Customer Reviews

Nevada : A History

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I am presenting Laxalt's famous book "Sweet Promised Land" to my book club. I do not know much about Nevada, thus I bought this book to learn more.
Ever so much more interesting, readable and colorful than I ever imagined. Full of word portraits of Nevada people. Never dull, as I feared.

I wouldn't recommend this book for new residents. Too dry, facts are slanted toward the monetary rather than the "interesting" side of history.

I picked this book up while I was in a museum in Reno. The author is the brother of the former U.S. Senator from Nevada, Paul Laxalt. I took a few tours while I was in Reno (along with some gambling)and when I later read this book, I knew what book my guides had read, prior to doing their job with the tourists. I doubt if any state's history can be made interesting, but Laxalt does a good job. Nevada is an interesting state compared to the rest of the nation, and the author relates why: precious metals, prize fighting, easy divorce, legal hooking and gambling. All in a state that is at heart very conservative.
This is a short read, and for those who travel to Vegas or Reno often, a necessary read. Why did Nevada become the way it did? The book answers this question and details some of the interesting characters of Nevada (Mark Twain, Bugsy Seigal, along with a number of politicos). At a little over 130 pages, this is a great read to take on the plane to Vegas.