Nevada Books

Mary Sojourner has the unique talent for taking us, with just a few strokes of the pen, into the stark, cold underbelly of human greed and arrogance, then flinging us into the heartbreaking beauty of the natural world. As a lone warrior and guardian of that natural world, she stops at nothing to protect it, facing arrest and the lawyers of multi-million dollar corporations with the same unyielding stance. Her essays are a testament to the best--and the worst--of the human spirit and this world we live in.

This is a collection of fifty-one personal essays about living (and dying) in the southwest that will leave you angry, sad, happy, disillusioned, and hopeful. But beware: if you are looking for a touchy-feely, I'm OK-Your OK collection, this is not for you. These essays are opinionated, sometimes in-your-face, always passionate critical critiques of living in the contemporary southwest that are a sheer delight to read. In pieces ranging from aging, gambling, land development and nature to the demise of local businesses and the joy of shopping in downtown Flagstaff, AZ., the reader is treated to one woman's opinions in a thoughtful, clear, and highly readable manner. Sojourner is destined to be a major player in the environmental, activists' genre. Highly recommended.

I borrowed this book from a friend, and started reading it. I couldn't put it down, even when it got late! Each story has a new person of a new sex, age, and story.I recommend this book to anyone who likes short stories, and enjoys stories about being a human, no matter where you live or how old.

Seeing that Hammond has a novel coming out reminded me of this book of short stories, which I read when it was first published a couple of years ago. My memories of the stories in Breathe Something Nice are still vivid and disturbing, in contrast to not remembering a single detail from many of the books I have read in the interim. These are memorable the way short stories should be.

I helped build the community college system in Nevada from 1970-1975. This paperback was published in 1973. Employees from the house came to our college to take course in psychology and business. Sitting along madams in airplanes was a common event. The book serves as a piece of local history.

gene ritchie disappeared although sen. schofields body i understand was discovered murdered.it had some connection with genes then wife and prostitute known as sherrie.id like to know what happened and have some info to share,it has been a mystery for a # of years and need some answers.

Stephen Ingram has produced a very worthy field guide with his book "Cacti, Agaves, and Yuccas of California and Nevada"! He goes far beyond the pictures and maps of most guide books and provides detailed sections on the plants' ecology, conservation needs and propogation.
The photos are detailed and stunning, and not limited to the usual one per plant. This is a must have book for any one interested in the plants found in the Mojave desert, as well as parts of nighboring deserts.

Having been a fan of Stephen's exquisite photographs for some time, I was thrilled to find his fabulous book. Besides being a talented photographer, Stephen really knows his stuff. This is THE book to have if you want to learn about the fascinating cacti, agaves and yuccas.

This is the perfect book for all types of plant enthusiasts. Stephen Ingram has combined his beautiful photographs with a nice description of each species, including basic ecology, distributional information, and fun facts about the history, nomenclature, native american uses, etc. It is easy to read, and although not something you would want to carry into the field, a "must have" reference book for any desert botanist. It is also such a beautiful display of photos that it serves as nice gift to anyone who appreciates plants, nature, or the desert.

This is a great introduction to the games that you can play in Vegas, the odds that the house has on each game. There's also good information about almost every casino in Vegas -- what's good and bad about each one.

Vinson has a nice writing style. He's humorous and informative.

Get this book if you've never been to Vegas, or if you've only been there a few times. The only strike against this book is that it's a few years old (published in 1996, I think), and things to change.

This book is great...it has Every number of every hotel in las vegas...which is great for finding out prices and attractions for the casinos at particular times, the author is a great writer...he kept my attention the whole time, and that's not easy to do! The most important thing is that he supplied the secrets and how-to info on most of the games in casinos...limiting the house edge to basically nothing, i'll be trying his methods in april and carrying his book!

I enjoy all of the Midnight Louie mysteries. I love cats and if you do too, you will definitely like these books. Makes you wonder what our cats really do on their own time!

Petite PR pro Temple Barr is chagrined when she fails to get her annual invite to submit skits for Las Vegas' annual Gridiron show - and not much happier when she gets a grudging request from the sleazy Crawford Buchanan for some help with the finale. But she can't resist - fabulous show stopping skits are her special forte. And she comes up with a winner.

But soon after her script is submitted, strange and threatening things start happening, including a boobytrapped stair rail that sends Temple and her signature high, high heels hurtling down a flight of steps. As the new PR person for the Crystal Phoenix Hotel, in charge of transforming the place into a casino that reflects family values (a tough assignment for Vegas!) this earns her a phalanx of fabulous Fontana brothers as bodyguards, much to her chagrin. There are at least nine Fontanas, all large and given to picking up petite Temple, who is not only sensitive about her tiny stature but accustomed to operating on her own - with a big assist from Louie. But Louie is also an independent operator and rarely interferes with Temple's routine. The Fontanas - who are a united family personified - overhelm. (But entertainingly.)

Meanwhile, neighbor Matt Devine sets off in search of his stepfather, Cliff Effinger - but he gets a late start. Before the PI he hires can give him his first clue, the body of Effinger falls onto a blackjack table from the casino ceiling. Soon Matt is under suspicion by Lieutenant CR Molina - who is also unhappy that Temple and Devine have discovered her alternate identity as the sultry cafe singer, Carmen.

Biggest problem - Matt is asked to identify the body and can't. He hasn't seen Effinger since the guy deserted Matt and his mother many years before - and time and the netural changes that death wreaks have rendered him not quite recognizable.

Matt wanted the satisfaction of getting some kind of revenge on the cruel stepfather - and instead may be in trouble without having the chance to act.

Suspicions of mob activity abound, especially given the content of Temple's skit, which alludes to the former dominance of the Mafia in Vegas history. But the show must go and - and does, despite a giant heist at the casino down the street that draws any police protection away from the show's arena.

But leave it to Midnight Louie - largely absent from Temple's apartment these days since he is avoiding the petite Caviar, who claims that her true name is Midnight Louise and that she is sworn to get revenge on her dear old dad who deserted her at birth. (Shades of Matt Devine - although Louie has wisely kept his name from his alleged offspring so far.)

Louie has been hanging around the periphery of the Crystal Pheonix keeping an eye out for his dear roommate. On a tour of the dressing rooms he finds a mysterious hidden door that leads to a set of tunnels that suddenly make the dangerous doings that have surrounded the show so far quite clear. Louie manages to lure Temple to the tunnels despite the fact that her big skit is due to begin in moments - and a wild chase through the underground begins - culminating in a crowded ride in a UFO and a grand entrance onto the Gridiron stage by several assorted criminals, hoofers, actors, the fabulous Fontanas, Temple herself. Finally, to huge applause and yet more media attention - Midnight Louie, the hero of the hour steps down from the top of the UFO and into the spotlight. (He can't help it - he simple attracts those cameras.)

The plot is fast paced and filled with tension - and enough comic relief to keep things going. But all is not fluff and fur here. Underneath the entire book is the pervasive theme of family values - those that the Crystal Pheonix wants to display, those that Matt Devine was deprived of because of his stepfather's cruelty and those that Midnight Louise feels that Louie failed to show her family.

The Pheonix comes through - and Louie and Louise come to a wary truce. Only Matt Devine is left dissatisfied - except for a new and blossoming relationship with Temple - and the acquisition of Midnight Louise as a roommate of his own.

The most charming thing about these books is not the fact that Louie speaks - but what he has to say. He talks tough - but he speaks sense, and always has a message that goes surprisingly deeper than one would expect from a mystery of this sort.

Not only does this book contain an immense amount of information about the gorgeous and fascinating state of Nevada---but it is all presented in a personable, idiosyncratic, witty and winning style. As with most guidebooks, you'll probably be interested in reading only those sections relevant to a planned trip. But the book is so informative and fun, you might find yourself---as I did---reading sections about areas in Nevada you have no plans to visit. Highly recommended.

Amusing and useful, well-laid out with honest reviews of both wilderness areas and the glitter gulches--I have used this book for several trips to Nevada and it is indespensible

Living in North Lake Tahoe for over 33 years cross-country skiing has become one of my great passions. In the winter months I spend four to five days a week skate skiing for fitness and pleasure. After all this time I figured I knew just about all I needed to about the ski areas in and around my home, but was I wrong. A short time into Tim's book I had already gathered new information and ideas for some exciting excursions both close to home and a day trip away. I would recommend this informative, fun book to both experienced and novice cross-country skiers. Also, if you have thought about cross-country skiing but haven't had the chance to try it, this is also the book for you. It will help you make some good decisions on where and how to start this great sport. Now, get out there and have some fun!

With brevity and charm, Hauserman shares his thorough knowledge about local and regional cross-country ski areas. (There are 13 between Mt. Shasta and Yosemite.) Anyone yearning to get out there on skinny skies - either as a novice or as a veteran looking beyond the everyday workout - should buy this book. For beginning skiers, Hauserman breaks down the complexities of this oft-misunderstood sport and tells where to get more help on the web or at local ski shops when you need it. For veterans, he provides ski maps, directions, resort highlights, activities and even a little natural history. The chapters and guide entries are straightforward. During his two-plus years of field research, Hauserman explored thousands of kilometers of trails and ate in every resort restaurant (for research, of course!). He checked out local lodgings and interviewed managers and local skiers. The end result is a book that clarifies details and whets appetites for the best of the Sierra Nevada's groomed resort terrain.

A sly fictional account of the good queen's holiday in Jamaica and her improbable adventures there. Lavishly illustrated with whimsical drawings of the black-clad queen kicking up her heels. A delight.

I was intrigued to read an obituary of Routh in the Economist (June 17th, 2008) and wasn't surprised to learn of his reputation as a eternal prankster. He was, it seems, star of the British version of Candid Camera in the UK. In later years he moved to Jamaica and took up painting. The Economist obit described his style thus:

"He painted nuns driving racing cars and flying balloons, the pope windsurfing, Mona Lisa naked or smoking. His favourite subject was the aged Queen Victoria, on an imaginary trip to Jamaica in 1871, doing the hula-hoop or the limbo dance, riding a zebra and driving dodgem cars. He could have found a more prosaic explanation for the missing three months of her reign. But he preferred, as ever, the shock of the absurd, and the sense of the detached voyeur intruding on private space."

Endearing illustrations of a tiny, white veiled Queen Victoria cavorting with courtiers the color of midnight accompany a tongue-in-cheek description of a monarch on a risque holiday adventure. This charming picture book is a wonderful addition for anyone who collects memorabilia from Jamaica.

FYI: This book was published in an little different form under Nevada Jade. For Desert Rose, Ms. Chaikin revamped and added to the plot but the story line and characters are similar to those in Nevada Jade.

I loved this book. Linda Chaikin is one of my favourite authors. She takes you to the Old West 1859 to Nevada where Virginia City is booming with silver. Annalee Halliday's father had struck it rich there! Annalee couldn't wait to tell her mother the good news. As the Hallidays travel from California to join him, they became trapped in a fierce winter fighting for survival. Marshal Brett Wilder is also searching for Jack Halliday...but not for the same reason. He is commissioned by the governor to arrest Jack Halliday for a murderer of a card dealer and for crippling Brett's father's arm who was a great surgeon. He rescues Annalee and her family from death. Annalee fights her attraction for the handsome lawman and her illness. She tries to deny the fact that she is not strong but her Lord could use her to have an impact on other people's lives. A great and wonderfull story about a young woman and her feelings of worthlessness and heartbreak and a handsome Brett Wilder who struggles with showing justice and mercy to the people who ruined his and his father's lives. I have news for everyone who likes this book. There is a sequel and it's called "Desert Star" and is due to be published in January!