Customer Reviews

Every Light Was on: Bill Harrah and His Clubs Remembered

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a fascinating story told in the words of a great collection of people who "were there." Former wives, dealers, PR types, executives, many from the '40s and '50s offer candid insights and memories that illustrate the complexity, and at times the profound sadness, of Bill Harrah's life.

Casino cheating (by owners, employees, and customers!), evolution of gambling machines, promotional stunts, big name entertainment, and the famed auto collection are covered extensively.

My only reservation (a minor one) is that Harrah's subsidized some of the production costs of the book which probably had some editorial impact. For example, embarassing or critical material is typically played down. (No interviews here of disgruntled competitors or former employees) Please do not let this comment keep you from reading "Every Light", it is great!

This oral history about William Harrah is excellent. I believe the manner in which Kling interviewed all of the people gives you a inside edge to understanding more how the gaming business was run in the early years, and how Harrah help to create a successful industry. This book is definitly worth reading!

I actually used to work at Harrah's. I saw this book in one of the casino bookstores while heading into work one day. I was enticed to read it because these events took place in my backyard. This area has grown much over the years and it's always changing. From my understanding the book is only published by the Nevada history center(UNR) so it might be hard to find a copy. I understand Bill's passion for this industry, but even if you don't it's still a great book. There are very entertaining anecdotes. There is one in particular about the Jerrari that I found hillarious. I've seen the Jerrari but the description doesn't even begin to explain how it looks in person. I would think that anyone who has heard of Harrah's or has an intrest in Casinos would enjoy this.

The book I ordered was advertised as new. It was ordered as a gift for a friend. It was in excellent condition, however, there was an inscription on the inside page indicating that it had once been given as a gift to someone else. Suggest the sellers check for such anomalies before advertising something as new.