Customer Reviews

The Rise of the Biggest Little City: An Encyclopedic History of Reno Gaming, 1931-1981

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Dwayne Kling spent a decade and a half reserching this Terrific, and oh-so thorough book. His dedication to accuracy is evident on every page. Buy it for the history, and you will be knocked-out by the photos! The city of Reno and its claim to fame as a gambling mecca never looked better.

Easy read with its abbreviated format yet Kling has captured an amazing amount of detail, even on minor players as well as the major ones in the evolution of the gaming industry in Reno and subsequently in the state. Also includes some history of gaming at nearby Lake Tahoe, but completely misses the real story on the men that started and ran Barney's Club before Harrah's bought it.

The Rise of the Biggest Little City: An Encyclopedic History of Reno Gaming, 1931-1981 is, as its title suggests, an encyclopedia-style history of gambling and gaming institutions of Reno, Nevada. Individual alphabetized entries range from "Ableman, Nick" (one of the pioneers of Nevada gaming) to "Zimba's Casino" (one of Reno's many gambling institutions - this particular one was legally nailed for failure to report income or fully pay its taxes, was eventually put into receivership, and closed). A wealth of history and legacy spelled out through details, The Rise of the Biggest Little City is further enhanced with maps, and a glossary, and an index, and is an excellent choice for anyone seeking an accessible historical reference on the subject.