicle to tie the families together. It is so important to get these stories written down before they disappear. Thanks to Gage McKinney for doing that!

After digging through "The Best of the Best American Poetry" in search of something satisfying, perhaps a poem that might alter my perception or move me emotionally, I put it down and picked up Gary Short's 10 MOONS AND 13 HORSES. Every poem in Short's book had an effect on me. He doesn't shy away from multiple meanings and always makes an effort to make connections or set the reader up to make connections. Every word, every line had a purpose, and there was no unnecessary rambling. Each poem deserved to be written and published and read. This leaves me to ask why aren't Gary Short's poems in "The Best of the Best"? This is a significant writer who deserves more attention. I highly recommend this book and look forward to his next effort.

The print edition of this book is 210 pages. It's a guide to every corner of Nevada - what to see and do, where to stay, the best places to eat, the ghost towns, the mountains, the lakes the towns and the cities - with an accent on enjoying the great outdoors. The author details the best places for hiking, mountain biking, jeeping, boating and fishing, with info on all the outfitters and guides. There are 22 state parks in the state, plus 14 national recreation areas, 14 wildlife refuges and a sliver of the newest national park, Death Valley. He covers them all - what to see and do, how to get there, how to get around. Lake Tahoe and Lake Mead are covered as well. While everybody else heads for the Strip, with its faux Sphinx, plastic volcano and campy lounge acts, you can head out to the Great Basin, with this book on your laptop, where you will have the whole wild and naturally amazing state almost to yourself.

After a fourteen year hiatus, the National Championship Air Races were revived at Reno, Nevada in 1964. This event showcases racing teams who push the envelope of aerodynamic improvements and modify their 2,000 and 3,000 horsepower engines to make their aircraft as fast as possible in competition with the others. The racers are classified into six groups: Formula 1, Biplane, Sport, T-6, Jets, and Unlimiteds. Profusely illustrated with full color photography, "Air Racing over Reno: The World's Fastest Motorsport" by Philip Handleman is the fascinating, deftly written, and informative story of this unique aviation event and very highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in aviation.

A MUST Read for all of us!

I am very happy, is a good illustrated book for grown ups and kids, it shows how Arhuacos from la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia lived.

This book was fun to read, interesting and very humorous. Lots of fun facts, history, tips & insights.

Charles Neider's re-telling of the Billy the Kid myth is one of the best Westerns I've ever read, and easily the best fictionalization of the Kid's exploits out there. The names are changed and the action is moved from Lincoln County, New Mexico to the coast of Northern California, but for the most part Neider doesn't stray too far from the historical record (unlike, say, Larry McMurtry's ridiculous take on the Kid in 'Anything for Billy'). Neider's prose is lean but poetic, and his characterizations are top-notch. I highly recommend it.

Sidenote: The book later was adapted into the Marlon Brando-directed "One-Eyed Jacks," which kept the setting and the prison scenes and that's about it. Sam Peckinpah worked on the script before being fired, and chunks of his screenplay later went into his film "Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid" which I'd argue is an even more faithful adaptation, despite being unofficially so.