Nevada Books

Though the writer is obviously gifted, and the stories are without a doubt amusing and accurately detailed, the author seems distant from his characters.

The author seems to stay un-involved and to coldly inspect his subjects as though they were fireflies in Mason jars, or butterflies on pins.

The writing is superb, but the lack of involvment in the characters inner workings and lives, leaves these stories sounding like a girlfriend repeating a soap opera in the office, to someone who missed an episode.

I'll lay off with these last words. The author should look into his own heart and write real, breathing characters, not try to bring to life cardboard cutouts. No matter how excellent it is, it must heart. This book does not have heart, though it does have plenty of good writing.

This wonderful collection of non-fiction accounts on the other side of the table is a true and accurate look at what makes the casinos tick: not the people who come with the money, but the people who take it. Lee Barnes has a gift and it is to conjure so many voices into one cohesive book. It is funny, sad, and terrible. If you ever wanted to know who lives in Las Vegas, read this.

The book's subtitle is particularly apt, as the reader is treated to an autobiographical account of Spanier's lifelong passion for gambling, beginning with betting on horses in his early school years and, later, Cambridge, where he first discovered poker. His description of the London poker scene of the 1960s is particularly vivid, as are his tales of the games at Washington's National Press Club, and his ten-year participation in a London "Tuesday Night Game." And his account of a Caribbean poker cruise, on which he was a poker instructor, is a gem of a snapshot of the rituals and mores of the poker subculture.


Spanier's career as a journalist brought him around the world, and he recounts many of his experiences, both as a correspondent and as a player. This along makes The Hand I Played an interesting book. But Spanier is also able to make the mind of the gambler intelligible to the non-gambler. For example, when talking about the meaning of "action" on page 51, Spanier notes that it means, "playing with chance, taking a challenge, the excitement of living in top gear. In gambling, this is the pay-off. In our routine urban lives, most of us are cogs in the wheel.... Gambling offers a fast way out...the player can give self-indulgence a whirl, briefly cast responsibility aside, and fantasize about a brighter, richer, easier life." Of course, Spanier knows that these fantasies are usually illusory, but they still give gamblers, " a little spoonful of hope, which, like honey, is pleasing while it lasts." This general sentiment has been voiced countless times, but rarely this articulately-or with such self-knowledge.

The chapter on "Net Poker" is also valuable, not because it teaches the reader how to win at online poker or because it offers strong arguments for or against online gambling, but because it provides an account of the online poker industry in its earliest years from someone who knows poker intimately. Online gambling may be a short-lived phenomenon or it may mature into a lasting industry, but future social scientists will be grateful for Spanier's thoughtful survey of the virtual poker world of the late 1990s.

Spanier also runs a quick historiographical romp through books on Las Vegas and gambling, giving his opinions on several books in the canon. Spanier's refined literary sensibilities temper his enthusiasm for gambling, so he is able to recognize that "it is easy to write about Las Vegas, as an abundance of bad journalism proves," (p. 209) but knows that it is difficult to catch the lightning of gambling excitement in a bottle. That Spanier is an arbiter of good and bad writings about Las Vegas may touch a nerve with some Southern Nevadans who resent literary "carpetbaggers" who, after a weekend in town, claim to interpret Las Vegas to the rest of the world. This is not a point without merit; many of the misleading books about Las Vegas have been by "outsiders." But Spanier is no outsider to gambling; he enjoyed a lifelong passion for it that qualifies him as an expert on the subject. But should his writings about Las Vegas be discounted because he is a "carpetbagger?'' Absolutely not. While his views may not be the same as longtime residents, they are those of an intelligent, articulate observer who can place the city in the context of a larger global gambling scene.

The climax of the book is Spanier's own participation in the 1997 poker World Championship, held at Binion's Horseshoe in Las Vegas. For poker aficionados, this is the obvious equivalent of playing in any world championship. Though Spanier knew going in that he had about as much chance of winning as beating Tiger Woods in golf, the honey spoonful of hope still held out that tiniest chance, which was no doubt intoxicating. There are several accounts of the World Championship, but few from this close-up.

In all, The Hand I Played reads like an extended conversation one might have on a long car or plane ride with an intelligent, insightful, gambler. A great deal of Spanier's personality shines through the narrative, so we get not only a look at how poker is played, but a look, sometimes unconsciously, into the mind of a player. This is all the more poignant because the book was published posthumously. But it is a testament to both Spanier and his editors that The Hand I Played is such a riveting work for both players and interested laypeople. A hint to the uninitiated-read the appendix, which explains the basics of Texas Hold 'em, before the book itself. It will add a great deal of depth to Spanier's accounts of games and hands, which otherwise may be impenetrable to non-players. Whether a veteran of marathon poker sessions or someone who simply doesn't understand the appeal of the game, The Hand I Played will undoubtedly change the way the reader thinks about gambling, chance, and poker.

I realized from the title this was not a how to poker book but figured it would be something along the lines of anthony holdens book big deal but i was very disappointed with this book.It cover the authors poker games with his buddies in some off the wall home games (granted i am slanted more towards holdem)Other chapters dealing with a poker cruise and his dealings with a woman poker player hitting him up for advice,a chapter about internet poker dealing with a lot of rules and regs dealing with them in the USA.Also has a chapter about books dealing with gambling mostly by Dostoyevsky.

On the back of the book it talks about the author being in the world series of poker and i was hoping it would have a little more to do with that but it had maybe three or four pages dealing with this.

This was one of those books i keep reading hoping it would get better i felt it never did if you have not red anthony holden's book big deal try that one i could not recommend this book

I agree with the other review to some extent- but it can't be blamed on the book. Water avaialability will greatly vary depending on season. And no matter how good your guide may be, you should always consult local rangers and have topo map for anything not 'trailed'. I also have Afoot and Afeild and HATE it. It wasn't descriptive enough and made things far more confusing than necessary. Hiking Southern Nevada and Las Vegas both have been valuable tools for planning trips and selecting hikes. Then we gather our 'background' info before heading out.

Whitney provides a great number of interesting hikes for your adventures, but don't take his word on everything. Be sure to take a topographic map and get advice from park rangers before heading out on day hikes or backpacking trips. I have used Whitney's books on numerous hikes and have found discrepancies on water availability and I disagree avidly on his opinion of "a great hike". He is accurate on difficulty ratings and distances, but check with the visitor's center to verify water sources and directions for the trail or route and MOST IMPORTANTLY, get recommendations from people who have recently hiked your choice of trails.

My favorite genre is memoir and I read them voraciously. Having been born in Las Vegas in the mid 1950's to a mother from a large Mormon family, I excitedly dove into Phyllis Nelson's story. Aside from having greeted Leonard Berstein at the airport, (and this wasn't particularly compelling) I found nothing particularly interesting about her life story. I can see where her writing may be of interest to her family members and immediate community, but for the rest of us, what's the point?

Phyllis Barber allows the reader to gain a intimate view of the clash between values of 1950's Las Vegas and her family's vallues of Mormonism. Barber struggles to use her talent of rhythm in a city celebrated for the excesses of entertainment versus her family's definition of proper use of talent within the confines of her Mormon culture. Barber uses the symbolism of marriage to both worlds to best explain the dilemna she is in. To Bobby Jack ( a current boyfriend) marriage meant a wheezing minister, ye

I saw this book in the bargain bin at a local used book store for a quarter and I said "what the heck". I think I got a pretty good deal for 25 cents. The book focuses on the main character named Meade Slaugheter and his rise in the world of the Nevada gambling scene. I found the story line to be fairly interesting with enough twists and turns to warrant reading on. Having no real knowlege of the gambling world helped me keep focused on the story and characters rather than on looking for exciting gambling stories and situations. The only thing I really had to complain about was trying to keep track of all of the different names and places that were thrown around to explain parts of the storyline. If you are looking for a decent book about the history of gambling and hotels in Nevada that focuses more on the behind the scenes financial aspects then give this book a read. However if you are looking for a book filled with fast paced casino action with stories of dealers, cheats, legendary games, and tricks of the trade, then I would focus my attention elsewhere.

Clint McCullough's "Nevada" is an amazing look at the rise of the state of Nevada as a gambling powerhouse through the fictional accounts of a strong-willed entrepreneur Meade Slaughter as he works his way up from carnival barker to owner of a major casino. Historical references to actual people and real events make this book an exciting read. Caution: Strong sexual content, exploration of drug abuse and some violence but all are relevant to the plot of the story. Excellent story, well worth reading.

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.

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.

This is the story about a couple that end up surviving a plane crash in the Nevada desert. Leah is 22 years of age and Reilly is somewhere in his 30's. It is a story about survival, love and understanding about cultures. I liked this story because the hero and heroine don't try to make each other jealous with past or present lovers.

This book seemed to pick up where Ms. Sattler's 'Wild Cherries' left off. This book has Travis, an ex-CIA agent who ends up in an emergency room where nurse Randi is. Little does Travis know, but long ago Nurse Randi worked in a fertility clinic where Travis made a 'deposit', and now he has a son that he is shocked to discover. Randi is a virginal mother, extremely fearful of all men because of sexual abuse as a child, but Travis is patient and although at first he was more interesting in getting to know his son, his feelings for Randi grows and grows until he's fallen hook, line, and sinker. I also enjoyed Travis' downhome country attitude that's always polite to the ladies. Very affecting. It takes awhile for Randi to overcome her childhood memories, but the pay off is great. This book is not as romantic as 'Wild Cherries', but still very good. I would recommend it well.
Cyndi

I bought this after reading "M is for Mitten; A Michigan Alphabet" because I live in Michigan and the book was Fabulous. It was a hit with me and my son and everyone else who read it. Too bad "S is for Silver" was done by different people. I ordered it sight unseen and was very disappointed. The verses were not as well written and the content was not near as good as the Michigan book. I never would have bought it as a gift for someone had I read it first...

The "Discover America State By State, Alphabet Series" is wonderful.
The books are written so they include a version for children and a more detailed history for the whole family.
We have purchased four of the books. Our 5 year old granddaughter requested the Nevada one as she lives there.

Many of the selections within this book contain little more than increasingly tedious descriptions of wilderness scenery.

Contents -

William Byrd - History of the Dividing Line
William bartram - Travels in Florida
Meriwether Lewis - Across the Continent
George Catlin - Buffalo Country
John James Audubon - Missouri River Journals
John C. Fremont - West of the Great Basin
Francis Parkman - Hunting Indians
Henry David Thoreau - "Ktaadn"
Clarence King - Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada
John Wesley Powell - Exploration of the Colorado River
Clarence Dutton - Canyon Country
Verplanck Colvin - Adirondack Wilderness
Isabella Bird - A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains
Plenty Coups - Vision in the Crazy Mountains
Theodore Roosevelt - Hunting in the Badlands
John Burroughs - Birch Browsings
John Muir - The Range of Light
Mary Austin - Land of Little Rain
John C. van Dyke - The Desert
Aldo Leopold - "Thinking Like a Mountain"
" - The Green Lagoons
Rachel Carson - The Edge of the Sea
Edwin Way Teale - Land of the Windy Rain
Wallace Stegner - Packhorse Paradise
" - Wilderness Letter
Edward Abbet - Desert Solitaire
John McPhee - Coming into the Country
David Roberts - The Mountain of My Fear

I used The Wilderness Reader in teaching a course in stewardship and field ecology for teachers. I found that the book contained a wide variety of different types of environmental writing and that all of the selected pieces were excellent examples of the genre. Several of my elementary school teachers even read parts of the reader to their students.

Have to admit, I liked this book. The reason it's strange to admit that, is the fact that the storyline was so absurd that it was actually good. There were so many wierd twists and plots, but Mr. Reilly was able to knit them together pretty well.

First, this was a non-stop action thriller, and there are some interesting descriptions of weapons and weapons systems that were interesting. The book is so off the wall that it became zany and not even close to anything approaching reality. Maybe that wasn't the objective. It's roughly 150 pages too long. To use Reilly's favorite and well over-used technique. It's like the Bible written by a 10 year old.

...and then he saw it
...and then it happened all at once
...without any warning at all

Get used to these phrases, because you will be reading them a lot!

I picked up this book in the used section of the bookstore because the cover blurb seemed to be what I wanted to read at the time, a mindless action-adventure. I was surprised to find out that it was a sequel to another forgettable book I'd read -- Ice Station. I am usually pretty good about authors but while I only retained plot bits from that first novel I certainly remembered the laughable "and then he saw it" line, also used several times in that one.

The author is a horrible writer, but a decent storyteller. Both books have read like first treatments of a Die Hard movie. I was never bored, but also never taken much with his "craft" of writing. The slow character moments are forced, and the action bits are telegraphed months in advance. I can mildly recommend it, for lunchtime reading or perhaps a long trans-Pacific flight.

I read this back in high school and I really liked it. Lots of action and just a good fun ride.

Typical of all the Matthew Reilly books I have read, you don't get a moments peace. The action starts practically at the first page. I don't believe so much happens within such a short amount of time. Loved it.