University of Nevada Books

Clarence King sure knows how to tell a good story. Whether they are true stories, well that's for you to decide. But really, it doesn't matter. You'll read of him dangling from the edge of great cliffs and running from wild west bandits, all the while keeping the reader wondering how he'll ever live to tell the tale. Overall the book is a collection of stories by a man who loved the Sierra Nevada, for it vast wilderness was his playground.

This classic work by one of the great yarn-spinners of all time includes some wonderful descriptive information about California places and people in the early 1860s and some gripping, heartstopping tales about King's own mountaineering exploits. Even in his early 20s, Clarence King was recognized for leaderhip and intellectual ability. He served with the Army Topographic Engineers on the survey of the Western United States along the 40th parallel and was an intimate of Henry Adams and his wife in their small social/intellectual circle in Washington D.C. (See Patricia O'Toole's "The Five of Hearts"). He established his national reputation for being a shrewd, practical man of science when he discovered and exposed a stock swindle based on salted ore and fraudulent assay samples when asked to evaluate a mining promotion in Colorado. "Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada" is a non-chronological, semi-autobiographical reconstruction of some of King's time (circa 1862-63) with Josiah Whitney's Survey, commissioned by the State legislature to catalogue and evaluate California geologic and mineral resources. It is an entertaining and engrossing narration of one foolhardy, death-defying exploit after another. Like those of John Muir (another classic, albeit overrated talesman of the Range of Light), Clarence King's numerous renditions of his own hairsbreadth escapes from impossibly precarious positions by the power of luck, pluck and sheer physical prowess, while entertaining and enthralling, were made possible only by his own chronic rash foolhardiness, if not by tremendous powers of exaggeration. A better man was his fellow draft-dodger (the Civil War was going on back East all the while they were dancing around in the mountains of California, after all), William Brewer. Brewer served longer, harder and more responsibly than King in the Whitney Survey. Brewer also wrote a factually more thorough and reliable description of conditions in the young state of California in a series of letters home to his family in New England (collected as "Up and Down California"), with none of King's histrionics but just as entertaining in its own way. King's book does include some unique insights. One is his near-comic description of the "Piker" rubes (from Pike County, Missouri), rural folk residing in the foothills of the Southern San Joaquin Valley, which can be read as a precourser of all hilarious mountain folk descriptions, from Li'l Abner through the Beverley Hillbillies to Deliverance. But truth be told (rarely enough, one suspects), this book is mostly about the indefatigable King and his own personal exploits in the Southern Sierra. While King's literary talent was substantial, his writing (and indeed his entire public life and historic reputation) were seemingly unilluminated in any way by his own domestic arrangements. These included a life-long love relationship and common law marriage to a black woman, Ada, with whom he maintained a household including their several children. Not only did he keep the marriage secret from all of his prominent social contacts, but he kept his own notorious identity and true name a secret from his wife and children until just before he died. Still, under the constant strain of maintaining a double identity, he continued to support his family and maintained an exhausting schedule of international travel, geological consulting and writing until he died prematurely from consumption at the age of 59. (See Thurman Wilkins' "Clarence King"). You won't find any mention of King's real family anything King wrote for public consumption, or even for the consumption of his well-placed friends. Altogether, this book makes for a slightly less than satisfying cud to chew over, but it tastes pretty good the first time on the way down.

Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada is essential reading for anyone who both loves those mountains and wants to get a glimpse of life there before it reached the level of settlement it has today. Whether or not all the stories here are strictly factual, they are often both gripping and entertaining. Additionally, they bring the reader some sense of what rural central California life was like at that time.
Clarence King was a gifted wordsmith. His hilarious, politically incorrect descriptions of western characters are reminiscent of some of the best incisive commentary of Mark Twain. Then his descriptions of climbing in the mountains are so intense that you may even wince as you are carried along as he describes some of the most hair-raising brushes with death. Those who have been where King describes will certainly feel what King has written as they read along.
One reviewer, though entertained, seems to doubt what King says. I don't. Though there may be a little hyperbole in King's description of events, the reader should remember that at that time the average guy was far more physically fit than the average guy today. You had to be or you didn't make it, because every day in the wilderness was fraught with challenge and physical danger.
All in all, you could say that this book is a collection of bold tales well told. I particularly like the stories of his crossing the desert coming to California, of the hog farmers, of his escape from determined bandits, of his ultimate conquest of Mt Whitney, and of all the colorful characters he meets in his path both in the Sierras and at Shasta.
And though some might take him for a bigot because of some of his comments about the natives, remember that he saves the sharpest point of his pen for the most worthless characters of his own stock who abound in the California of his day. Whatever you think about what King has written, once you pick this up you'll find it hard to put down until you've finished the last paragraph.

I read this book twice ten years ago when it was still in the library. I haven't been able to find a copy since then, but the images of the hellish, alien landscapes that Mr. Goin photographs are still so vivid that to use words "powerful" or "evocative" would tarnish their terrible beauty.

If any book begs to be reprinted, this is it.

Anyone researching locations on nuclear waste disposal sites or areas used for nuclear testing will find ample material in this book by Peter Goin. If you're looking for images of desolate and abandoned landscapes, this is definitely a great resource.

I don't know of any book whose images have stuck with me for so long. "Nuclear Landscapes" is a chilling look at the remnants of America's vast nuclear weapons production and testing. From the Hanford reservation in Washington state to the south Pacific to the deserts of Arizona you will always be aware that while the photos may look serene there's always enough radiation around to at least give you cancer or some other related malady. Peter Goin knew the risk he was taking, but he left a priceless work for all people to look at and become aware of what we've done to many places on Earth with nuclear testing. One would wish that India and Pakistan would take a serious look and realize that they too have places that can never be inhabited. That they also have nuclear landscapes.

As with other books of this style and Author, There are no maps of any use nor are there GPS Coordinates. While instructions are included so the sites they are very vague and many depend on your finding a site your not interested in, in order to find the one you want. With so many dirt roads in mining area's the directions to turn left of a dirt road does not help with there could be 10 dirt roads in a span of three hundred feet.

All of Shawn Hall's books are excellent. We have used them for several years to plan trips and then go find the locations he mentions. He gives the reader not only the history of the site, but what remains today of the ghost towns, old stage stops, and railroad towns.

Shawn Hall obviously has a love of history and it's preservation. "Old Heart of Nevada: Ghost Towns and Mining Camps of Elko County" is obviously the result of 1000's of hours of research and countless miles of off-road exploration. Hall's account of these now vanished towns is both factual and facinating as he provides the history, stories, and current state of dozens of now defunct towns, mines, and ranch sites of the area.
The text alone is worth the price for the facts and stories, but even better are the historical photos which can often be contrasted with the author's own photo's of the same area.
A must-have for any Nevada historian or explorer.

While doing due diligence on The Cortez Trend in Nevada I came across this wonderful autobiography of the geologist that reinterpreted earlier work in the Nevada basin and range and discovered the Carlin Trend gold belt, also the Battle Mountain Trend and the Cortez Trend. Nevada had been scoured by prospectors since the gold rush of 1849 and the Comstock Lode silver discovery. Virtually all surface deposits had been found and exploited. The Carlin Trend is micro-gold which does not show up when panning, it must be assayed. With the advent of heap leaching Nevada has produced in excess of 600 million ounces of gold and this will continue for quite some time with the prospective development of The Cortez Trend. Dr Roberts tells of his work in the USGS in Central America during WWII, Nevada, Utah and Saudi Arabia. He gives us his reasons for believing the Ophir mine that produced the gold of King Solomon is in Saudi Arabia. It was very interesting to read about the life of a field geologist.

Excellent read with good intermix of personal and professional history. It is inspiring to read as well as educational. Thank you Dr. Roberts.

Ralph J. Roberts has found that a devotion to family and geology can lead to a life well lived and he relates the story of his life well in A Passion For Gold. Roberts spent 44 years with the United States Geological Survey and after retiring, became a private consultant. His most important discovery was the Carlin-type gold deposit. The reader with a non-geologic background will want access to a copy of the Glossary of Geology to help with the few technical sections included in the book [there is a glossary at the back of the book, but it is not thorough enough]. There are a few awkward sentences and some extraneous commas [I think, being the extra comma and awkward sentece king myself], but this is a suprisingly comfortable read considering that most of Mr. Roberts' earlier writings were technical papers. I trained as a mining/exploration geologist and so it was easy for me to relate to this autobiography, but non-geologists should find much of interest in Ralph Roberts' life story. It was on top of one of the mines near Battle Mountain, Nevada that Mr. Roberts writes about that I found myself deciding to abandon my masters thesis in geochemistry and to devote my life to the education of America's younger citizens [I teach earth science at the high school level]. I knew I couldn't help folks did big holes in the ground just for a little gold. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone with an interest in geology, but I can't give A Passion For Gold a full five stars because I think the technical sections could have been handled in a way that would have made this book a little more accessible to a wider audience.

I don't know why everyone doesn't give this three book series five star. Myrick is the definitive railroad reference book for the Virginia and Truckee, Carson and Colorado and other Nevada and Eastern California railroads.

While the Lucius Beebe's are more focused on literary style than truth, when you want to know something about Nevada Railroads this is the first book to go to.

The book also has excellent maps and great photos. Myrick has been doing this for 40 years.

The third volume of the series that all train lovers will adore is now available in "Railroads of Nevada and Eastern California: Volume III: More of the Northern Roads". Made by railroad fanatics for railroad fanatics, this nearly 400 page coffee table book serves its fan base remarkably well. Over 300 photographs, an index and other appendixes make "Railroads of Nevada and Eastern California: Volume III: More of the Northern Roads" highly recommended for railroad lovers everywhere and for any community library railroading collection.

Ignore the rating on this book! It's a five-ster "must have" if you are interested in the subject, of proportionally less value the less interested you are.

About 15% of the subject matter is additional information about RRs covered in Volume I (the Central Pacific, Carson & Colorado, N-C-O, etc.). The CPRR in particular has new photos and track diagrams of early division points. This material is interesting but of limited modeling value unless you model the 19th century.

The other 85% is about the small logging and lumber railroads in the northern Sierra Nevada; mostly in Plumas and Lassen counties. The histories genrally include the full story of the lumber companies that built the RRs, including mill operations and the shifting pattern of track into new logging areas. Coverage of the individual RRs varies depending on how successful Myrick was at finding eyewitness accounts so if you are interested in only one specific RR, you should browse a copy before buying if at all possible.

Recollections of a Handcart Pioneer of 1860 (Second Edition): A Woman's Life on the Mormon Frontier

As a Gr Granddaughter of handcart pioneers, I've wondered what could have driven them to such extreme efforts, but my ancestors left very little in writing. This book was a small window into a culture that is difficult to understand. I only wish she had gone into more detail. Her calm acceptance of polygamy, and her courage in raising 7 children in such a desolate place, almost single-handedly, leaves much unsaid.

A fascinating peep into the everyday life of one woman who, along with many others, braved the trail west. Her story is told simply and factually - it has the feel of sitting down with an old friend you haven't seen for a long time and catching up on the news. Whether you're of the Mormon faith or not (I'm not, but enjoyed the book for its historical content), you can't help but admire the hardy spirit of this pioneer woman in the face of death and hardship and rejoice with her in the simple delights that come along just often enough to make it all worthwhile. Though the title sounds like the book focuses mostly on the trail experience, it actually tells her story through the rest of her life.

I must admit that I am a bit biased, since Mary was my wife's great grandmother. A touching book, and does not white wash the trials experienced.

I am a resident of Nevada and read a lot of history. Recently I have read a lot of books on Nevada history, and I must say this is one of the best. Thoroughly researched and footnoted, it covers almost every aspect of Virginia City history, yet is eminently readable. Some history books are too dry and dusty, and you have to plow through them (or give up), but Mr. James' book holds your interest from beginning to end. If you are interested in the history of VC, this is the one to buy!

Mr. James cuts through all of the legends that have grown up around Virginia City and its fabled Comstock Lode to give us a truly outstanding and eminently readable history. He draws together primary and secondary sources, demographic analysis and archaeology to give the reader a broad, yet surprisingly detailed understanding of the Comstock from its humble beginnings, through bonanza and borrasca, and right up to the present day. Highly recommended!!

Thoroughly enjoyed reading each chapter of Mr.James' book. I would suggest it for anyone having an interest in the old West, the mining periods, and personnae of the same, and perhaps just as importantly to gain some insightful information behind the storefornt facades and adits of Virginia City. The author has provided much background behind the legends, pulled down to earth other "legends" and truly given this "tourist site" it's legitmate and historical due. I am anxious to visit the Lake Tahoe area once again and take that little jaunt over the hill to visit a now-less-mysterious Virginia City.

This book is very informative in it's text and few pictures. What it really lacked is readable maps, GPS coordinates or really anything other then the very vague directions to any given site. Some instructions are go to site 1 then take this route to site 2 then turn right to site 3. Which is ok assuming they give you good directions to site #1. When they say turn left on dirt road, you have no idea what dirt road they are talking about, because in mining areas there could be 10 dirt roads in a span of 300 feet.

This is an extremely complete history of the local history which provides detailed directions which are easy to follow. Covers many more sites than any other book on the subject I have seen. Excellent contrast of vintage and modern photos.

I have visited Eureka several times since finding out my great grandfather worked in the mines there. Romancing Nevada's Past directed me right to the mining site my great grandfather worked and the book had a picture of the house my grandfather was born in. The information is well written and accurate. I often find myself reading it just for the fun of learning more about Eureka and the surrounding areas.

This book is a look back at Las Vegas and the area from prehistoric times to the present. It is very informative and packed with information that history buffs will love. It also explains the evolution of Las Vegas from a western town teetering on the edge of becoming a ghost town to the boom that started with the building of the Hoover (Boulder) Dam and continues today. This book is very academic in nature, so you have to love history to like this book. Overall a very interesting book.

This books gives an general overall history of Las Vegas and its chameleonistic changes over time. From the dawn of mans first wanderings into the Las Vegas area to modern day gambling mecca and suburban success, this book packs a short, but sweet punch into a somewhat short span. This book is good for people interested in Las Vegas history where general Nevada history leaves off,

The Lands have an easy, breezy writing style. In particular they bring the last 100 years of Las Vegas history alive with many photos of the times and observations of citizens and visitors alike who were there. Although they do not discuss the role the divorce business or the wedding industry played in the city's development (and weddings are associated with Vegas almost as much as gaming), the picture of the city presented here is fun and informative. To quote the authors quoting Steve Wynn, "Las Vegas is a party that never stops. God bless this daffy place."

What a remarkable collection. Its really a meditation on existence. This is a museum of life in all its sadness and beauty.

My favorite type of prose are written by poets. Reading Kate Braverman is like filling on a rich desert. I am reminded of Jeanette Winterson and Arhundati Roy. It is hard to find such deeply poetic prose today. This is not a grocery store paperback--it requires slow reading and it is worth every minute. It is a feast of words and images and ideas.

Kate Braverman's ingenious writing shouts and sings a high skill at poesy and narrative. I think many of her readers are attracted primarily to her imagery and metaphors. There is a sameness at the center of her stories -- illness, death, putrefaction, decline. These brilliant stories follow the trend, and Braverman leans toward epic prose poems. Her characters are memorable in one way, similar in another. What I admore most about her is her intensely evocative setting in LA, proving once more that place can pass for story. If you love clean, spare writing with a strong narrative element and distinctive characters developing new and original themes, these stories are not for you. But if you want gorgeous poems set to prose, gobble it up.