On the Boulevard--The Best of John L. Smith [Paperback]

John L. Smith (Author), John L. Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1999 | Series: Local History

Brings together the best writing of Las Vegas' most popular columnist, the Las Vegas Review-Journal's John L. Smith. Smith provides singular insights into the fast, fluid, and often funny town he's chronicled for nearly 20 years. Subjects include: Las Vegas mayor and Mob mouthpiece Oscar Goodman, legendary slot cheat Bill Land, and seldom-chronicled gambling icons such as Mel Exber (Las Vegas Club), Si Redd (IGT), and Big Julie Weintraub ('60s junket operator).

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John L. Smith has written more than 2,000 columns that have appeared in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. On the Boulevard brings together the best of them, providing a singular insight into the fast, fluid, and often funny town that Smith has chronicled for the past 15 years. In 1998, John L. was voted "Nevada's Outstanding Journalist" by the Nevada Press Association and was awarded third place in the National Headliner Awards.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Huntington Press (January 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0929712692
• ISBN-13: 978-0929712697
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,509,799 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive book about life on and off the Vegas Strip, October 22, 2000

By 

"vegasseller" (Las Vegas, NV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On the Boulevard--The Best of John L. Smith (Paperback)

ON THE BOULEVARD is a wonderful compilation of Smith's best daily columns. It's a fun and easy read that gives the reader insight into every-day life in Las Vegas -- from a fourth-generation Nevadan. Smith is the most-read columnist in Nevada because his stories cover the human side of Vegas, the side most tourists never see. I highly recommend!

5.0 out of 5 stars John Smith Endures as One Author I can Count On, April 1, 2010

By 

Freuds Nightmare "Igor Igoravich" (USA/EUROPA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: On the Boulevard--The Best of John L. Smith (Paperback)

I grew up in Vegas in the sixties and seventies and was well informed about the actions of the milieu of players and characters from Al Sachs to Steve Wynn, his hair dresser, and a slew of other minor league boys and girls. I watched the Jewish factions patiently watch Spilotro stepping on their feet and wondered why they didn't shoot his short little ass long before the Italians finally did. No one knows all of the intertwining relationships that were the life back then, and no one writes it better. To truly understand Las Vegas you must read John Smith before and after your studies begin.