University of Nevada Books

Honest Horses by Paula Morin(oral historian & photographer) is compelling, highly-engaging and a dramatic read.Her creative photos enrich the comprehensive text. What makes this different is Paula's interviews with 62 westerners across a BROAD range-from BLMers, ranchers,environmentalists, Native Americans, historians, wildlife experts, etc The heart-pulling subject of wild horses has never been given such a thorough examination. We have to commend Paula for bringing the subject and all its complexity to us. Highly recommended.

Honest Horses is a definitive book about wild horses in the high desert of the American West. It will open people's eyes. It will open their hearts, too!

More than a century has passed since the official closing of the American frontier, and yet our culture continues to harbor romanticized notions of the West. Included in that image is the idea that wild horses, like the deer and the antelope, still have free run of the range. But do they? And should they?

Oral historian and photographer Paula Morin has assembled 62 narratives from the individuals who are most familiar with the Great Basin area, home to the greatest number of our country's wild horses. This geographical region covers parts of Utah, Idaho, Oregon and California, with its largest portion sitting within Nevada's borders. In each of those states, the wild horse issue is a complex one, complete with firm stands being taken by environmentalists, animal lovers, scientists, ranchers, wranglers, politicians and government workers. We hear many of their voices and their viewpoints in this compendium.

Because the bond between humans and horses is a close and historic one, and because equines are such sizable animals, it's difficult to think of the wild horse as a non-native species to the western region. But as alien invaders often do, wild horses reproduce in such numbers that they wreak havoc on any ecosystem. Aside from the occasional mountain lion or coyote band attack, the horse has no natural predator. The Great Basin simultaneously offers an especially harsh and fragile habitat, with periodic dry seasons and soil that needs time to recover from any kind of disturbance. Anyone can predict the kinds of problems that will arise when too many large mammals are confined to such a delicate area.

Horse history, captivating stories and personal experiences abound as the interviewees speak. A variety of opinions are aired here. But the majority of the individuals agree on at least three points: (a) letting nature take its course isn't a practical or humane solution when hundreds of animals die slow and gruesome deaths; (b) folks outside the Great Basin region don't understand all the complexities of the issue and shouldn't be the primary decision-makers involved; and (c) yes, it's still nice to have the wild horses out on the land, running free.

One Amazon reviewer stated: "To me, wild country, while possibly requiring management and certainly requiring protection, need serve no human purpose. It is sufficient to itself." While I agree that we should preserve as many large portions of land as we can, that's not exactly the point of this book. The region in question has already been impacted by man, both directly and indirectly, by the accidental or deliberate introduction of wild horses. Once the habitat has been tampered with to such a drastic state, all options should be considered to restore its health. Limiting the number of wild horses on the land -- however that can be accomplished -- appears to be a logical remedy.

"Honest Horses" is valuable reading for all of us here in the United States, especially since other books about wild horses, especially those for children, never mention the questions and problems they present. For those of us who live "away," it's easy for us to pass judgment or to think of a possible solution. After reading this book it should be obvious that all the stakeholders must sit down and work out the problem to the best of their abilities. Unfortunately, every environmental challenge turns into a political one.

With a title like this you would expect a fair, even-handed assessment of wild horses in their natural habitat. Instead, what we are served reads more like a government-sponsored justification for the already planned eradication of our wild horses. Not surprising, since a little research shows that government funding went to the author to "research" this work. One-sided and misleading, a disappointment.

This odd book isn't about the biology or behavior of mustangs or where to see them. Instead, it is a litany of more or less identical accounts, all of which stress the need to limit mustangs' numbers -- essentially by killing them -- before they overgraze the range and all starve to death.

If the commentators are correct that there are no natural limits on mustangs' population growth (why not reintroduce wolves? Too unpopular with ranchers?), then their arguments seem convincing. I am willing to believe that too many scrub horses are running wild in Nevada and their numbers need to be drastically reduced. However, the total lack in this book of any dissenting argument means my conviction will remain on hold. Every statement here tells the exact same story, and that in itself is something I find questionable.

I've also had enough of people referring to open range and wilderness as "the resource", as if it couldn't possibly manage itself without human interference and in fact had no purpose other than to serve human beings in whatever way; a viewpoint that seems unspeakably arrogant. To me, wild country, while possibly requiring management and certainly requiring protection, need serve no human purpose. It is sufficient to itself.

Fox's wit, charm, and intellect combine to create a fascinating book that is part memoir and part geography, culture, and history lessons. A rare combination that suits a reader like me who is always looking for books that help me see life through a clear new lens!

Though published by a university press, this is no dry academic tome. It's an unusally creative attempt to capture the spirit and the meaning of the drive through the desert. Fox writes of three approaches to the archetypal desert city, Las Vegas: from Sante Fe, from Los Angeles and from Reno. His writing is personal, captivating and will make you see the desert (and our paths through it) in entirely new ways.

Last November, I flew into las Vegas for the first time on a bright, sunny day. I had my nose pressed to the window most of the way, and was in awe of the what lay below. I followed the roads through the desert that led to Vegas and vowed to make the drive myself some day. I couldn't believe my luck when I happened across this book. But, the book left me bored and disappointed. Maybe I was expecting too much, but even the author's reader-friendly prose could not make this an interesting read.

What a letdown. Yes, the prose is decent, and the premise is undeniably attractive but, for anybody who holds the drive to Las Vegas close to their heart, these 3 separate tales of driving across the desert toward that glittery focal point called Sin City will all leave you feeling cheated. Why? Well, most of all, the author TURNS OFF THE HIGHWAY BEFORE GETTING TO VEGAS! How can you leave out the final 5 miles!? If you have to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into a casino, what in the world are you doing writing a book with Vegas at its center? Yes, the author shows that he knows the road, and what the various mountains are called, etc., but he obviously has no understanding of what compels most of us to take that road so many times in our lives. Skip this book and spend the money on a tank of gas yourself. This book has no Elvis.

If you are looking for introductory information on some of the most famous Las Vegas personalities, this is a good place to start. Unfortunately, it is not a good place to find indepth information on these men and their connections. The title is also misleading as it suggests that these men are the pioneers who laid the foundation for Las Vegas but in reality what you have is a collection of white-washed bios of the most popular casino owners. The true pioneers are the the men and women who toiled in the sand before the glitz and glam era began. The collection of featured figures read like a who's who of popular Vegas lore but you'll very little that hasn't been documented before on each. Benny Binion, Kirk Krikorian, Jay Sarno, Bugsy Siegel, Mo Dalitz are just a few of the featured figures.

This book is at its best when focusing on the less recent past in it's stories of Benny Binion, Howard Hughes, Jay Sarno, Sam Boyd and the like ... which are all excellent. I found the Kirk Kerkorian and Steve Winn ones a bit lacking, mostly because their stories aren't really over yet.

The last two chapters, not bios, but concept pieces , "How Popular Literature Has Treated Las Vegas" and "The Adult Playground Becomes a Heaven for Families" .. are pretty much a waste since Vegas has now focusing on going back to its "Adult" roots ..and the read no longer makes sense.

However, it you want to get some great and entertaining stories of the "good old days" .. and even a little before the "good old days", the first two-thirds of this book is certainly worth the asking price.

These are great tales of Las Vegas, but the writing drags. The research is clearly of the just-believe-what-someone-told-me school. There's still a great book to be written about the builders of the Strip and Glitter Gultch. This book is not the one.

I recently visited Las Vegas for the first time and wasmesmerized by what I saw. Every casino appeared to have a story behindit, and upon my return home, I wanted to know those stories.

The Players is a terrific read. The chapters give just ther right information on each topic to develop a working contextual knowledge of Vegas History. I was particularly fascinated by information on the Glitter Gulch rebels like Boyd and Binion. With the development of the Fremont Street experience, Downtown Vegas is a formidable tourist destination once again.

Overall, a great book. Don't let the fact that is published by a university press scare you. The chapters are short and clearly written. The casino business jargon is kept to a minimum, or when it is used, it is explained well. This book deserves more of an audience.

A disappointing book, least to me, because I found the photos too broad in the coverage. Having looked through it several times I thought it kept on verging on one of those picture books found in tourist shops with titles 'A book to remember her by'.

It really is a mixed bag. The photos I liked best were those that showed the non-tourist parts of the city: the huge pole billboards along the highway, small retail units, decaying buildings and street scenes but turn a page and there's a spread of the interior of The Forum or maybe the characters in the Museum of Magic and Movies.

This really should have been two books. One a photo survey of the exuberant (and vulgar) hotels and casinos, interior and exterior and book two the rest of Vegas. I would definitely go for the second and Hancock has shown with the photos in this book that he has an eye for interesting compositions and subject matter.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

"American Byzantium: Photographs of Las Vegas" depicts the startling contrasts of a city that is larger than life. It is no mere "coffee table" adornment; it is ART and REALISM fused into one magical book. The brilliant photographs of Virgil Hancock chronicle "Sin City" in all its glitter and in all its waste. His artistic images range from the neon-studded hotels on the strip to wedding chapels to pawn shops to a group of ventriloquists attending a convention.

Gregory McNamee perceptively captures the mood of a city that defines 'extremism' with his superb narration. His essays are insightful and frank without the flowery superlatives. McNamee weaves the tale of a town that is a contrast in Life 101.

Las Vegas is one of my favorite cities. Every few months, we fly our plane to Vegas and less than 2 hrs. later, I am transported to another world: a kingdom of luxury, excitement, and fine dining. There are few sights that are more captivating than slowly circling over the vast menagerie of neon lights.

I'm a "down to earth" woman - I love hiking through forests and deserts, but there are times when I want nothing more in life than to be pampered at The Venetian and enjoy all my favorite gourmet restaurants in Vegas. There are few places that I would rather visit.

"American Byzantium" is a must read for those who love Vegas as I do - as well as for those who plan to visit Vegas for the first time. This book captures Las Vegas in a way that not only focuses on the stardust of luxury, but brushes away that dust to reveal the stark realities as well.

It's a smallish book with not quite the usual photos that we normally see and are familiar with. I love Las Vegas and love Las Vegas books. This one is just one of the bunch. Not really a stand out but all together not bad. Its a good to average read, photos interesting but not that memorable. Keep looking I think, there are better books out there.

"Basque Terrorism" got great reviews in the Spanish press. One notable exception was "El Pais" which devoteed nearly a full page to condemning it. (The paper was at the time a friendly conduit for the Gonzales government. During its time in power, 27 Basque activists were murdered by security agencies.)

The strength of the book is in the details. Different aspects of the life and history of the Basque nation are brought together with strong, simple logic. It shows how hopes of freedom took the only path left open.

This book is best counterargument yet written to the official media fallacy on terrorism. It is lucid, well worded, and--above all--sensible.

Frederick Packer

Zulakika's Basque Violence is a confusing and chaotic work which attempts to examine the cultural background to the question of why a terroristic form of violence haunts the Basque people. The works' shortcomings are abundant and ubiquitous throughout his writing. No one outside of the field of ethnography will be able to comprehend the overpowering amount of ethnographic jargon that inundates Zulakika's work. His work is also delinquent in the fact that very few readers outside of the Basque culture could understand or find the thesis of the work. The reader feels as if he or she is stuck the eccentric mind of a bedlamite, who is rattling off the hagiology of the Basque culture from the Paleolithic era to modern day. The book is structured in what would appear at first glance to be studies of different areas of Basque culture and its relation to the violence that has been occurring in the area; however, the book fails to accomplish this task as well. Readers will be greatly disappointed with this work because it does not realize any of the intended goals that the author set for himself work.

When I first purchased the book, it was only because it dealt with the mob and Las Vegas. Once I began to read the book, it really made me think and the really great part of the book is that it examines each person and the reasons that they were included in the black book. If you like the mafia and you love Vegas, then you ought to read this one.

(The numerical rating above is a default setting within Amazon's format. This reviewer does not employ numerical ratings.)

The authors, criminal justice professors at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, argue that the "Black Book", (the list of persons excluded from participation in legal gambling), is maintained by the State of Nevada for symbolic purposes, to assert an image of control and propriety.

The Black Book is further tainted by its focus on stereotypical ethnic types, largely Italian Americans, to the exclusion of others, like the Mormans, who actually wield great power in Nevada gaming but suffer no opprobrium as a result.

Interesting reading.

The book written to show prejudice and a white wash of Nevada's casino industry instead showed the lack of research of the authors. The question asked apparently is should Frank Rosenthal or Carl Thomas be in the "Black Book"? My answer is why are so few others included. A review of those included in the "Black Book" show an unusually high number of convicted skimmers and bookmakers. Wouldn't these be the people most likly to cause problems within the casino industry. As for the case of poor Frank Masterana-he ran the largest bookmaking operation in the Dominican Republic until he was closed down and then moved to Latin America where he continues to operate an illegal establishment. I agree that there is a high number of Italian-Americans in the "Black Book" but most bookmaking throughout the US is controlled by those of Italian desent so of course they would represent a high number of gaming offenses and the related extortion and loan-sharking.

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

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

While this book claims to be a history of gambling in American society it really is a history of organized gambling on the American frontier, whereever that may be. While the author presents the interesting idea that gambling has followed the frontier he fails to explain what is happening behind the frontier. Illegal gambling is hardly mentioned, possibily because it is harder to research. It's an interesting book and provides a good bibliography for those interested in pursuing the topic, but alone it is not a great resource.

The focus of "People of Chance: Gambling in American Society from Jamestown to Las Vegas" is indeed on the affinity between gambling and frontier societies. John M. Findlay, then an Assistant Professor of United States History at The Pennsylvania State University, points to a quotation from Alexis de Tocqueville, who offered this speculation on the American character: "Those who live in the midst of democratic fluctuations have always before their eyes the image of chance, and they end by liking all undertakings in which chance plays a part." Following de Tocqueville's lead, Findlay focuses on the American fascination with games of chance as a key to our natural culture, tracing the development of a distinctly American style of gambling through more than 350 years of history from 17th-century Jamestown to 20th-century Las Vegas.

The central thesis here is that both gambling and frontier societies thrived on high expectations, risk-taking, opportunism, and movement. Consequently, gambling gained an acceptance on the frontier that it did not have in more settled parts of the nation. While Easterners bet too, they did not do it as publicly or adventurously as Westerners. The first half of the book details gambling in the colonial and early national frontiers, on the Mississippi River, and in the California Gold Rush. One of the most interesting arguments in this section is how each generation of westward-moving Americans first attempted to imitate the betting practices of the east, usually English style horse-racing and lottery schemes, but ended up modifying them for the American temperament.

This becomes epitomized by the refinement in the old Southwest between 1800 and 1848 when professional gamblers, operating in towns and riverboats all along the Mississippi, popularized casino games. In the mining frontiers of California and the Far West, casino gambling became a short-lived, high-volume industry, embodying the Gold Rush mentality until society eventually become more civilized. Of course, that did not mean that this was the end of gambling in the West, just that it had to be transformed into something more acceptable for American society in the late 20th century.

The last half of the book focuses on the rise of Las Vegas as the ultimate American resort destination. Findlay argues that Las Vegas is the culmination of almost four centuries worth of westward migration and chance-taking by Americans. As such, Las Vegas is the living link between America's frontier past and the contemporary, forward-looking values of the Sunbelt culture defined by California, which is consistent with Tom Wolfe's "super-hyper-version" of the whole new way of life that Americans created in the period after World War II. In his Epilogue Findlay gets to touch on the meteoric rise of Atlantic City as the rival of Las Vegas, which embodies the newfound belief that gaming now had a more legitimate place in American life.

Most readers will appreciate the history of the first half of this book more than the sociological implications drawn in the second, although most readers will recognize that Las Vegas epitomizes the restless, commercial, and middle-class orientations of modern Americans. But the way these two halves come together is Findlay's argument that the far western location of Las Vegas as an index to national culture was not incidental. What struck me was the way Findlay documented the transformation of gambling in this country, which went through distinctive stages just as the nation did during those same years. By the end of the book I could at least appreciate Findlays' anthropological view of American gaming.