University of Nevada Books

This book fills a void in the history of the state of Nevada. But the author spends much time blind to the factors that devealop the state as a whole and their impact on Nevada's hispanics, and rather focuses on how the hispanics were just sufferers of white majority's whims. Nevada has a rich history of many races (Including many Chinese) and the facts presented in the book are befitting of Nevada's Hispanics. But the writing is choppy at best, and a second edition is sorely needed. The book seems as if it was very rushed towards it's finishing pages.

I read the 2nd Edition, Revised, of this book and the account of Nevada from 1860 to 1900 was exciting because Nevada was a weird and exciting place during those years. but I did not find the account of 20th century Nevada too interesting, even tho the book devotes full attention to the political history of the state, which I would ordinarily have thought would guarantee my finding this a good book. For a really good state history, read History of North Dakota, by Elwyn B. Robinson. I found that state history (I am not from either Nev. or ND) unputdownable.

THE OX-BOW MAN by Jackson J. Benson is a rambling wreck of a book, but admirers of Walter Van Tilburg Clark will feel compelled to struggle through it. The flaws are egregious,the prose especially so. "Considering Clark's work habits, it is quite possible that rather than working from the draft, he had the material so firmly in mind that he didn't need to consult it." Aside from its faulty parallelism and pronoun reference problem, this typically atrocious sentence exemplifies the lack of coherence--Clark's work habits have little to do with his grasp of particular material--which subverts whole paragraphs and chapters. Also, THE OX-BOW MAN is the most sanitized of biographies. Benson cannot write an unflattering word about any of the Clarks, perhaps because they control the writer's papers. Benson insists that his subject was not an alcoholic, but Clark's letters are overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Benson exalts the Clarks' marriage but rarely quotes Barbara Clark or her diaries and cannot convincingly explain the couple's frequent separations. He stoutly maintains that Clark was "always true" to his wife, but even Clark's son has his doubts, noting that the writer's fame, good looks, and fiercely masculine presence won him female friends wherever he was. Still--Benson's information, though incomplete, is often fresh and very interesting, at least to us Clarkites. Justly he stresses Clark's heroic teaching, from which this writer and thousands of others greatly benefited. And in the last third of the book Benson blessedly interpets less, narrates more, and lets Clark speak through his letters, in which this important writer elucidates his most terrible burdens: a tragic writers' block and a tyrannical superego.

I approached this book hoping for an analysis of the impact of emptiness and isolation on the human psyche. No doubt my expectations were influenced by my nationality -- Australian -- where our "playas" (which we call claypans or saltpans) are nearly all isolated and deserted, and the impact of human activity is minimal.

Fox provides graphic descriptions of the multiplicity of activities which take advantage of the US playas, ranging from military to counter-cultural festivals. He's clearly very well acquainted with his subject.

I found it generally depressing to read about the military use of playas. (Here in Oz, we had the Brits testing atomic devices at Woomera several decades ago.)

An interesting book, but too focused on American issues to satisfy my more general interests.

We are great fans of Robert Laxalt's writing but this is definitely not one of his best. His description of rabies and its effects on animals and people is good and, we think, probably accurate, and the description of the area and of the Basque sheepherding culture at that time and in that area are excellent. But the details of the plot contain too many improbabilities and it's too bad because Laxalt could do better. Nevertheless, the book is worth reading.

I love western literature, but I would never recommend this book. There is nothing worse than investing time in a book only to find out you have been had. The prose and style of this book are ok. However, I should have read the other reviews of this book before I read it. This is one of those "Oh poor Indians" books. I found another book on the "Last Indian Massacre" by Dr. Effie Mack, and learned the truth about the underlying story of Shoshone Mike. Bergon's book is liberal sludge, which attempts to sell a liberal agenda through twisting historical facts. As it turns out, this author is a professor at a liberal university. Go figure. Don't waste your time with this book.

Bergon has put together a lousy book. Although it reads well, it does not comport with history. Bergon twists the facts, which are available with a little research, to suit his agenda. If I want propoganda, I will read propoganda. I don't need it in a Western historical novel.

The only problem with this book, is that it isn't true. Some research into the story shows how much the facts were twisted to suit a liberal agenda or some other twisted revisionist ploy at the expense to history. Although the author claims it is a "novel," he also implies that it is well founded in the facts, which it is not in many regards. DON'T READ THIS BOOK!!!!!

I usually avoid Westerns because its hard to find any that don't follow the Louis L'Amour/Zane Grey formula tripe.

This one is an exception. It is truly original and captivating from start to finish. You won't go wrong with this one.

This book is probably the best Western novel that I have ever read. Its only competitor in my experience is the "Ox-Bow Incident." However, Bergon's novel, which is based upon a real event, is still better.

The action, which is set around the Nevada town of Winnemucca in the year 1911, revolves around the pursuit of a Shoshone Indian family from Idaho accused of killing some white men. Told from the perspective of several major characters, including the Winnemucca Sheriff, a Basque immigrant, and the Shoshone Indians, this novel really shows the ugly underside of the West that never appears on the movie screen or in Louis L'amour's novels.

This is novel is not a celebration of the old West, but it is a page-turner and well worth adding to your library.

This was a poorly written historical novel. It wandered all over the place and left out critical material. I would suggest removing it from your inventory!

I have to say that i am absolutely fascinated by the Bourns. This book which i have not completely finished offers wonderful insight into one of the most influential families of the 19th and 20th centuries. The only thing that the book lacked was photographs. The book should have included photos of the Bourn Mansion in Pacific Heights (San Francisco), and Filoli out in Woodside. Other than those minor details this book was inspiring.

I thought I had left a review but in looking back I haven't, so I will. I was REAL disappointed with this book. I spent a lot of money on it because I was excited to learn about the Bourn's, but the book left me with very little knowledge. Possibly there was no reason to write a book about them, but there just wasn't anything to sink my literary teeth into.

In his biography of William Bourn I and William Bourn II the author consistantly drifts from the topic.

A prime example is even though William Bourn is in Monte Carlo during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Egan adds to his description of the events in San Francisco the following sentence: "Even after the devestation of an earthquake that would have measured somewhere about 8.25 on the Richter Scale-to be developed in later years by Charles F. Richter of the Claifornia Institute of Technology..."

Unfortunately this quote is not exceptional. If the author stayed with his topic the information Eagan unearthed on this important California family would require half the pages.

Ferol Egan's "Last Bonanza Kings" is a book sorely in need of an editor.

I swear that you're going to be very disappointed by this book. The short stories are mostly at the level of a college literary journal, and only one or two stories are memorable stand-outs that show off a modicum of creativity. (Who knew that reading about the highs and lows of gambling could be so unexciting? I gamble every time I go to Las Vegas, and I'm also a fan of contemporary fiction, yet I was bored to death by these stories.)

Buy Mike Tronnes' excellent anthology, Literary Las Vegas, instead.

I don't agree at all with the previous reviewer. This is, after all, a collection of short stories about the dreams, disappointments and odd-ball characters that make Las Vegas what it is. I found most of the stories delightful, with enexpected twists, and generally full of heart. If you're looking for Purlitzer Prize stories, look elsewhere. If you like to people watch and enjoy the unique, the unexpected, and the perverse that sometimes tickles our imaginations, you'll enjoy this collection - a collection that could only be crafted by those so intimate and loving of Vegas life and all of its bizarre permutations.

I am unable to surgarcoat it. This is a really bad book. There are 14 stories in this book and they are all undeserving of my money. This collection was a real disappointment. The stories are shallow, predictable and utterly fail at engaging the reader. However, in case you need to see for yourself, here is what you will get:

1. The Run
2. The G-d Gambler
3. Las Vegas Courtship
4. Bowling with the Christ Child
5. The Funniest Thing You Said All Night.
6. The Fish Magician
7. The Night Uncle Willy's Car Caught Fire on the I-95
8. Insufficient Funds
9. Easy Driving
10. Mr. Biondi and the New Dispensation
11. Golfers
12. Naked City
13. Big-City Dtective
14. You Saw Me Crying in the Chapel.

How can Hyrum wallop Morphy with a skillet when he's on the trail for the white captive?

I enjoyed the plot of the book and the excitement of the expedition down the Colorado River. However, it was very long on stereotypical characterizations and situations ... hence the lower rating.

Yes, remarkable in that it portrayed one of the "true believers" in the "fight against fascism" during the Spanish Civil War. No doubt as military history it is somewhat accurate as to the difficulties the volunteer brigades met in fighting for the leftist Republic (a fact not mentioned in the book: many of the volunteers had received military training during trips to the USSR, especially future officers) but much of the book is further romanticism regarding the Cause.

Merriman's wife tells of being raped by a Republican soldier... but says she didn't report it because it would hurt the Cause.

Yes, a remarkable book. It gives insight into the True Believers of the Communist Party of the 1930s.