Nevada Books

We are new the Las Vegas and being from the northwest this book has been very helpful.

I devoured this book. I'll soon be gardening in the upper desert (cold desert)of Northern Nevada. Gardening books for that particular region have been hard to come by. This book covers all regions of Nevada. It is short on photographs, but it is well-organized and simple to follow. I'm so glad I found this gardener's bible.

I just finished reading this book and found it to be an excellent source for desert gardeners. The authors are long time desert gardeners themselves and it shows. The book is easy to use, easy to understand, well-written, and quite comprehensive. A great deal of plant material is covered here.
The sections on growing lawns under hot, desert type conditions are especially good, and are obviously the result of many years of hands-on, practical experience.
Much gardening reading material is not of much use for people living in areas like Las Vegas, Nevada, but this material certainly is.
If I had but one gripe about the book, it is that it does not cover allergies caused by landscape plants very well. But then, not many gardening books do.

I recently moved from the central coast of California to Northern Nevada. Being an avid gardener, I was concerned as to what type of gardening I was going to be able to enjoy in my new home. I purchased this book prior to moving and was totally frustrated. This book leads you to believe that nothing grows in northern Nevada. Imagine my surprise when I arrived and found an abundance of plants to choose from. Some of the plants that were suppose to be forbidden for my area were growing heartily! The author's are from the Las Vegas area and really don't know much about gardening in the northern part of the state.

This is one of the most comprehensive books that covers all the geographical areas of Nevada. It has a wonderful cross section of plants suitable for the cold climates as well as the desert of Southern Nevada.

The authors are both respected professionals in this field, and you can trust what they say. Unlike other volumes that have more pictures than text, this one gives information that is usable.

This would be the best gifts you could give to someone that wants to enjoy getting thier hands dirty and their yards beautiful.

A must buy for any ghost town enthusiast!

This volume and the companion volume for southern Nevada make great guides for the 4WD explorer. The maps, which are very detailed (I only wish a foldout complete map were included) indicate every mining camp, settlement, even cemetary, as well as rating the roads as trails, 4WD necessary, or better. The maps also refer the reader to Paher's more detailed book on the ghost towns themselves, including appropriate page numbers. The maps are the heart of the book.

The photos, which besides the maps make up the balance of the book, are excellent but in many cases dated. In fact, there are numerous notes that this or that building or artifact is no longer in existence. This is useful, if sad, since the reader is likely an explorer of these sites as well, and will not want to waste time on driving to some remote site where everything of note has been looted or removed. Still, more current photos, or then-and-now photos, would have been desirable.

Regarding the text, there is very little - readers interested in the stories behind the towns need to get Paher's larger volume on the same subject.

This volume only cover the northern part of the state. If you want the Las Vegas area, check out volume two. The maps and photos are good.

This excellent book of maps is an addendum volume to Stanley Paher's superb NEVADA GHOST TOWNS AND MINING CAMPS, one of the best (and best selling) books on the state. It covers the northern part of the state (a second volume deals with southern Nevada and Death Valley). The maps are incredibly detailed and include all the ghost towns/mining camps in Paher's book and then some. In addition to the maps, many photographs of many of the sites are included, though most of them look no more recent than the 1950s (so visitors today should expect to see much less physical evidence than shown in the photos). This book is essential for anyone who plans to go "ghost hunting" in person, though I recommed getting Paher's book too.

Two slim volumes. Maps. Some photographs. Adequate, but not much more. For neophytes.

Add another $20 to the purchase price and buy his 1970 hardcover edition, which is incredible.

I almost bought this book but was fortunate enough to find a copy at my local public library. (I heartily recommend that alternative to buying the book if you have a choice.) I started reading it with great anticipation, but was disappointed off the bat by all the filler material on Bob Stupak's father, Chester. Yeah, sure, the old man was a great influence on his son, but two paragraphs would have sufficed! Next, I kept expecting to read interesting anecdotes about Vegas World, one of the funkiest gambling joints the world will ever know--the very epitome of cheesy. However, the stories just aren't there, and it is a major shortcoming. Finally, even the manner in which the author addresses the great plunge the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino took after it opened in 1996 makes that event--the repercussions of which are still felt today in Las Vegas--seem anticlimactic and irrelevant.

In short, the tower, which Stupak originally conceived as a cash cow, turned out to be his biggest folly and the instrument of his demise. That is the real story of Bob Stupak, but you won't get it in this jumbled, incoherent tome.

Most interesting...biography of Bob Stupak. Easy read. If you wonder where did the idea of the Stratosphere come from... this has the answers. Bob Stupak is a fascinating gentleman, this tells his story. I just returned from a visit to Vegas and went to the top of Stratosphere, road the High Roller Roller Coaster and took the Big Shot...came across this book while in Vegas and couldn't put it down. Gives background of several casinos and the personalities involved with them... recommend it.

Stupak is a figure who inspires strong (and usually negative) reactions in those interested in Las Vegas. Smith, however, delivers what seems to be an even-handed discussion of the man, and what he's done for Las Vegas, both good and bad. A quick and fascinating read.

stories of these types of guys are fascinating. His first hour ever in Vegas and he blows 12,000 bucks, on marker. Proceeded to go right back to the airport and flew home to Pittsburg. But he fell in love with the place. He didnt go back as a gambler, but to get where the real money is, with intentions on becoming a casino owner. After more than 7 years(most of them in Australia - you'll have to read it) he had acguired a substantial grubstake and headed off to Vegas. He runs an ad in the paper looking investment opportunities. Although the ad did not directly produce investment results, it did provide him with some very important connections. He buys a vacant lot far off the strip, gets licensed, builds a casino, adds a hotel and self-promotes his ass off. To fill in the blanks and know the rest, you gotta read it yourself. He even had ties, loosely at best, to Anthony Spiltro, the real life mobster the Joe Pesci character was based on in Casino. I love this one.

Great book. Being a regular Las Vegas visitor I have always been intrigued by the incredible Stratosphere Tower and Casino, and wanted to learn a bit more about Bob Stupak, the Stratosphere creator and infamous Vegas personality. What a fascinating life Stupak has had. Everything from his motorcycle racing days, to his early struggles of trying to succeed in the cutthroat Vegas gaming industry. Here is a man with an 8th grade education that overcame staggering odds to become one of the most successful independent operators in the city. He survived a heavy handed Nevada Gaming Control Board, as well as a motorcycle accident that nearly killed him. There is a lesson in this book for all of us. The key word is DETERMINATION! I hope one day my travels in Vegas will give me the opportunity to meet Mr. Stupak, who no matter what you think of him, has left a lasting impression on the Las Vegas skyline that will be a reminder of him for years to come.

In this book Smith wrote a much better story than the hatchet job he did on casino mogul Steve Wynn. Hey John how about a book on one of the true gentleman gaming legends in Vegas, none other than Jackie Gaughan? If written in the even handed manner of your Stupak book, I'll be the first buyer in line!!

If you have an open and inquisitive mind, no matter what your political outlook, you will enjoy this exploration of western America and our relationship with this unique landscape. Solnit weaves discussions about the settlement of the west by Euro-Americans, native American rights, nuclear testing, and other critical issues, with ruminations about H.D. Thoreau, John Muir, country music, landscape painters, and other intriguing topics. This is an excellent book about an important subject that will delight you if you let it.

Solnit's juxtaposition of the insidious nuclear poisoning of Nevada to the making of Yosemite National Park (that she shows has been "loved to death" since it was first discovered by whites more than 150 years ago)makes this book a must for all environmentalists. Solnit deals directly with themes of conquest and redemption in historic efforts to both tame and use these lands. Readers gain specific understanding about two places that are, after all, national icons. However, the deeper themes so well-developed in this book are being played out no less dramtically all across the country.

If people would really read the TRUE history of Yosemite Indians they would find something interesting. First the Miwoks in the area were friends and workers for James Savage and Charles Webber, the founder of Stockton. The Miwoks had a working relationship with both white men and they dug gold for them. The real Indians of Yosemite were Mono Paiutes who tried to fight off the invasion, and not Miwoks. They were allied with the white invaders and they called James Savage "White father". I am a descendent of the original Indians of Yosemite and there is a problem. The defintion "Some of them are killers" for Yosemite was fabricated in 1978 and is not the original meaning of Yosemite. The real meaning was "The Killers" or "The Grizzlies" because the Miwoks were afraid of the Ahwahnees. It was Chief Bautista and Russio, who were helping the Mariposa Battalion, who coined that term "Yosemite" for the Indians in Yosemite Valley which they were afraid to enter. It is because the Miwoks were once enemies of Chief Tenaya and the Ahwahnees. 30 years Yosemite National Park Service hired a person named Craig Bates who was married to a Miwok woman and had a 1/2 Miwok son who created that new defintion. So it is increble that ONE person changed the meaning and defintion of one of the most important and well known parks in the whold world...and no one noticed. The Miwoks were actually the scouts and guides for James Savage and the Mariposa Battalion, but you would not know it because the information was controlled by the "Indian expert" at Yosemite, which causes wrong information to be written...like the actual defintion of Yosemite. For the real story read Lafayette H. Bunnell's Discovery of the Yosemite to find out the truth.

This book is classic eco paganistic 1/2 truths and full tripe. Solnit carries on a dreamy and irresponsible massive 'feel good' opinion piece about the handfull of people harmed by our successfull development of our deffensive nuclear weapons. The author fails to note that our development and limited use of our weapons saved millions of lives.
If you are currently a eco pagan, here is more for your religion. If you want a full account of the history of our deffensive development of nuecs, don't waste your time reading this novel. However, if you want further insight into the basis that drives our planet's new pagan eco religion, then this book will help you to understanding their factualy fictionist journey into politics.

Wow, take a moment to read the other reviews of this book.

I picked this book up off a bargain table, and months later happened to take it with me when I was visiting Yosemite without knowing 1/2 the book was about Yosemite. That was kind of a thrill.

Solnit's historical and writing skills, her ability to build a world stage of activity and its interconnectedness with her narrative are extraordinary.

As a landscape artist and photographer, I find this book to be a great resource. Understanding the history of Yosemite is frankly consciousness shifting.

As the other reviewer says, nuclear weapons are our oyster.

Indians, big bangs, Central Park, Fremont and the Heart of Darkness. How about that.

Red Shuttleworth is a true poetic genius. His true to life poems relate to my life. He portray's the simple things in life with a somewhat cynical attitude. His poems are entertaining and depict absurd realities of family and true life situations, and I'm sure anyone from a similar upbringing would agree.

Unlike any other voice of his generation, this cowboy poet-playwright philosopher is an amazing wordsmith. His stance is as hard as his words, & his use of unexpected humor is always jarring & endearing. A major-league writer & a pure pleasure to read.

Red Shuttleworth's poems transports us to a place not yet computerized, not yet virtualized. Red's westscapes--from Nebraska to British Columbia to Nevada--are actual, accessible places, where the past pales into the present, storybook legends of gunslingers juxtaposed between forever and now. Many of the historical poems--researched in diaries, letters, and interviews--detail the twilight years of outlaws who outlived the Wild West only to be pensioned on the small change of their own myths: Cole Younger on the county fair circuit; Frank James selling pebbles from Jessie's grave, Bat Materson hocking guns to cover bets; Wyatt Earp broke on a deathbed in Hollywood. The incongruous reckonings of these men are not bittersweet but rather the last acts in lives fully lived. The robberies were just pranks, wonderful whoop-de-doo in the rollicking whirligig of youth. Some poems make connections between the outlaws of yesteryear with the outlaw country-western singers of today. Waylon and Willie are nothing less than a new breed of gunslinger, grit-mythic honky tonk heroes--spontaneous, excessive, existential, ever-young. Red's own heartland is found in the anecdotal narratives describing the western places he's lived. They are lyric explorations of domesticity, lingering idylls of "mending barbwire" and "spraying thistles" on a Sunday afternoon--a pastoral place where the closet neighbors are coyotes, where his son bronc-rides sheep, and his daughters call to screech owls. This is a settled place full of romantic possibilities, a good place to raise and family and romance a wife, an Americana "drunk with dusk," a land where "every wrinkle deepens," and the truest thing you know "whistles out of the Dakotas." Red's voice is western spare and idiosyncratic. His love poems to his wife Kate remind us how the best pleasures come from everyday epiphanies--"a mended jacket, framed snapshots of my girls, a bottle of Power's Irish whiskey." The grit-myths of Western Settings showcase thirty years of publications in journals and chapbooks, giving us a glimpses of a life lived for the moments to be had.

Banal and boring; he may be a cowboy... but he isn't a poet.

Red Shuttleworth's poems transports us to a place not yet computerized, not yet virtualized. Red's westscapes--from Nebraska to British Columbia to Nevada--are actual, accessible places, where the past pales into the present, storybook legends of gunslingers juxtaposed between forever and now. Many of the historical poems--researched in diaries, letters, and interviews--detail the twilight years of outlaws who outlived the Wild West only to be pensioned on the small change of their own myths: Cole Younger on the county fair circuit; Frank James selling pebbles from Jessie's grave, Bat Materson hocking guns to cover bets; Wyatt Earp broke on a deathbed in Hollywood. The incongruous reckonings of these men are not bittersweet but rather the last acts in lives fully lived. The robberies were just pranks, wonderful whoop-de-doo in the rollicking whirligig of youth. Some poems make connections between the outlaws of yesteryear with the outlaw country-western singers of today. Waylon and Willie are nothing less than a new breed of gunslinger, grit-mythic honky tonk heroes--spontaneous, excessive, existential, ever-young. Red's own heartland is found in the anecdotal narratives describing the western places he's lived. They are lyric explorations of domesticity, lingering idylls of "mending barbwire" and "spraying thistles" on a Sunday afternoon--a pastoral place where the closet neighbors are coyotes, where his son bronc-rides sheep, and his daughters call to screech owls. This is a settled place full of romantic possibilities, a good place to raise and family and romance a wife, an Americana "drunk with dusk," a land where "every wrinkle deepens," and the truest thing you know "whistles out of the Dakotas." Red's voice is western spare and idiosyncratic. His love poems to his wife Kate remind us how the best pleasures come from everyday epiphanies--"a mended jacket, framed snapshots of my girls, a bottle of Power's Irish whiskey." The grit-myths of Western Settings showcase thirty years of publications in journals and chapbooks, giving us a glimpses of a life lived for the moments to be had.

Bombs in the Backyard focuses primarily on atomic bomb testing with most of its focus on the [[Wikipedia:Nevada Test Site]]. Its strengths lie in detailing how said testing, specifically radiation, affected not only the health of military personnel, but those downwind of the atomic blasts (including livestock). The second half of the book focuses on how the government, specifically Pentagon and the [[Wikipedia:Atomic Energy Commission]] failed to provide various forms of protection and information to those affected by the testing, and how the courts and federal government mostly fail to compensate the victims of atomic testing. The book was originally penned in the late 1980's.

Outstanding. Any person who believes the governments lies about Yucca Mountain and that nuclear waste can be transported safely across the United States, should read this book.

Thoughtful, well-researched, scholoarly perspective without the emotional hysterics common in most histories of nuclear testing. Excellent legislative history of laws leading to compensation for victims of radioactivity due to atmospheric testing. Highly recommended for the serious student of nuclear policy.

An uneven book that tries to cover a wide range of issues and topics, but does so in most cases only superficially. Some topics seem to be well researched, while others seem to have been thrown together on the fly. There's very little new in this book, which is of interest only for its perspective, which is not vehemently anti-testing.

Don't waste your time on this one. It lacks the forensic psychological profiling necessary for an interesting true crime book. If you're looking for more than just sleaze, read any of Ann Rule's books.

I beg to differ with the reader from Scottsdale, AZ. I found King's book to be a real page-turner, as are all of King's books, from beginning to end. I particularly liked the historical aspects of the book, from background about Las Vegas and Nevada to background on the Binion family history. King doesn't pad his books with filler--instead he tells a story the way a story should be told. If you like romance and/or Gone With the Wind type stuff, or descriptions of city streets that take up eight pages or so every time a descriptive passage presents itself, then you should stick with the so-called and self-proclaimed "Queen of True Crime." If you're after hard-hitting true crime that really moves, page after page, then you'll like this book and just about anything else this guy has written.

Gary's book is outstanding! It is an accurate depiction of the investigation into the murder of Ted Binion. "An Early Grave" will hold your attention from start to finish. I was the lead detective in the case and had a hard time putting down the book. Gary King is a brilliant writer!

I have read all the synopis, i watched the whole trial, and the specials on TV about the murder it is great! GARY C. King is my very favorite true crime author! I got married in vegas and have been in Binion Horseshoe Casino many times! this book has it all flaky characters, greed, fame, ambition, adultry, infidelity, drugs, mafia! I ordered 10 books i want all my family and friends to read this one! Happy reading!

This book is a quick read packed with useful and entertaining information. It's not a complete guide to the trail, but more one person's narrative about planning for and then hiking the trail. I could not put the book down once I started.

The first half of the book is an overview of the basic information of the trail (like options for resupplying) plus a detailed description of the equipment that the author and his son considered taking (and eventually took) on the trip. The author took sort of a midweight approach, carrying a little more than 100 lbs split between two people. That said, he discusses all the major options and the reasoning behind the choices he ended up making.

The second half of the book is a journal of the trip itself. It is filled with colorful descriptions of places and people. The author tells many, many little stories, all of which are interesting in some way, and you get a very good sense of the characters met along the way. Also included are a number of color plates with photographs taken by the author.

The downsides to this book are minor. Another reviewer commented about homeopathic remedies and the author not really hiking the whole JMT in one go, but neither of these really detracted from the narrative much. The split in the trip was to hike the first 3 days as a warmup in June before the rest of the hike in September.

Overall, the book is worth 5 stars in my opinion, as it is packs in a good amount of useful information in a very entertaining manner.

Mr. Saperstein's personal credibility leaves much to be desired. First, and most troubling, is that he describes himself as a through-hiker, but isn't - by his own admission. He hiked the trail in two time periods separated by months. Sorry, Mr. Saperstein, but that's not through-hiking. The other troubling aspect to the text is his constant hyping of homeopathic remedies. Mr. Saperstein may be a very bright guy, but just as I would expect people to take everything I say with a grain of salt if I constantly reminded them that I had been abducted by aliens, I often wondered if the text I was reading was "reality based." Having said all that, I did enjoy the book and would recommend it to those contemplating a through-hike, including to Mr. Saperstein, should he ever decide to do it.

This fine book inspires as well as educates. It gives a nice overview of the trail as well as some handy info. The pictures are beautiful and writing very colorful. It made me want to go hiking right now. It offers perhaps the best way to do the trail, slow and relaxed. If I only had the time.
RC

I must report how much I enjoyed the trip along the John Muir Trail.
This book is written in a very detailed and interesting way.
It held my interest through the night until I finished it. I am sure that anyone wishing information regarding the trail will find the book very helpful and interesting along the way. I saw the beauty and grandeur of the sights and sounds of the JMT through this book.

enjoying reading this book, just recieved it a couple of weeks ago
first fished pyramid lake in feb. 1994 with my son and my fishing
buddy, terry writes a great book and i also sent a copy to my friend

When I "called up" more info on the above titled book by Jim Creiner, I noticed you have connected it with a review for a lake in Navada (Pyramid?) -- they aren't the same!

Pyramid Lake, Nevada is a world-class, trophy quality, Lahontan cutthroat trout fishery. Terry Barron's No Nonsense Guide To Fly Fishing Pyramid Lake is the complete and authoritative guide providing the angler with all the essential fly fishing information, history, and background needed to successfully fly fish this outstanding fishery. Edited and with a foreword by Jeff Cavender, this "user friendly" angler's guide covers everything from baitfish and flies to the best times to fish, to accommodations and how to get there. If you are planning to fish Pyramid Lake, begin with a thorough reading of Terry Barron's No Nonsense Guide To Fly Fishing Pyramid Lake.

Good book that covers all the basics. I actually fished this lake while reading the book - in about 40 hours of fishing I caught (and released) over 100 beautiful Lahontan cutts that averaged apx 18" with the big one reaching 27". This place is the "real deal" and this book will prove very useful in navigating the fishing spots and gearing up to catch the fish. My only beef with the book is it should show a color picture of this very unique trout. Dan

Looks like interesting and informative book about Great Basin National Park. I will have to travel there when I'm finished with college and have vacation time

Falcon hiking guides are usually fairly straightforward affairs. You get a route description and directions to the trailhead, and not a lot else. This compilation by Bruce Grubbs is a major exception. Full of natural history and geography this book will add to your appreciation of the region. It is also quite comprehensive, including every trail in this spectacular area and many more in the Mt. Moriah Wilderness north of the park.

Hikes in the book include the classics of the park, most notably the guided tour of Lehman Caves and the climb to the summit of Wheeler Peak, Nevada's highest at 13,061 feet. But using this guide will get you to many other nice destinations as well. Ancient Bristlecone Pines nearly 5000 years old can be found within the park as can several nice lake basins and archeological sites. My wife and I took several walks from this guide and are now planning another trip to Great Basin National Park. It is truly the best outdoor experience in Nevada and this is a good book to plan a vacation around.

This is a good guide book to hiking trails and other information regarding Great Basin National Park. I have some of Bruce Grubbs' other books and he does a good job of preparing you for the trails. While I think it is admirable that the book is printed on recycled paper, it might also be the reason I find it difficult to read. I don't know if different ink can be used when printing on recycled paper, but my 50 year-old eyes require more contrast between the printing and the paper.

I'm planning a backpacking trip to the park this year, and have been reading the pertinent guidebooks. This one is a good intro for the average National Park visitor looking to do some of the good day hikes or short backpacking trips.

This guide contains a basic introductory section on the area: Human and natural history, and some very basic and generalized backcountry hiking and camping tips. The hikes described here can be considered a 'best of' for day hikers and one night backpacking trips, and are relatively accessible from the main park entrance areas.
My main complaint is that there is no detailed overview map of the park, very poorly detailed maps of the hikes (which is an issue I have with most Falcon guides), and no coverage of the remote southern and western portions of the park.

Great Basin National Park is essentially a wilderness park, there are a few great hiking trails (such as those in this book) but the real wilderness opportunities are off-trail, cross country type hikes. For those interested in travelling the remote backcountry and alpine areas of the park, the out-of-print Kelsey guide is like gold. The USGS topo maps are essential for cross-country travel (the Earthwalk Press map being suitable for day hikes but annoyingly difficult to view topographic details due to the scale and coloration). Impeccable compass and land navigation skills are a must, as are Leave No Trace ethics and substantial wilderness experience. Water is often hard to find, rescue is days away, and even many of the designated trails are poorly marked and faint. Have fun!!