2008 nevada books

Historic Photos of Las Vegas
text and captions by Jeff Burbank. Turner Publishing, turnerpublishing.com, 615-255-2665. 216 pages, 200 b&w photos.

Watch Las Vegas grow from its meager beginnings as a scattering of tents called Ragtown, to its mob-run days as Glitter Gultch, into the modern mega-resort juggernaut that is the largest American city to be developed entirely within the 20th century. Would Sin City by any other name conjure images of one of the world’s premier travel destinations? Maybe not, but it’s interesting to know how it got there.

Historic Photos of Reno
text and captions by Donnelyn Curtis. Turner Publishing, turnerpublishing.com, 615-255-2665. 216 pages, 200 b&w photos.

The Biggest Little City has come a long way since its days as a tiny settlement at Lake’s Crossing on the Truckee River. Follow the city through its early years of loose gambling regulations, prize fighting, and easy divorce to its emergence as a tourist destination and urban center. There will be a book signing with Curtis on November 8 at Sundance Bookstore on West Fourth Street in Reno at 11 a.m.

The Complete Nevada Traveler
by David Toll. Gold Hill Publishing, nevadatravel.net , 775-847-0222. 256 pages, 250 b&w photos

Don’t let the “traveler” in the title fool you. This guide, now in its 15th edition, could even teach most native Nevadans a thing or two. From Alamo to Zephyr Cove and everything between, this is the definitive guide to the Silver State. The book also includes a listing of visitors centers and chambers of commerce to help you plan your next Nevada getaway.

Literary Nevada: Writings from the Silver State
edited by Cheryll Glotfelty. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6573. 896 pages, 35 b&w photos.

This state anthology contains more than 200 writings ranging from Native American legends, explorer and emigrant diaries, and writings from the Comstock Lode and other mining boomtowns. Works from well-known Nevada writers such as Mark Twain and Robert Laxalt, atomic testing, rural and urban life, and cowboy poetry are also featured.

Mines, Minerals & Mustangs: Nevada’s Living Legends—Wild Horses and Dreams of Gold
by John and Jeannette Kerr. Focal Impressions, jjkerr.com, 176 pages, 149 color photos.

Nevada explorers John and Jeannette Kerr take readers along as they visit Nevada’s unique places and observe one of the state’s symbolic animals. The photographer-geologist duo shares their experiences following wild mustangs, hunting for ghost towns and abandoned mines, and meeting fascinating Nevadans. The Kerrs have two book signings coming up in Reno: November 28-29 at Borders and December 7 at Barnes & Noble.

Golf Las Vegas: The Ultimate Guide
by Ken Van Vechten. Huntington Press, huntingtonpress.com, 702-252-0655. 240 pages.

With nearly 60 golf resorts in the Las Vegas area, finding the one for you could seem like a daunting task. Luckily, Van Vechten will guide you through the process. Find everything you need to know, including all the basics expected in any golf guide, such as par, rating, and slope of holes; when to go; plus places to stay and eat—all told by an experienced Las Vegas golfer.

Desert Gothic
by University of Iowa Press, uiowapress.org, 800-621-2736. 166 pages. In this collection of 10 stories.

Don Waters introduces a wild, gritty Nevada cast and points them down paths of reckoning, where the characters earn the grace of their hard-won wisdom. Set in bars, mortuaries, nursing homes, truck stops and the “poverty motels that encircle downtown’s casino corridor,” his stories are full of misfit transients like Julian, a crematorium worker who decorates abandoned urns to create a “lush underground island,” and the instant Mormon missionary Eli, a hapless divorcé who “always likes people a little better when they’re a little broken.”

Mason Valley Ranch
by Lynn Medley. Dorrance Publishing, dorrancepublishing.com, 412-288-4543. 212 pages

From the time they were young children, Rachel and Birdie were destined to be together. Their idyllic days of youth were violently interrupted, however, when Birdie was removed from Rachel’s family’s ranch in northwestern Nevada because she was an Indian. The huge hole in Rachel’s heart only becomes bigger when her father and brother are killed in a tragic accident. Meanwhile, Birdie never makes it to the reservation—she is sold into prostitution and endures years of abuse and turmoil. The appearance of a mysterious little girl at the ranch sets in motion a reunion between Rachel and Birdie, but it is not the happy one they anticipated. More obstacles must be overcome as Rachel fights for her home, her soul mate, and even her own freedom.

The Orange Slipknot
by Jan Young. Raven Publishing, ravenpublishing.net, 406-685-3545. 178 pages.

Twelve-year-old Ben is impatient to grow up and fill the footprints his father leaves on the Nevada cattle ranch where he works. Meeting the high expectations of his father is difficult enough, without the enmity expressed by Fred, the cow boss, who seems to hate him. Ben has to grow up quickly when he’s put in a position where only he can save Fred’s life, earning the respect he craves from everyone on the ranch. This story is a window on ranch life in the Silver State.

Phantom Stallion: The Wild One
by Terri Farley. HarperCollins Publishers, harpercollinschildrens.com, 212-261-6500. 216 pages.

The wild mustangs of Nevada hold a special place in Terri Farley’s heart, as evidenced by the nearly 40 children’s novels she has written about the iconic animals. In the first book of the Phantom Stallion series, ride along with 13-year-old Samantha as she becomes a real cowgirl with the help of a mysterious mustang that may or may not be her long-lost companion, Blackie. Visit phantomstallion.com for information on the rest of the books in the series. Farley will appear at an authors' luncheon at Peppermill Resort Spa Casino in Reno on November 8. Visit unr.edu for more information.

The Shopkeeper
by James D. Best. Wheatmark, wheatmark.com, 520-798-3306. 240 pages. In 1879.

Steve Dancy sells his New York shop and travels west to explore and write a journal about his adventures. Though he’s not looking for trouble, Dancy’s infatuation with another man’s wife soon embroils him in a deadly feud with Sean Washburn, a Nevada silver baron. Infuriated by the outrages of two hired thugs, the shopkeeper kills both men in an impulsive street fight. Dancy believes this barbaric act has closed the episode. He is wrong. He has interfered with Washburn’s ambitions, and this is something the mining tycoon will not allow. Pinkertons, hired assassins, and aggrieved bystanders escalate the feud until it pulls in all the moneyed interests and power brokers in Nevada.

Howard Hughes: Power, Paranoia, & Palace Intrigue
by Geoff Schumacher. Stephens Press, stephenspress.com, 888-951-2665. 295 pages, 47 photos.

One of the most famous and enigmatic Americans of the 20th century, Howard Hughes packed theaters with his blockbuster films, thrilled the world with his aviation exploits, was linked with almost every major film beauty of the 1930s and ’40s, and transformed his father’s small fortune into a vast business empire, becoming one of the world’s first billionaires. But for all his celebrated achievements, Hughes’ later years in Las Vegas—when drug addiction, bizarre behavior, and a casino buying spree dominated his days—continue to fascinate the public. Veteran journalist Schumacher delves into this period in this portrait of a man whose impact on the city is still being felt today.

Irish Flame’s Biker & Travel Guide to Nevada, Volume 1
by Irish Flame and Karel Ancona-Henry. Moonbean Publishing, moonbeanpublishing.com, 775-246-4000. 300 pages.

Having extensively traveled Nevada’s highways and byways, the author brings her unique perspective and first-hand knowledge of Nevada and Lake Tahoe to this book. You'll feel like an insider if you own this guide which explores the many facets of the Silver State. Learn the intricacies of being a casino VIP and how to use concierge services; where to find motorcycle, car, ATV, and RV rentals; how to find accommodations ranging from five-star to camping; and where to discover the best restaurants, bars, and points of interest in Nevada.

Nevada Trails Western Region: Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails
by Peter Massey, Angela Titus, and Jeanne Wilson. Adler Publishing, adlerpublishing.com, 800-660-5107. 272 pages.

This guide covers a range of roads from easy-going, scenic drives to technical four-wheel-drive trails. Full of detailed maps, directions, and trail information, this book takes you off the pavement into Nevada’s breathtaking backcountry. It includes 39 trails near Carson City, Hawthorne, Lake Tahoe, Reno, Tonopah, and more.

Poisoned Love
by Carlton Smith. St. Martin’s Press, stmartins.com, 646-307-5151. 296 pages, 17 b&w photos

Kathy Augustine was a controversial Nevada State Controller. In 2003, her husband died of an apparent stroke. A month later, she married one of her late husband’s ER nurses, Chaz Higgs. In 2006, 50-year-old Augustine died of a heart attack. But when an autopsy revealed no signs of heart disease, investigators dug deeper… only to find the presence of a powerful, paralyzing emergency-room drug in her system. A jury would later charge Higgs with first-degree murder. Could Augustine’s first husband also have been one of Higgs’ victims? And just how much did she know?

Red Flag: Air Combat for the 21st Century
by Tyson Rininger. Zenith Press, mbipublishing.com, 651-287-5120. 128 pages, 100 color photos, 10 b&w photos.

This book takes readers behind the scenes of the biggest, most complex, high-tech military exercise conducted in the world. Red Flag offers a complete history and insider’s view of the fully integrated, war-conditions exercise that uses Nellis Air Force Base. The largest combat range on the planet—it’s the size of Connecticut—involves every kind of military This book takes readers behind the scenes of the biggest, most complex, high-tech military exercise conducted in the world. Red Flag offers a complete history and insider’s view of the fully integrated, war-conditions exercise that uses Nellis Air Force Base. The largest combat range on the planet—it’s the size of Connecticut—involves every kind of military aircraft and asset, from fighters, tankers, and bombers to helicopters, satellites, and unmanned aircraft.

Urbanizing the Mojave Desert: Las Vegas
by Nicole Huber and Ralph Stern. Jovis Publishers, jovis.de. 192 pages, 150 color photos.

This book presents a hybrid landscape shaped and reshaped by practices of everyday urbanization. The images here do not project ideals of urban development or solve social and environmental problems. They offer a “third sight” that makes visible the complex and often intersecting spaces of everyday production and consumption tied to Las Vegas and the desert.

A Day in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest
photography by Dennis Flaherty, essays by Mark Schlenz. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 64 pages, 50 color photos.

Near the Nevada-California border, high in the White Mountains, there are bristlecone pines that have lived longer than any other tree in the world. Some trees in this forest have stood for nearly 5,000 years in their sub-alpine groves. A stroll among these ancient trees brings you into the living presence of history. You’ll find a collection of photographs showcasing the trees through the seasons as they are sculpted by wind, ice, and time. Accompanying the photographs are short essays that reflect upon the lifecycle and extraordinary longevity of the trees.

Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Nevada
by Ted Floyd, Chris S. Elphick, Graham Chisholm, Kevin Mack, Robert Elston, Elisabeth M. Ammon, and John D. Boone. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 608 pages.

Nevada's diverse landscape is home to a surprising number and variety of bird species. This atlas documents the results of a statewide survey of breeding birds taken between 1997 and 2000. The book presents 275 species of birds that breed in the state with a description of each bird; an analysis of its breeding distribution in Nevada; discussion of its conservation status; a line drawing by artist Ray Nelson; a map illustrating its distribution throughout the state; and summary statistics on its breeding status, habitat distribution, and abundance.

Black Rock
by Peter Goin and Paul Starrs. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 296 pages, 114 color photos, 21 maps.

Nevada’s enigmatic Black Rock Desert is an area where natural forces are ceaselessly restless and life in many forms has endured for millennia. Its haunting landscape has been the focus of study and contemplation by scientists, explorers, outdoors aficionados, and artists. In Black Rock, photographer Goin and geographer Starrs explore this fascinating place from the viewpoints of their respective disciplines.

Devils Will Reign: How Nevada Began
by Sally Zanjani. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 240 pages

Nevada entered the Union in 1864 as the 36th state, two decades after John Charles Fremont and his party undertook the first Euro-American exploration of the Great Basin. However, the intervening years were exceptionally eventful—gold was discovered in California in 1848; the debate over slavery in the territories made the West a significant topic of congressional concern; and the Mormon establishment in Utah stimulated national suspicion of the sect's ambitions and policies. All this gave the remote, sparsely populated region on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada an importance that it probably would not have had in less turbulent times.

Honest Horses: Wild Horses in the Great Basin
by Paula Morin. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 408 pages.

The situation of the mustangs as vigorous competitors for the resources of the West’s drought-parched rangelands has put them at the center of passionate controversies about their purpose, place, and future on the open range. Photographer/oral historian Morin has interviewed 62 people who know these horses best: ranchers, horse breeders and trainers, American Indians, veterinarians, wild horse advocates, range scientists, cowboy poets, western historians, wildlife experts, and agents of the Federal Bureau of Land Management.

In the Desert of Desire: Las Vegas and the Culture of Spectacle
by William Fox. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 208 pages.

Las Vegas, Fox says, is a pay-as-you-play paradise that succeeds in satisfying our fantasies of wealth and the excesses of pleasure and consumption that go with it. In this context, Fox examines how Las Vegas's culture of spectacle has obscured the boundaries between high art and entertainment extravaganza, nature and fantasy, and for-profit and nonprofit enterprises

The Infamous King of the Comstock: William Sharon and the Gilded Age in the West
by Michael Makley. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 328 pages.

William Sharon epitomized the robber barons of the nation’s Gilded Age and the political corruption and moral decay for which that period remains notorious, yet he was also a visionary capitalist who controlled more than a dozen of the greatest mines on Nevada’s mighty Comstock Lode, built the Virginia & Truckee Railroad, manipulated speculation and prices on the San Francisco Stock Exchange, and revived the collapsed Bank of California. One enemy called him "a thoroughly bad man—a man entirely void of principle," while a Comstock neighbor called him "one of the best men that ever lived in Virginia City."

Jews in Nevada
by John Marshall. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 456 pages.

The book is the first comprehensive documented study of Jews in Nevada from 1850 to the present. It details their involvement in the development and fostering of the state’s earliest settlements and its social and political institutions. Among the themes are: anti-Semitism, Jewish participation in civil rights initiatives, and the explosive growth of the religion in the Las Vegas metropolitan area along with the development of an expanding Jewish cultural infrastructure. It includes victimized peddlers and modern millionaires, heroines and exploiters, underworld figures and philanthropists, as well as the religiously observant and secular.

Las Vegas: A Centennial History
by Eugene Moehring and Michael Green. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 296 pages.

This book offers a detailed, knowledgeable account of the growth of this unique city, the impact of politics and wars, and the city’s struggle to establish diversified economy. The authors’ scope extends chronologically from the first Paiute people who settled around the artesian springs that gave the city its name, up to the construction of the latest mega-resort, and geographically far beyond the original township to include the several municipalities that make up the metropolitan Las Vegas area.

The Overland Journey From Utah to California: Wagon Travel from the City of Saints to the City of Angels
by Edward Leo Lyman. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 304 pages, 51 b&w photos, four maps.

The wagon trail between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles is one of the most important but least-known roads of 19th-century western migration. Known as the Southern Route, it included the western half of the Old Spanish Trail and was favored because it could be used year-round. This book is the first history of the complete Southern Route and of the people who developed and used it.

The Roar and the Silence: A History of Virginia City and the Comstock Lode
by Ronald James. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 384 pages.

The Roar and the Silence chronicles the area's history from its earliest days through the early 20th century, when the lode finally gave out and the Comstock sank into silent decay, and up to the present, when Virginia City and its environs found new life, first as a community of bohemians and artists, and more recently as a tourist attraction offering a taste of the frontier experience to visitors from around the world.

Searchlight: The Camp that Didn’t Fail
by Harry Reid. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 288 pages, 44 b&w photos, three maps.

This book by Searchlight’s most distinguished native son, Senator Reid, recounts the colorful history of the town and the lives of the hardy people who built it and sustained the community in one of the least hospitable environments in the United States. Its story encompasses both Nevada’s early 20th-century mining boom and the phenomenal growth of Southern Nevada after World War II.

Senator Howard Cannon of Nevada: A Biography
by Michael Vernetti. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 264 pages, 18 b&w photos.

Cannon, who represented Nevada in the U.S. Senate from 1958 to 1982, was one of its most productive and influential members, and his career influenced many major changes in American politics and policies. Vernetti served as Cannon’s press secretary from 1977 until the end of Cannon’s final term. His intimacy with the inner workings of Cannon’s office gives this biography insight into Cannon’s personality and ideas, and further insight derived from dozens of interviews with Cannon associates enhance the story.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas: A History
by Eugene Moehring. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 392 pages

Moehring recounts UNLV's phenomenal growth. Here are the personalities who created and guided the school, from Maude Frazier, the visionary educator who fought to bring higher education to Southern Nevada, to the professors, administrators, coaches, and other campus personalities who helped shape the institution and its traditions. Moehring discusses the decisions and controversies that influenced the University's location, goals, programs, and personnel, as well as the significant role played by its student body.

Uncovering Nevada’s Past: A Primary Source History of the Silver State
edited by John Reid and Ronald James. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 248 pages

Nevada’s relatively brief history has been nonetheless remarkably eventful—from the activities of the first Euro-American explorers to the booms and busts of the mining industry, and from the struggles and artistry of American Indians to the establishment of liberal divorce laws and such unique industries as legalized gambling and prostitution. These and more recent turning points such the Cold War atomic tests, civil rights movement, arrival of a diverse and rapidly growing urban population, and Sagebrush Rebellion are all reasons Nevada has played a part in the nation’s development while following its own ruggedly independent path.

50 Classic Hikes in Nevada: From the Ruby Mountains to Red Rock Canyon
by Mike White. University of Nevada Press, unpress.nevada.edu, 775-784-6579. 232 pages.

Nevada boasts some of the most diverse and beautiful landscapes in North America and is rich in trails that embrace the state’s scenic, geologic, and historic resources. White offers a guide to 50 of the best Nevada hikes, ranging from the Mojave Desert to the Sierra Nevada, and from sagebrush basins to the alpine heights of the Ruby Mountains