Nevada Books

A Hike for Mike is a detailed description of the author and his wife's 218-mile hike on the John Muir Trail. This mountainous wilderness trail travels through the Sierra Nevada of California. The author had previously hiked other long distance wilderness tracks before his marriage. However, his wife had been wary of going on a long term hike.

This particular excursion was the direct result of a family tragedy. The author's brother in law, Mike, committed suicide. Mike had unknowingly suffered from undiagnosed depression. In an effort to raise awareness about depression, the couple decided to undertake the Hike for Mike campaign based on the premise that exercise, particularly hiking, is beneficial to those suffering from depression.

For the most part, A Hike for Mike is about the actually wilderness hike and the couple's adventures and misadventures while on the trail. However, the last chapter of the book does include information about depression: statistics, the symptoms, various types of treatments, and where individuals can seeks help.

Jeff Alt is a motivational speaker, expert hiker, speech pathologist, teacher and author. We first got to know him in his first book, "A Walk for Sunshine" where he hiked the Appalachian Trail. His openness, humor, and purpose make this book a great read.

In A HIKE FOR MIKE, Alt hikes the John Muir Trail in California. The hike and book was dedicated to his brother-in-law, Mike, who committed suicide during depression. Throughout the book and his hike, he educates us and people he meets about the seriousness of depression. The last chapter, 24 - Depression: know the facts, is full of information and on-line resources for both the sufferer and family.

The John Muir Trail, JMT, is 218 miles of rugged, climbing trial through California's Sierra Nevada mountain range which begins in Happy Isles, elevation 4,035 ft., and ends at Lone Pine beside Mt. Whitney, elevation 14,496 ft. All of it is exposed to extreme temperature swings, deadly lighting storms, flash floods, bears, and mountain lions (hikers have been attacked and killed by the lions and bears). That's not including potential strange and dangerous people - Chapter 18, A Creep at 10,000 Feet - yikes!

Jeff and his wife, Beth, take on the JMT with humor and resolve. Jeff's writing is so good that you experience the adventure, pains, fears, wonderment, and appreciation for nature's beauty that they had. He writes with candor, telling everything.

Their underwear shopping, Chapter 5, Finished Basements, is funnier read than explained. From losing his clothes on the first day, to catching his first trout, to the arguments with Beth, to protecting her with a makeshift spear, to Beth's almost deadly accident he tells all.

I really enjoyed this book. His description of what they did and explanation of why they did it shows what a great teacher and writer he is. The amount of detail is well integrated with the story and dialogue. Based on his book, I feel I can hike the trail and know what to expect. Personally, I now know I'm not going on that hike. It's too rugged for me. The importance of Jeff and Beth's purpose is Depression Awareness, which is highlighted by the stories from the other hikers and people they met along the trail.

As someone who struggles with Bi-polar Type 2, I am so grateful for the awareness and information provided by this book. There are so many people suffering needlessly from depression. Kudos to the author and his wife for doing so much to spread the word.

On top of that, the book was an enjoyable read. I particularly liked the development of the author's relationship with his wife, who had never been on an extended backpack trip before.

"A Hike for Mike" is an excellent read and fun journey through the John Muir Trail all for a great cause... To raise awareness about depression. This book is a follow up to Alt's first book, "A Walk for Sunshine", an epic journey along the Appalachian trail to increase awareness of cerebral palsy and the Sunshine House in Ohio. Both books are a must read for everyone, especially those who love the outdoors. Even if you're not an avid hiker, Alt will captivate you with his unique style and great storytelling. Once you start reading you won't want to put it down!

I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff at one of his appearances, and that is where I learned about this book. It was fantastic! As a JMT'er wannabe, it gave me valuable information about the trail, and the mental illness discussion woven throughout the book was especially meaningful to me because my father suffers from depression. The story is beautifully and lovingly told - I loved it!

Good information, a little out dated in places but equipment changes over time. Good read.

This is great and has all sorts of helpful information. Book was in great condition.

Very informative. It's nice to have the encouragement this book brings to the wanna be driver. One day I'll have my own team of dogs, and expect this guide to be referenced often and well tagged.

I am a beginner dog sled driver without a mentor. This book answers ALL my question, and provides you with the meaty content that it will take to get you to the next level. If your trying to make a choice between this book and another on dog powered sports; get this one. I have others, this is the best one for the beginner.

This is a great book for anyone who wants to take mushing seriously. It has designs for harnesses, ganglines, dogsleds, carts, and booties. Overall, it is a great book for anyone to get.

Occasionally talky, but overall a real page-burner! Rustlers, gunfighters, gamblers and whores, and plenty of rottin' tootin' action! This book was a favorite of the late Richard Farina's ("Been Down So Long it Looks Like Up to Me"), as well as a favorite of Thomas Pynchon's. Highly recommend!

Warlock is the first in a trilogy by author Oakley Hall, the second novel in the trilogy being Badlands, followed by Apaches. I was simply awed by the writing of Mr Hall, and the universal human truths he reminds the reader of. I can see that more than a few writers must have read Oakley Hall's novels, most especially Cormac Mccarthy. Warlock was published in 1958, and Badlands was at least 10 yrs later, followed by Apaches, which was at least another decade later. Mr Hall also does the fine Ambrose Bierce series of novels, and with a career spanning 5 decades, he is still underated and underapreciated by the general public. do yourself a favor and discover this most excellent writer.

back in 1958 it seems that an excellent book like this could actually be a finalist for the pulitzer prize (which this was). nowadays, gender and racial political correctness would put a squash to any such justice. oh, well. anyway, i have not consumed a lot of westerns in my reading days. 9 of them, if i have counted correctly. "warlock," by oakley hall, is my 2nd favorite of the lot (1st place going to "true grit," by charles portis). mr hall's book is a vastly superior reading experience than cormac mccarthy's "blood meridian," which has been touted by many as the best western out there. "warlock" embraces both the cliches of the western and the prototypes of its characters, while at the same time being anti-cliche and turning prototypes on their heads. how can this be? i don't know. it just is. i'm not smart enough to figure out or put into words the whys and the hows. here's my advice: read the thing.

Like Lonesome Dove and Deadwood, Warlock takes the western genre and refuses all the cliches, creating the possibility of actually understanding history in the terms of men, women, their frailties, and the power of the land. It goes beneath the obvious surfaces, reweaves actual history, and adds a level of writing expertise that makes it an American classic along the lines of what Hawthorne does to the Gothic in The Scarlet Letter. I couldn't put it down. In it, you see the roots of McMurtry's work and Deadwood, and even intersections with John Ford. For those who love the Western, you must read it. For those, like Pynchon, who want to groove on characters, sentences and a fictional world made vivid and compelling, check it out. A wonderful, satisfying and heartbreaking read.

Page 408 of Warlock contains the following:

"Men are like corn growing. The sun burns them up and the rain washes them out and the winter freezes them, and the cavalry tramps them down, but somehow they keep growing. And none of it matters a damn so long as the whisky holds out."

I don't usually read books that talk about whisky and cavalry, but this one was really good. Although a lot of the writing is like the quote above, the plot is a fairly sophisticated examination of the practical complexities of human morality. At first glance, the two main characters seem to be from the wild west boilerplate, one good guy and one bad guy. But the good and the bad are close friends, and they actually identify with each other qutie a bit. There's also an ugly guy who turns out to be the closest thing the book has to a hero. In contrast to the standard cowboy-movie theme, the characters struggle with the difficulties of figuring out what it would even mean to be good, bad, or ugly in a place that has no real laws and exists permanently on the brink of extinction. Apparently the book was made into a movie, but I would bet that it didn't translate well.

Simple to read, even for me that I dont understand some english words. Great explanation about the premium player segment. Thanks to the authors, wich I reckon they put maximum effort to make it.

An invaluable primer on casino management. This book should be on the shelf of every executive in the gaming industry.

"Casino Operations Management" is the best book on the market now focusing on operational issues that confront casino managers. It is arguably "too much" for an undergraduate course, but the book is highly recommended for casino managers who want to strengthen their understanding of what makes a casino really tick. Those simply interested in in-depth knowledge of the industry's operational issues will also find the book helpful.

Good overview of casino operations. It covers Indian gaming as well as Nevada and mentions where there are difference. I am the controller and I wish it had more accounting /finance.

This book is a must read for everyone entering the casino business. It's a clear reference, and it shows derails some myths about gaming operations.

Desert to Dream is a remarkable accomplishment -- a
stunning tapestry of images and words that appears in
essence to be a mystery play. I am amazed at the
visual, emotional and spiritual complexity of her work
that evokes deep contemplation. The book is very well
laid out and I like how the diptychs are paired, even
in some instances where there is a b&w and color photo
side by side. Traub's sense of style and composition
is dynamic and goes way beyond the usual ways of
seeing. Congratulations on such an extraordinary book.

Ellen Bascom
Houston, TX

The photographs in Desert to Dream: A Decade of Burning Man Photography
by Barbara Traub convey the special and unique personality of the annual
Burning Man Festival. They also convey the humanity, sense of community
and the unique artistic sensibilities of the participants. The photographs
are excellent in their own right and are a sensitive mixture of color and
black and white. There are several pictures of nude women and men, which are real tributes to human beauty. Also, toward the end of the book, many of the photographs portray surrealistic images that only an expert photographer like Barbara Traub would be capable of. This book is well
worth the investment, not only for those interested in Burning Man, but also
those interested in photography that is spectacular.

Desert to Dream is a remarkable accomplishment -- a stunning tapestry of images and words that appears in essence to be a mystery play. I am amazed at the visual, emotional and spiritual complexity of her work that evokes deep contemplation. The book is very well laid out and I like how the diptychs are paired, even in some instances where there is a b&w and color photo side by side. Traub's sense of style and composition is dynamic and goes way beyond the usual ways of seeing. Congratulations on such an extraordinary book.

Ellen Bascom
Houston, TX

Wow, what a dissapointment - it hardly captures the magic of Burning Man. With only a couple exceptions, the photos in this book are middling to poor. Most of the pictures of people are of the back of their heads. The pictures of art and vehicles are often framed poorly or feature distracting shadows. The night pictures are blurry and amateurish. There are a lot of great burning man photos out there (see the burning man website); I find it hard to believe this got published and even sanctioned with (a generic) blurb by Larry Harvey.

Having attended Burning Man twice (in 2003 and 2005), and having connected to the amazing experience that it represents for the mind and the body, I am glad to see a book that is capable of capturing most of the images that trigger our senses. Good any time of the day ... it's best alongside your breakfast, helping you carrying the 'burn every day' philosophy throughout your day and evening.

Mahogany is a rookie to love--shy, innocent, beautiful and embarking on the road of life. Eager to leave home, she begins a dazzling relationship filled with torrid heartbreak and hot-tumultuous love. From childhood innocence to extraordinary woman, Mahogany triumphs over heartbreak. Her best friend, Shanice, as passionate to spread her wings, discovers herself torn between two lovers and finds herself questioning her own sexuality. Mahogany and Shanice are fighters, women ruled by their hearts who love to take chances...ultimately finding themselves caught up

Nevada York's book was pretty good. I have to admit I saw some of myself in her book. I think most women can honestly say they have been where Mahogany (the central character) has been. I wish I would have read this book before I met my boyfriend. Maybe then, I would have recognized his game...
Great job, Nevada! Please hurry write a sequel, I GOT to know what happens to everyone!! Hurry!

I READ NEVADA YORK'S CAUGHT UP AND IT WAS A GOOD READ. IT KEPT ME WANTING TO TURN THE PAGE TO SEE WHAT THE CHARACTERS WERE GOING TO DO NEXT! IT MADE ME INTERESTED IN READING OTHER BOOKS FROM THIS AUTHOR BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS HER ONLY BOOK TO DATE..SO NEVADA HURRY UP WITH THAT SECOND BOOK!

I accidently ordered the wrong book, I thought I was getting Caught Up by Winston Chapman but instead I received this Nevada York book. All I can say is Wow! I had to take the book to work with me to finish and I enjoyed every minute of it. Nevada has a unique style that I have never read before. If some readers are put off by her style, that unfortunate. They are missing out on a great book.

Let me first say this book was the worst edited novel I've ever read!!

Okay, now that I've gotten that off my chest, let's get to the plot of Nevada York's Caught Up. The story revolves around best friends Mahogany and Shanice, childhood chums who have been thick and thin together. Now as college-aged adults, they're dealing with such issues as love, fidelity (or lack thereof), bisexualty, marriage, and parenthood. The novel then ties in a web of intrigue wherein Mahogany is being stalked.

The plot could have been decent, but overall it was just cheesy. Read for yourself, though ... maybe you like cheese.

I'm a graduate student in geophysics. Some may argue that a geophysicist has no license to criticise a geologist or vice versa, but here goes nothing. :)

Moore begins with an interesting anecdotal account of the early mapping and exploration of the high Sierra. I found this interesting, but then again, I had not read much of this history previously. There are certainly other historical texts out there, so the question to ask yourself is: are there better ones? I don't know the answer.

Before I knew it, the book had morphed into what I took for a geology textbook. A bit too esoteric to be considered general-interest, but certainly not written for a Ph.D. geologist. It smelled an awful lot like an introductory undergraduate geology text, and I've read others that are much more lucid than this one.

Perhaps my biggest disappointment was the photography. Lacking, to say the least. Since Moore's historical coverage ceases before the advent of modern photography, I suppose this is understandable.

In closing: I wasn't quite sure what this text aspired to. As a historical text, I'd say that it was worth the paperback price. As a geology text, I don't think it was worth much. As a photography book, it was worth even less.

Moore's book is the result of a lifetime spent studying and mapping the geologic structures of the Sierra. It is an incredible achievement and an important contribution to a detailed understanding of the geology of the Sierra for the amateur naturalist. As literature and science, it's a worthy successor to Matthes's Geologic History of the Yosemite Valley (USGS Prof. Paper #160). He includes terrific chapters on the work of the first scientists to study the range and then describes current knowledge about the creation of the Sierra: from the collision of tectonic plates to the retreat of the last glaciers.

As an added bonus, Moore includes an appendix with detailed geologic comments for stopping points along several roads and trails in the Sequoia-Kings area: Highway 180 from Clovis to Cedar Grove; Highway 198 from Visalia and over the Generals Highway; the Mineral King road; the High Sierra Trail from Lodgepole to it's intersection with the John Muir Trail near Mt. Whitney; and, the John Muir Trail from Mt. Whitney to where it leaves Kings Canyon in the Evolution Valley region, 100 miles north.

Although Moore concentrates his narrative mostly to the area of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (where, as luck would have it, I work as a ranger), anyone interested in the geology of the Sierra would find this book useful for its explanation of the major granitic and metamorphic structures we see throughout the range. It's large format makes it unlikely you'd want to slip it into your backpack as a field guide. It's also probably of interest only to the serious amateur, though I think it's photos and organization make it accessible to a beginner who might just want to skim some of the detailed sections.

The author of Exploring the Highest Sierra first backpacked across Sequoia National Park, via Mt. Whitney, in 1947. He went on to earn a PhD in geology with his research based on the geologic structure of the highest Sierra - the crest from Mt. Langley on the south through the Palisades region to the north that includes all of the Sierra's 14,000' peaks and a sea of other high mountains, lakes and meadows - and then had a long, successful career as a research geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. He clearly loves and is highly expert about this mountain range, the highest in the 48 coterminous United States, and the surrounding Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park.

My personal experience in this region consists of three backpacking trips - including peak bagging and off trail travel - that totaled perhaps three weeks within the so-called Highest Sierra. I looked forward to reading this 427-page book, which has very wide margins and lots of blank space, in hopes of not just learning more about it but to get ideas and inspirations for additional "explorations" of the area on my own. Unfortunately the book turned out to be less than I hoped for.

Nearly a third of the pages are devoted to chapters about the original Euro-American exploration and mapping of the region, especially the 1860s-90s work of the California Geological Survey and the U.S. Geological Survey and its predecessors. Apart from the detailed coverage of progressively more accurate mapping efforts over the years, most of the characters - Whitney, King, Hoffman, Muir, etc. - are well know to anyone who is generally familiar with the 19th Century exploration of the Sierra (all of them explored and mapped the Yosemite region and elsewhere in the Sierra). These chapters have a lot of interesting photographs of the explorers, their equipment and so forth that I haven't seen elsewhere.

The remaining chapters are mostly hard core geology. And much of it is very technical to the lay reader. There are a lot of aerial photographs originally taken to document the region for mapping or geologic research, detailed photographs of rock strata and structures and numerous textbook-type graphs and charts of geologic phenomenon. A typical exhibit (6.21 in the 54-page chapter titled Granitic Rocks) consists of a set of eight graphs - admittedly incomprehensible to me - that plot the occurrence of silica (SiO2) against eight different chemicals found in hundreds of rock samples throughout the region's mountains. There are dozens of similar charts, graphs and scattergrams. I have to rate a lot of this information as either inaccessible or simply technical overkill for the non-geologist. It's far more detailed than most non-geologist visitors to the region will ever want to know.

This author's idea of an "exploration" of the highest Sierra is almost exclusively geologists and geology. There is virtually nothing about plants, animals, lakes, weather, wildfire, etc., etc. And nary a description of a mountaintop sunrise, a flowery meadow or any of the other charms that still make "exploring" this region so attractive to hikers, riders, climbers and skiers today.

Recommended to anyone seeking an overview of 19th Century geologic study and mapping along with a textbook on the geologic phenomenon - especially rock structure and chemistry - of the highest portion of the south-central Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Not recommended for those who want a generalized natural history overview of the region or want ideas and inspiration for planning their own trips into the high country of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. I note that most of the other reviewers of this book who rate it higher than I do seem to be professional geologists. And although Amazon does not seem to be stocking this, it can be found at the Yosemite Association's online bookstore.

This is an excellent book! The geology portion is easily understandable for the layman, yet still interesting enough for the professional geologist. The great historical and geological infromation make this a wonderful resource for anyone spending any time in the Sierra Nevadas. If you have any interest in geology and history, and you intend to spend any time in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, then you really Need this book!

James Moore has compiled a fantastic account of the earliest history, exploration, mapping, mining, politics and geology of the Seqouia - Kings Canyon National Parks area. This book, more so than any other that I have read on the Sierra, provides insights into the people, the origin of geographic names and the forces and interests that drove the people into the high Sierra region. A fascinating look at the barometric and surveying tools that were lugged to the top of the highest peaks is given and a historical account of the ever increasing accuracy of the maps and just how close the original estimates were. True to his profession, Moore then goes into an in-depth discussion of the current understanding of the geologic history of the region. This discussion will be a great interest to those with a casual to serious interest in geology and will provide a greater awareness for your next trip into the area. It held me, a retired geologist, captive and will remain on my shelf as one of my most treasured references.

I have been to Vegas numerous times and had a friend going for the first time in 20 years. Purchased the book for her and gave it to her prior to her trip. She LOVED it and I found it quite accurate from my experiences there. It's a great book for someone new to Vegas and it's very user friendly.

This book was very informative. It changed my mind about some restaurants that I wanted to go to and helped me plan my trip without a travel agent.

Dummies books in general are nicely laid out, with easy to read text, informative highlights, and simple symbols to keep you in check. That all being said, this just isn't my favorite travel book about Vegas. The Dummies style works great for figuring out how your software works, but it doesn't seem to key in properly to what Las Vegas is all about.

I think the main issue here is that the Dummies book tries to cover a number of different topics in a very shallow manner. Let's start at the beginning. It dedicates the first two chapters on how to get to Vegas. It lists things like "surf the web" to find cheap airline rates. I really didn't need a book to tell me that. It tells you to bring a cell phone. Really, if I get a book on Vegas, I want to know what to do and see in Vegas, and where to stay. The rest of this intro stuff is just fluff.

OK, so we get to the actual "arrival" part of the book. Once again you have a ton of fluff about "look on the web to find hotel prices" and "avoiding hidden costs". They could almost have a cookie cutter travel book at this point, with no actual content about the city you are visiting. When we finally get to the actual hotel descriptions, there is a brief paragraph (or maybe 2) on each one. I would really have liked some sort of easy to use table listing them all and their features, rather than having to scan the paragraphs hoping they mentioned the items I was interested in.

The restaurant area is the same way, a paragraph on each, no real organization to help you out on making your choices. But don't blink - quickly you are into "gambling tips and tricks". Really, if I wanted to learn how to gamble, there are ample books on the topic. I need to know the details in Vegas to choose where to stay and eat, and I still really haven't gotten enough of that information.

You get some information on shows and nightclubs, but then you get lists of top 10 things that aren't in Vegas any more. This might be historically informative, and I might not have minded its inclusion if otherwise the book was chock-full of specific, useful information. But given how much of the rest of the book was already generic, it sort of rubbed that in my face. So now I know even more about things that aren't around any more :)

I do love Dummies books. I own many of them and think they're great. For some reason, the Vegas Dummies book is the worst book in my Vegas collection. I guess it just goes to show that no one system can fit every need.

The price of this book is very reasonable considering all of the information one can learn about Las Vegas. However, I felt as though it could have included more information such as a list of houses of worship and public transportation for those who don't feel comfortable driving around in strange cities. It really is a book for those who plan on renting a car and seeing the city by car. Nonetheless, I think everyone who plans to visit Las Vegas should read this book as it is well-written and the layout is great. It's a fun book to read and it's well worth the price. If I ever get out to Las Vegas, I will absolutely take this book with me as it has a lot of information about hotels and restaurants. It's definitely not stuffy or boring. Even young people would find it easy reading compared to some of the more lengthy, wordy travel guides.

This is the second for Dummies book on travel I have purchased. I did not find it as helpful as the first book (on Hawaii), but it has some great basic information to start your research on if this is your first time to Las Vegas. The rest of my research was on the internet- mostly looking at pictures to get a feel of what I would like to see in person. You can narrow down quite a bit of your searching by reading this easy to read first half of this book, which is devoted to accomodations and attractions. It quickly gives you a summary of all you need to know.

The book was particurlarly helpful in summarizing what all the casinos on the strip offer to do besides gamble- shows, museums, etc. and there are a lot to sort through, and several are free! My family accused me of being to Las Vegas before because I had such a clear idea of where to go and what to see attraction-wise in what seems a chaotic city of entertainment, something this book is invaluable for.

Also helpful were tips on which casinos were connected to what if you want to beat the heat or not walk as far. This book needs to get updated though in that respect. The other half of the book gives tips and instructions on gambling for those going to do less looking and more gambling.

It reminded me a little of Shane, the story of a killer trying to leave behind his past. The reasons for his being hunted after so many years were never made clear. The main character's abilities were highly exagerated - a 50 year old man spends days on strenuous hike, than runs 40 miles (!) in 6 hours and has enough left to take on all the bad guys single handed.

I fully support and subscribe to the views eloquently expressed by John Haynes in the first review in this section. However, there are a couple aspects of this terrific novel I'd like to emphasize. One of which is the extraordinarily achieved prose with which the book is chiseled. Clearly we are dealing here with a craftsman in possesion of considerable powers -- the complex, and William Gasper is one complex character, is rendered with heartstopping clarity and compression, and structurally this book, constructed as efficiently as the rifle Gasper carries, is a dream. For those out there still interested in quality bookmaking, it is worth signalling that The Man Who Walked to the Moon is also, in addition to being a fine and rare work of art, a handsome object. In conclusion, I disagree with the reader who said Mr. McCord's book is devoid of W.F.'s eternal verities -- it seems to me almost entirely built of them.

Written by a Korean War veteran, marathon runner, and university teacher of 43 years' experience, The Man Who Walked to the Moon is the story of an ex-Marine sniper turned professional lone wolf. Set amid the mountains of Nevada, including one particularly imposing peak dubbed "The Moon", it follows the protagonist's tale of a life without illusions yet brought to the brink of a mystic spirituality, and denounces the decadence of civilization and over- reliance upon luxuries. Mystery, threat, and military reminiscence combine in this transcendental work of austere literature.

While agreeing in the main with the previous reviewer, I have struggled with his/her last statement: of which of William Faulkner's eternal verities is this book 'built' (and why, for that matter, was Faulkner brought into it in the first place?)? After considering it for some time, it occurred to me that perhaps it was 'truth' that was being to referred to, truth in the sense of applied and deeply committed attention, of profound and unflinching gaze, of burning away and boiling down. The book, and my god we need more like it, is a kind of breviary of tough questions, questions asked and answered. Mr. Faulkner and his commendable ideas on the way it must be done aside, I highly, highly recommend it.

Varied incarnations of "moon":celestial body; Lady Moon Goddess of uncertain reaility; the moon of the mind, a point of fascination. A fictional mountain called Moon, the old ziggurat, the high place where gods are worshipped--marriage bed to man and goddess. Contact point of human and divine. A man who takes in little more than tea as food, who sees with his dreaming eye, and dreams? hallucinates? lives? in some cthonic level a moment whence he lies with the Celtic White Goddess, Cerridwen. So, a philosophical novel. A spacey treatise, a little trip into onology. Especially if voice is pitch perfect. The images clean and self-contained. Not one false move or moment of waste. But also a novel of an assassin train by our own military and whose resume might include a former President, a warm afternoon in Dallas; a man who has seen blurred the lines between good and evil and who now finds himself stalked across high country wilderness outside of Stearns, Nevada. So, maybe a thriller, a completly different novel than the first--one lean and nasty, the deep look inot our own hearts. .. Actually, compact both novels into one hundred and twenty-three moody, powerful pages and you would have Howard McCord's fine first novella, The Man Who Walked to The Moon. The protagonist, one William Gasper, is an assassin who has known several wars and a number of continents. His questions, whether spoken or not, are the most basic of all: who and what are we in this life. His answers are the stark and stripped true places of the world. And the autonomy, the perfection, of a gun. Gasper tells us the Cerridwen is real, part of the ninety-nine per cent of the universe which lies beyond human understanding, that he is not "delusional" nor "given to quaint expression." And that she has saved him, this goddess, in Korea . He feels that it is now one of her Palug Cats stalking him across a ridgetop of the Moon> Does it matter whether in the most literal of senses this ! is true? Not to me. The importance of this book is the quite wonderful way it forms, sentence, by sentence, the shape of its philosophical core. And the way it pulls the reader, by way of a fine narrative, into the very same core. It is both story and idea. This is a novel Camus might have written if he'd lived. Thankfully, McCord is alive and well and writing. Read what he has to say.

Most political autobiographies seem to be written by the same professional writers--they all sound the same. Not so with this book. It is clear from the start that Senator Laxalt really wrote every page. First, he is willing to admit the mistakes he made over his life--truly rare for an American politician. Second, the writing style is informal and enthusiastic. You know what he likes and thinks. Senator Laxalt had an interesting life. Although one may have doubts in the beginning about how interesting political life in Nevada is, many fascinating stories come from the book--the Senator's complicated relationship with Howard Hughes, how he treated alleged Mafia figures, how he stopped the war between the State's leaders and the FBI, and, of course, his long friendship with Ronald Reagan, who served as the governor California at the same time as Laxalt served as governor of Nevada. For a man from a small State, Laxalt was in the middle of many interesting situations. My only complaint is that he left lots of stories out of the book. At nearly 400 pages, I am sure he felt that he needed to stop, but I would have been interested in learning more about his years in Washington as the best friend of the President. The book is very readable, and it ended all too soon. Hopefully the Senator will write a second book.

Most political autobiographies seem to be written by the same professional writers--they all sound the same. Not so with this book. It is clear from the start that Senator Laxalt really wrote every page. First, he is willing to admit the mistakes he made over his life--truly rare for an American politician. Second, the writing style is informal enthusiastic. You know what he likes and thinks. Senator Laxalt had an interesting life. Although one may have doubts in the beginning about how interesting political life in Nevada is, many fascinating stories come from the book--the Senator's complicated relationship with Howard Hughes, how he treated alleged Mafia figures, how he stopped the war between the State's leaders and the FBI, and, of course, his long friendship with Ronald Reagan, who served as the governor of California at the same time as Laxalt served as governor of Nevada. For a man from a small State, Laxalt was in the middle of many interesting situations. My only complaint is that he left lots of stories out of the book. At nearly 400 pages, I am sure he felt that he needed to stop, but I would have been interested in learning more about his years in Washington as the best friend of the President. The book is very readable, and it ended all too soon. Hopefully the Senator will write a second book.

Most political autobiographies seem to be written by the same professional writers--they all sound the same. Not so with this book. It is clear from the start that Senator Laxalt really wrote every page. First, he is willing to admit the mistakes he made over his life--truly rare for an American politician. Second, the writing style is informal and enthusiastic. You know what he likes and thinks. Senator Laxalt had an interesting life. Although one may have doubts in the beginning about how interesting political life in Nevada is, many fascinating stories come from the book--the Senator's complicated relationship with Howard Hughes, how he treated alleged Mafia figures, how he stopped the war between the State's leaders and the FBI, and, of course, his long friendship with Ronald Reagan, who served as the governor California at the same time as Laxalt served as governor of Nevada. For a man from a small State, Laxalt was in the middle of many interesting situations. My only complaint is that he left lots of stories out of the book. At nearly 400 pages, I am sure he felt that he needed to stop, but I would have been interested in learning more about his years in Washington as the best friend of the President. The book is very readable, and it ended all too soon. Hopefully the Senator will write a second book.

This memoir by Paul Laxalt is well-worth reading by those who value a book that is not only well-written, but also substantive. Written in a conversationalistic style, it reads like a good story. It is the story of the evolution of a fascinating life by Laxalt, including his early years growing up in Nevada, his military experiences at the end of World War II, his family (which is rich in Basque character), and the development of the career that Laxalt is most known for, which is politics. Laxalt - in the tradition of his Basque heritage, was a reluctant entrant and a reluctant political figure through much of his career. Prefering the value of a hand-shake and veracity, the behavior & semantics inherent to politics was something that he viewed with skepticsim, yet understood the importance of public service and of the need for change in the political arena. His career spanned a broad spectrum, from D.A. to Lt. Governor to Governor to the U.S. Senate. Setbacks occurred & lessons were learned, which made Laxalt a "seasoned" person in not only Nevada politics, but national politics as well. His governorship of Nevada coincided for 4 years with the neighboring Governor of California - Ronald Reagan. This political relationship turned into a valued personal friendship, resulting in Laxalt often being referred to as the "best friend" of Reagan during his Presidency, and one who Reagan could rely on for honest advice. As opposed to many others who worked close with Reagan, Laxalt remains true to his strong sense of Basque loyalty & writes about Reagan in an insightful manner, while respecting the privacy of a "true friend." This book is valued reading for people interested in varying subjects, including the history of Nevada and the West, contemmporary political history in Nevada and the West, and the rise of Ronald Reagan to the Presidency & his performance in office. As a final note, because of its adroit writing style done in a conversational and story-telling manner makes it a valued read to not only an audience interested in the aforementioned subjects, but also a good book for potential use in college political science classes. It is highly-recommended.

I have admired Paul Laxalt from afar for many years -- now I know why. His engaging and easily read memoirs will be good going for anyone interested in Nevada, or the Reagan years, or recent American political life.

Following Laxalt from his political roots in Carson City to his role at the pinnacle of American power is fascinating. To me, the author's straightforward humility explains his success and stands in contrast to most of our present leaders. Maybe poise, common sense and a limited self-interest are the ingredients that matter most in our politicians.