Nevada Books

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.

The Lincoln Brigade fought ON the side of the Communist Left ( Republicans) and participated in the many attrocities such as executions of the clergy, press,ect. They were funded by Eleanor Roosevelt who was a "closet" Communist,trained and sent to Spain to help send Spain into the Soviet orbit.

Interesting, if for no other reason than to see for yourself the nature of the "true believers" of the Left. We now know that Americans participated in Stalin-inspired Trotskyite hunts within the ranks of the International Brigades. While Merriman almost certainly met his end at a Nationalist firing squad, how many American Reds met their end at Merriman's orders? The writing style of the book was in the nature of a justification of a cause that was morally bankrupt, even in the context of fighting fascism. I recommend the book to anyone who wishes to better understand the mindset of liberal thinking . . .

"American Commander in Spain" is a vivid account of the last years in the life of Robert Merriman. The book was written by his wife, who followed Merriman when he went to fight in the Spanish Civil War. The book will not be helpful to the profesional historian, save perhaps a few anecdotes that could link specific historical characters to specific places during the war. The book is also not a novel and cannot be read as a work with high literary intentions. Rather it is an interesting portrait of a man whose life has the special quality of blending reality and legend. Merriman became fiction when Hemingway, who met him during the war used him as the basis for his character Robert Jordan in "For whom the bell tolls." The work will therefore be of most interest to those readers looking for the sources where Literature drinks from Life and with some emotional attachment to the historical context.

...For when one reads about Robert Merriman it becomes clear that he was an american patriot searching for solutions to get his own country out of the Depression and later trying to stop the rise of Fascism in Europe. That his countrymen were so blind then (and it seems still now) cost them dearly in WWII. The insensitivity shown by these reviewers hurts most those of us who look up to the american volunteers in awe, not for their ideological beliefs, but for their sense of sacrifice and love for freedom. It is a sin against Humanity to see Merriman's death any other way. If there is a God and these other reviewers are ever judged, I only hope that all their sins will be remembered.

A hefty volume with a hefty price, that has more paper than information. Much of what is contained in this book is out of date and therefore useless; this includes hours, phone numbers, addresses, out-of-business businesses, local events, and almost anything that might be of interest. It is also poorly organized. Sad to say, we spent a pretty penny on this one, and lugged around the tome, wasting both time and money. In hindsight, I am sure we would have been better off getting one of the many slimmer guidebooks from a host of other publishers available on the market, or even picking up the countless freebies available all around Tahoe. I would strongly caution against wasting good money on this one.

This lenghty volume covers all the options at Tahoe, from gambling to hiking, skiing to boating. Includes coverage of much of the surrounding area.

Very complete guide to the entire Lake Tahoe area; but, oftentimes I found the details out-of-date (i.e. prices, hours, etc.). Nonetheless, it's a great guide to activity options and provides a wide range of lodging and restaurants.

I don't know what the other two reviewers read, but this is one of the better written southern Nevada histories I have read. Well documented, and it exposes some of the more unpleasant parts of Pahrump history.

Poor writing. Inadequate research and documentation. Limited + skewed sample of interviewees.

One would expect this quality from a self-published book.

Lackluster prose. Research Lite. Curious choice of interviewees, to be generous to the author.

Those who know Nye County (NV) better, know better. The real history of Pahrump will probably be written by a hard-working graduate student armed with a tape recorder, a shoestring budget, and keen judgement.

This supposed "history" was ultimately funded by Department of Energy as part of its obiligation to local communities that will be affected by the proposed high-level nulcear waste repository nearby Yucca Mountain. Your tax dollars at work. Ugh....

The University of Nevada Presses don't exactly match Yale's or Harvard's, but you've got to wonder about standards and why they agreed to act as distributor, once this volume and the rest of the series were printed.

An embarrassment all around.

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.

Ted Binion was a modern-day swashbuckler. Part owner of the Las Vegas Casino--- 'Binion's Horseshoe', he lived much larger than life. That is until he was (most likely) murdered by his beautiful live-in girlfriend Sandy Murphy and her conspiring lover Rick Tabish. Both are now doing bids of 20 to life pending a possible reopening of their case. Unfortunately, the above book doesn't do his tantalizing story justice. His is a cautionary tale about heroine addiction, immense wealth, fast women and shady characters. It includes buried treasure, hard partying and other vices that make eccentric people like him endlessly fascinating. This book however is too short, and honestly reads like what it is--- a compilation of newspaper articles put together by two journalists desperate to quickly cash in on a legend. For all appearances (too many pictures & not enough prose) it looks and reads like something thrown together on the way over to the local Kinko's Copies! It's truly unfortunate because there's enough intrigue in Ted Binion's life and controversial death for a book ten times the size of this one.

Smith does an excellent job of providing a concise summary of the events that lead to the Binion trial, the most notorious criminal trial in Las Vegas'colorful history.

However, he falls short in providing insight not already avilable in the archives of this story appearing elsewhere on the World Wide Web. In addition, character and event analysis fall woefully short of expectations, especially those of us familiar with Smith's other works.

You will enjoy this book if you are vaguely familiar with the trial,and want details. If, however, you know a lot about this case already, you will be disappointed.

The author does categorically and persuasively state his opinion of this case, which may take some of you by surprise. Sadly, that is the only major new revalation of this book.

After reading this book I feel it was RUSHED, and so much of the powerful 'inside' information was left out. I did enjoy the pictures, many not seen before. The story seems to leave out so much of the mystery involved, but is much better than the other book I read. The death of Lonnie 'Ted' Binion was something most people expected - he used and abused Heroin for 20 years, he was 'friendly' with the mob, he was entangled in a family that epitomizes DYSFUNCTIONAL. His father, Benny was one step ahead of the law when he left Texas to begin what ended up an empire his children fought over constantly. Ted was born into Las Vegas royalty, which afforded him every opportunity in life. But it came with a price. When he was younger, he was almost kidnapped. The plot was uncovered and those planning it were dealt with Benny Binion style. When Benny died, Jack and Ted were the 'Big Boys' at the HORSESHOE CASINO, and continued to operate the way Pappa B had in the past. The Gaming Commission was not happy that Ted was at the helm of the casino and didn't play by the rules. The was arrested in 1987, and this paved the way for Teddy's removal from the casino, which thrilled his sister Becky Behnen. She sued brother Jack for control and won. Ted felt he could return, but after continuing his pattern of not following the rules, the Gaming Commission removed him in March of 1998. When Becky took control of the casino, Ted had to remove his SILVER stash from the casino vault and had it placed in a vault on his ranch. Tons and tons of silver were placed in an underground vault that he had hired Rick Tabish to install. His girlfriend, Sandy Murphy, was there with Ted during his battles with drugs and the casino business. She was there when Ted's friend, 'Fat Herbie' Blitzstein was murdered and the FBI warned Ted of a 'hit' that had been placed on him as well. Who placed the hit? Did it have anything to do with Ted backing out of a promise to pay $50,000.00 to have his sister Becky 'whacked'? Who shot at Ted's house in 1997? Why was his sister and nephew dining with the person charged with the shooting after Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish were safely tucked out of the way in prison? Why wasn't ALL the information regarding Ted's life, Sandy's whereabouts, and Rick's lunch appointment on the day Ted died? What caused the attorneys to keep exculpatory evidence out of the trial? What exactly did Ted Binion die from on that day in September, 1998. Why wasn't the man who sold the 12 balloons of Mexican Black Tar Heroin ever indicted? We have the Prosecutor's own 'experts' disagreeing on what killed Ted. Was it the heroin he smoked? Was it the Xanax he asked his neighbor, described as Dr. Feelgood at trial, to call in and Ted himself picked up at the pharmacy? If the mixture of both these drugs didn't kill him what did? How can you prove murder when the victim himself purchased the 'deadly mixture'? You come up with "forced ingestion" and then add 'Burking' by Dr. Michael Baden. Proof of murder? Proof that the family money paid to have someone other than Ted Binion take the fall. It didn't matter that another sister had killed herself a few years back, that Ted had lost his license to run the family casino, even admitted that he was deeply depressed at the loss of his beloved Gaming license...it had to be ruled murder in order to keep Sandy Murphy's hands off of what Ted had left her in his will. Where was Rick Tabish going with the silver he dug up? Who else was supposed to take care of the silver? What attorney was in charge of this SILVER STASH? Whay did Ted keep the silver in a vault on his ranch? Why couldn't he use a bank? Was it due to the RICO charges he might be facing? Ted Binion will be remembered not by what he did in his life, but his death. What a sad story he was.

This is an above average field guide, but the writing is sometimes so dry that while reading you may feel as if you are hiking through death valley, not Mammoth or the Ritter Range. The map that comes with it is fantastic, although, it comes from the 1920's surveys of the area.

Yes, you read that correctly. This guide is so brittle and dry it's extremely frustrating. The Devil's Postpile area of Mammoth has a trailhead which leads you to heaven, literally. The Agnew Meadows and PCT criss-cross this area and these trails are as beautiful as any place in this hemisphere. Would you know it from this overly technical, ZZZZ-ville narrative? Nope. The authors take a place so astoundingly beautiful and reduce it to just another locale, a sort of ho-hum place you might encounter while strolling in the plains of Kansas. But Mammoth is not just any place, it's a spectacular place, a hiking paradise, a one of a kind wonder!

The map is excellent but doesn't justify the purchase of this book. The map itself is still current, even though it was produced in 1927. The mountains haven't changed, but boy, have the trailheads changed. There is also a shuttle system implemented in the past year and it will cost you $14 per couple to hit these trailhead, unless you want to ride the bus. This is vital information which is not included in this book.

To sum up: see Mammoth and hike it for yourself. Don't put any credence in this outdated, obsolete, dry-as-a-bone book.

The world is full of bad books written by amateurs. But why settle for the merely regrettable? High Sierra Climbing is a bad book written by experts. Gripping, squeezing, mashing, bashing, this book will give a man cramps and a woman a prostate. It delivers. Don't fail to miss it if you can. This book will draw readers like a magnet draws hungry flies!

This book is of typical SuperTopo quality; that is to say, quite good. You would be hard pressed to find the level of approach/route/descent and historical detail presented here in any other single source. One minor issue is some overlap with the SuperTopo Tuolumne Free Climbs book, but that is excusable.

Just east of Death Valley and ninety miles north of Las Vegas, Amargosa Valley is one of those dusty little desert towns. Located between Death Valley Junction and US 95, Amargosa Valley isn't even a blink-and-you-miss-it town since most travelers take more direct routes to and from the driest National Park. Those who aren't connected to the mining industry typically make their way out to the area to explore Ash Springs and Big Dune, one of the few 'singing sand dunes' in the world. "A History of Amargosa Valley, Nevada" is an examination of this place. This book is a result of the Nye County Town History Project. In addition to appreciating existing research, a focal point of the NCTHP is to conduct extensive interviews with residents who can add light to the area's story. Robert D. McCracken is uniquely qualified to document this project having experience in local mining and a degree in Cultural Anthropology. This title first looks at how Indians originally used the area. The key feature to the parched landscape is Ash Meadows. Great detail is given to how the Paiute and Shoshone were the first to use this oasis. Afterwards, the author examines the period of exploration, including a summary of the Forty-Niners' ordeal. Included are actual accounts by the brave men who traveled through this challenging land. Farmers and ranchers eventually worked the land with varying degrees of success. The reader meets such laborers, outlaws, homesteaders and miners. Included are pieces on Jack Longstreet and Dad Fairbanks. The railroads played an important part in connecting residents with the outside world. While agriculture and ranching has struggled in light of water issues, mining has been (and is) the area's primary money maker. Used to process petroleum based oils, clay has been one of the most profitable finds. McCracken looks at life in a small isolated town. The author describes how people lived in such a hot environment prior to electricity, local schools and good roads. The Amargosa Valley Improvement Association eventually led to the area's evolution as an unincorporated town. "A History of Amargosa Valley" looks at the roots of contemporary situations. Various sides are looked at with regards to the ban on large scale development in the hopes of protecting the endangered pupfish. Also, Amargosa Valley is about 30 miles from the Nevada Test Site. It seems that there was as little controversy then as there is now for the impending Yucca Mountain nuclear waste deposititory. At 110 pages, "A History of Amargosa Valley" is an enjoyable read on the area, especially when considering the larger, broader and more academically inclined "Death Valley and the Amargosa: A Land of Illusion." The only significant drawback to this book is the total absence of maps and images that would have been helpful in making connections between places and showing people. It seems that there is an alternate version of this book entitled "The Modern Pioneers of the Amargosa Valley" which includes all of this title's text and 70 photographs. While I haven't seen that book, it must be preferential to this abbreviation. All in all, "A History of Amargosa Valley" is a enjoyable read about this dusty yet vibrant town.

Poorly written. Not much research depth. Vanity press level stuff.

Get Lingenfelter's book, if you want the early history of Amargosa Valley. The more recent history has yet to be written.

I was disappointed with this book. I found the story so laden with trivial detail that it seemed to lack purpose or direction.

Was hesitant to read after the previous episode. Was pleasantly suprised. Evans made a contribution to this episode. Although the plot was not the greatest I found the edition to be fast moving and entertaining. Could not determine who the true villians were until end. Evans did an excellent job of recalling previous episdoes: The Wendigo, The Stalking Corpse, and The Omaha Tinhorns. Excellent descriptions and depth of characters in addition to graphic descriptions of scenery. Was a pleasure reading this episode.

Would like to see Longarm meet people throughout history as in some previous episodes: Teddy Roosevelt, Gentleman Jim Corbett and U.S Grant.