It Happened in Nevada [Paperback]

Elizabeth Gibson (Author)

Book Description

Series: It Happened In Series | Publication Date: March 1, 2001

Written in a lively, easy-to-read style, this book features approximately 30 stories written for history buffs of all ages.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Fascinating stories about 30 events that helped make Nevada what it is today, including little-known events that shaped the Silver State's colorful history.

Product Details

• Paperback: 138 pages
• Publisher: TwoDot; 1st edition (March 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560449446
• ISBN-13: 978-1560449447
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #194,337 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars well-researched, easy Western history read, April 5, 2001

By 

J. K. Kelley "literary mercenary" (Eastern WA, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: It Happened in Nevada (Paperback)

One of the great weaknesses in the teaching of history, by and large, is to believe that we need not be creative in how we go about it. With this book, Gibson has researched and documented a collection of Nevada stories from ancient times to the late 1990s.

These thirty quick reads are arranged chronologically and cover events ranging from Anasazi times to the Comstock Lode to the modern speed record attempts at the Salt Flats. The array of topics touched upon is too broad to list here, but ranges from aboriginal to judicial to economic to industrial to political and beyond. In addition to a lengthy bibliography, a nice collection of Nevada-related facts wraps up the book.

I find Gibson's approach to debatable historical topics (such as, for example, the fate of Butch Cassidy) to be refreshingly dispassionate; I do not get the impression that she was ever predisposed to any conclusion, and was open to whatever she might discover--an approach too many historical writers fail to emulate. The result is high credibility for that which she presents to us.

Maybe some of the greedmongers who run Las Vegas can give a little back to their state by purchasing enough of these for every school in the state of Nevada--it would be a welcome way to interest children in history. Recommended, in any event, for those who appreciate Western history presented with hardly a preconceived notion or bias to be found.