Las Vegas Books

This fabulous book concentrated on the history and glitz of old Las Vegas, and I loved it! Very informative, and very exciting! I'm only 25 years old, so I especially loved comparing the glamour of old Las Vegas with the city that I know today. I gave this book to my dad to read after me, and he loved it for completely different reasons... mostly because he remembers those fabulous days from the 1950s. The photos and stories are unbelievable, including the Rat Pack, Mae West, and my personal favorite: Elvis performing with Liberace! This is a great book for anyone who loves Las Vegas, who wants to know the history of sin city, appreciates good entertainment, or who just likes to travel. The whole book is fun, and I even learned something from reading it! I'm telling everyone, young and old alike, to buy this book.

I've been to Vegas a dozen times, but the stores are always sold out of this fabulous book. So I was glad to get it here. It's a great, visual tour of old Las Vegas--the place my mom and dad used to go and bring me souvenirs. I like the pictures very much, as well as the artwork from the period, and the brief captions were enough to whet my appetite for more. I want to collect poker chips now! The fabulous shot of Elvis and Liberace, as well as the shots of Sinatra and Mae West are all unbelievable treasures. I don't know how these guys found all this stuff, but my hat is off to them. And actually reading Keely Smith's words after listening to her music for years was a great honor. I recommend this book whole heartedly

I'm sorry to be negative--I'm a big fan of some of Mr. Basten's other books--but this was a disappointment. I expected more (or at least some) text. Hardcover, but only 127 pages, and many of the photos are blown up so that their pixels or scanner artifacts show. The book's graphic style is "Annoying Fifties," which is appropriate, but the caption text is rendered in brush script. Another reviewer said that the first half was all about the early history of the first casinos--would that this were true.

There are lots of "mood" photos, and Charles Phoenix' collection of matchbooks and swizzle sticks are amply presented, but the text is filled with "mid-fifties" and "late 1940s." Call me obsessive, but I like a bit more precision in my history. The book starts with a mention of "Helldorado Day," a tradition that evolved into a four-day annual celebration. Wonder what time of year it occured or whether or not it is still occurring? Me, too.

So, if you'd like to see several dozen historical photos with reasonably good captions, here's your book. Keely Smith's introduction is entertaining. But as another reviewer mentioned, Alan Hess' Viva Las Vegas is better for a real history with actual, um, facts.

Great Book. Many old pictures of Vegas. Shows some awsome old Casino Chips Pictured. Talks about the behind scences life of vegas. One of the best books out there.

I was attracted to this book because it covers a period in American life that fascinates me. The text (basically captions to the photos) provides a superficial but exuberant look at Vegas. The first half of the book covers the origins of the major hotels and casinos, plenty of color photos, match book covers, postcards, menus etc presented in breezy layouts. The section on the entertainers I found dull as these people, looking at the photos, could have been performing anywhere. For what ia really a fun book it does have an index.

A far better coverage of Las Vegas can be found in 'Viva Las Vegas: after-hours architecture' by Alan Hess. This book is almost the oppposite of 'Fabulous Las Vegas', essentially text and some color photos but Hess has done a tremendous amount of research. The really keen could plough through 'Learning From Las Vegas' by the architectual team Venturi, Scott-Brown and Izenour, their controversial view was that Vegas, because of its popularity, should influence building design elsewhere...I think I would agrre with that.

I would have rated one star if it were an option. If you can finish this book, chalk it up to boredom...that's the only reason I finished it. If you can finish this book and tell a good friend that you enjoyed it, I don't even know what to say. If you suggest this book to a good friend, you're just plain mean. Every single time I began to read this book, I fell asleep within thirty minutes. I was sure something was going to happen any time. It never did. The lack of dialog may have been the main reason it didn't grab my attention, but seriously...the most uninteresting book i've read in a very long time.

I was enthralled by this book from the very first sentence. The writing is so beautiful that, even though the vast majority of the action takes place in the mind and there are many purely descriptive passages,the story seemed full of action.
I appreciated the water imagery, which was consistent throughout, lending a unity to the narrative. Kitchen is not the first to use this potent imagery ( "Those are pearls that were his eyes"; "I should have been a pair of ragged claws . . .") but that's because water is so elemental to everyone.
I must confess that, like Molly, I am a 50-plus married woman with a passion for music, so I found lots to relate to in the book. Unlike Molly, however, I do not enjoy the works of Edna O'Brien.
One quibble: I thought the portrait of the husband as a deracinated, disaffected Jewish academic was more than a little trite.

The House on Eccles Road pulls off a small miracle. It's the story of one anniversary day in a troubled long term marriage--a day filled with recognizable "petty offenses" by the couple against one another, and with the possibility of reconciliation. It's realistic. It's also written in a fluid internal style, ranging from character to character, and centering on one woman's longings. It's colored by sadness and memory but brilliantly intense about the present. It's a passionate, lyrical book. And for those who can recognize this, it plays off amazingly against James Joyce's mammoth Ulysses, answering that mammoth mythic masterpiece with a woman's point of view, a woman's feelings, a woman's truth. It is a moving book, maybe unforgettable.

This book surprised me- it slows you down. The entire book takes place in one day. How two married people can so easily live within their own heads and rarely intersect at good conversation. I found the writing beautiful and very true to life. a simple snapshot. a magnifying glass into the mind.

This book came as a gift from my college-age son. A "story" it is not, verging more on the poetry of daily life. It is succinct, well edited, and the writing is exquisitely crafted to give life to the personal voices of Molly and those family members and others who touch into her life. The 51-year-old Molly is close to my age - her thoughts, insecurities, and relationships feel so authentic. This is a book to share and savor with your women friends. I find myself looking to see what else is available from Judith Kitchen.

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.

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.

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!!

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.

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!

I have been visiting Vegas every year or two for about 20 years. I try to get as much new information as I can about it before I leave. Fodor's guide helped me considerably because it lets me know what's new so I can go right to it.
I especially like the maps in the book. I'm going to take the pullout map with me.
This book answered all my questions and answered them well.

I didn't like this book very much. The Fodors New York was very useful for me, so I decided to buy Fodors again for Las Vegas. The text style has changed. I guess Fodors is trying to be more hip and cool to attract readers from Lonely Planet and Rough Guides, but seems pathetic. The guide tells which hotel has the best groovy pool for you to see and been seen. Rubbish. And I must say that only some hotels are listed. I wanted to know their opinion about Signature by MGM Grand, cause it's very well quoted in Trip Advisor, but it's not mentioned. Well, it was very disappointing.

I purchase guidebooks for two reasons: first, to have a handy resource guide I can use to for its maps, phone numbers, and addresses, and, second, for a chance to find overlooked, new, or hole-in-the-wall places to go that I might not think of or discover on my own.
Fodor's 2008 guide does an okay job on both these points, but not exceptional. Perhaps Las Vegas just has too many hotels, restaurants, and other attractions for the guide to list even their most basic information, but it can be frustrating to look up a fairly well-known attraction (for a needed phone number and address) and not find it. It's less frustrating, but also less worthwhile, to sit back on the plane and flip through the guide looking for something new to do in a familiar place and not find anything ... and that happened, too.
The guide hits many of the high points and does appear to try to spend time looking for a few "secret hideaways," but I think it does only an adequate job in each area. Perhaps the handy-but-somewhat-unnecessary gambler's guide could be shortened. Yes, the information there is cool and understandable, but there are dozens of better-written and easily available guides to gambling ... most of which can be found in the Las Vegas Airport or a casino gift shop. Maybe the guide could excise a few pages from the "around Las Vegas" sections, where it talks about attractions a good hour or two drive from the city. Still, those ARE things you aren't likely to find out about on your own. Maybe the guide simply needs to be longer.
Anyway, I think the Fodor's Guide to Las Vegas is about as good a guide as I've seen ... but that's just not saying a lot.

When I receive the fodor's (Los angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas) I ordered month ago, I honestly didn't expercted to be so good, it has been an incredible help when planning my next vacations. Thanks for been such as good tool for us (internet buyers). Pao

This CD lets you see a lot of Las Vegas in the cool Quicktime VR format. You can take a 'virtual tour' and get a good idea about how to plan a trip to Vegas, and see a variety of perspectives on the action!

I got the CD for Chirstmas and thought that it was a great CD. It was fun and bought back some cool memories. I would recommend this CD if you love Vegas.

I bought this CD sometime ago and thought that it was a great resource for my family. If you are ever going to go to Las Vegas you should see this CD. It really helped us grasp a very confusing and overwhelming town.

Save your money. This virtual reality program of Vegas is just some virtual junk. First of all, the program doesn't come with instructions or even an installation application. It took me 30 minutes to figure out how to start the program and when I did, I was greatly disappointed. The program did have some nice picures of Las Vegas, but [price] for a collection of pictures that you can rotate and zoom in and out on, is a bit much.

Tom Bernard does a great job with this novel, especially considering it is his first.

Like the Nici bond scheme, so central to the plot, there is little redeeming value to "Wall and Mean." The book suffers from a number literary flaws such as cartoonish characters, desultory dialog, and plodding plot. The twists and turns the author, Tom Bernard, presents are at best illogical, and at worst (to turn a title) just 'woeful and mean'.
What is successful in this book are the scenes involving stale trading floor antics, overstated trader debaucheries, and recycled Wall Street anecdotes. It is always fun to recall Wall Street excesses brought to literary light in "Liars Poker" and the rest of the Street tell-alls. Read those books instead.
This book breaks no new ground and if not for its one redeeming value, I would have demanded a refund. The author's proceeds are given to autism research, which is quite a worthy cause. But I cannot recommend the book for that reason alone, rather you should donate the entire cost of the book to autism research and cut out the middle-man.

Bernard's intimate knowledge of wall street provides a realistic framework for this fast paced thriller. The story is engaging and enjoyable, so much so, that I read the book in one sitting.

George Wilhelm lives in a rarified world where his intellect is celebrated, the newest young phenomenon on the Emerging Markets desk at City Trust Bank in New York, one of a select few. George's singular vice is gambling, but then he has always had the touch... until he doesn't. Then Wall Street meets the mean streets and Wilhelm learns the hard way that bookies don't wait for payday to collect their money. Reeling from a wakeup call delivered by two thugs who have purchased his contract, George is introduced to the sudden brutality of the criminal underbelly that lurks below the surface of big money; and thugs they are, two lowlifes whose massive biceps belie any patience or tolerance when their money is at stake.

While struggling to pay the weekly vig, George comes up with an elaborate scheme to raise the sum he needs to get out from under the threat of bodily harm, taking on a partner to accomplish the sophisticated plan that is inspired by the intricacies of trading in which he excels. One step ahead of the violence that awaits his failure, George juggles work, romance and an increasing panic, mixing with men of questionable repute from Miami to the Bahamas, desperate to escape his compromising circumstances and go back to a normal life. Although George's plan will make more sense to anyone familiar with the vagaries of stocks and hedge funds, clearly the risk is significant, both personally, in his career and potentially, his life.

A former stock broker, the author molds his tale around a young man's hubris and his unfortunate susceptibility to the vice of gambling. George skates to the limit and back over one harrowing long weekend, learning quickly the duplicity of greed. Although the author attempts a bit of American Psycho gallows humor at the end, the whole is uneven, the brutality of George's choices an uncomfortable match with his levity. One is never sure if Wilhelm is a genius or a fool; he is, however, unlikable, as are the rest of the characters, either too self-centered or stereotypical to leave a lasting impression. (A caveat: you can't ignore Bernard's generosity; proceeds from the sale of Wall and Mean go to Autism Speaks and Safe Minds.) Luan Gaines/2007.

I found Bishop Foster's book while searching Las Vegas wedding sites. Her unique frame of reference of her many weddings performed in Las Vegas was as touching as it was humorous. My fiance and I planned our wedding using some of the information from the wedding ceremonies in the back of the book. It was a most beautiful day! I highly recommend Bishop Foster's unique "Chicken soup" type of book to those who think that Las Vegas is only "smoke and mirrors."

while performing a wedding, then get this book. I thought it would be a sort of guidebook to wedding chapels in Las Vegas. I skimmed thru the book only to find that it is merly just a diary of a Las Vegas officiant. Information on 'Getting married in Las Vegas' is buried somewhere within the stories of the various weddings that Bishop Foster has performed. I have never been to Las Vegas, and am planning a wedding there, I did *not* find this book of any help whatsoever.
There are 8 scripts for wedding ceremonies, all 8 have references to 'god', and since I was not blessed with the belief in 'god' I found the scripts to be of no use. Even the 'Ceremony of Union' had references to 'god'...a bit hypocritical in my opinion.
I suppose if you had married long ago in Las Vegas, or are a sentimental type you would like this book. For me, with a busy schedule, I don't have time to actually sit down and 'read' a book thoroughly to search out the tips that are included. If I was given the book as a gift I would probably read it....then sell it here.

This is a wonderful book that you will find yourself chuckling through. One is transported to all the little inside ways and wonders of Vegas wedding Chapels. From the hilarious to the unbelievable right up to incredibly beautiful ceremonies listed in the back,this book covers it all. A real treat ! I can't wait to read more of this author!

I'm going to miss "Las Vegas". While more than a bit fanciful, the characters were interesting, the stories amusing, and the visuals were great. The only thing missing from that trifecta in "Sleight of Hand" were the visuals, and fans of the show will automatically provide those in their minds. Not relevant to this book, but I think that canceling the show without resolving those season-ending cliffhangers was an insult to the fans who supported the show through its five seasons.

Nothing great...if you like the show/characters...this will carry you through a couple days at the beach!

I love the "Las Vegas" show! The books published between seasons was a great idea. Keeps the momentum going until the new season starts. The book arrived in good condition. It also arrived quickly. Price was right.

Too bad the Network screwed things up and cancelled the show! I will be sure to give them the same support they gave to show - "NONE"!!!

A fun book, but doesn't really share anything new. Most of what is written about in this book is already available just about everywhere else. Not much to surprise here, either. Neon sign museum in Las Vegas? Who would have thunk it? You could get the same information for free from the state tourism guides.

This book is a must if you visited or live in Las Vegas. There are many places off the beaten path (like the Pinball Hall of Fame). If like to visit place that are less travel (not your typical tourist trap) than this is your book. Buy this book is worth every dollar!!!!!

Do not venture into the Silver State without this guidebook; otherwise, you might miss out on a lot! From America's weirdest city, Las Vegas, you can go out into the dark countryside: miles and miles and miles of open, empty space enlivened here and there by some kind of crazy, quixotic human enterprise. I love Nevada because I believe it's the weirdest state of all. Thanks to this book, I no longer have to drive for miles, dodging roadside phantoms and risking alien abduction, in order to get my weirdness fix.