Las Vegas in 1960 was a gas, according to Frank Sinatra. Even the visitor knew something deliciously sinister was not only constantly lurking in Las Vegas' dark underbelly, but some nefarious deed could be taking place at that very moment. Tales of Old Las Vegas describes some of the mystery and excitement the town held for visitor and native alike. Some of the characters are famous people you may have heard of. Others are the little known but colorful people of the streets of Las Vegas who enjoyed the good life in their own way. The Las Vegas atmosphere in the 50s and 60s was particularly heady and magical. It was the era of the Rat Pack and Ocean's Eleven. Dean Martin was dealing "21" at the Sands for fun and driving the pit bosses crazy. Frank Sinatra was getting into fist fights with hotel managers and driving his dentist crazy. Those were the days when $5 for the show room captain could get you a seat close to the stage for almost any show, except Frank and Dean's show. A $500 bill couldn't buy a seat at those performances. Those who lived in the city were smug in the knowledge that it was an insider's playground, a familiar turf that was fun to know and move around in. Tales of Old Las Vegas brings us into the lives of the adventurers who lived in that magical era. It shows how they were affected by a free rolling city and the violent people who made and enforced the rules.
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About the Author
Sam O'Connor is one of Las Vegas' survivors of the Rat Pack era. He is a writer, businessman, poker player and author of the popular book How to Dominate $1 and $2 No Limit Hold 'Em. He is also a columnist and player coach affiliated with several magazines and Internet sites. During Las Vegas' 1960s, Sam was an employee of the city's largest newspaper, The Review Journal. During those free wheeling days, he rubbed elbows with many of the famous and infamous characters of Sin City. Now, enjoying a ripe age, Sam has time to relate a few stories about the way Las Vegas used to be.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Recommended, Fun Read,
By Deacon (USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Tales of Old Las Vegas: Inside are a few stories set in the 60's. Where there was more to the action than the games. (Paperback)
Tales of Old Vegas is 253 pages of fun presented in a collection of short stories. The author even threw in a mob connected guide to set up each story as he's traveling with a hitchhiker back to Las Vegas.
The stories are set in, as the name cleverly suggests, old Las Vegas. It was the time when the mob operated in the light, the big acts were in the spotlight, and the cheats and hustlers were in every shadow. Everyone had an angle, and the author touches on many of them. The fun and enjoyable style of writing puts you right in the middle of the action and gives us a glance through the eyes of the people who lived the adventures and excitement of the times. Sam O'Connor tells the stories as only someone who witnessed and lived them could. His characters are well developed and appear in more than one story. The taless really capture the essence of Las Vegas in the `60s. His knowledge of the people, look, slang, and even smell of the time fill every description. Tales of poker, hustling, cheating, love, danger, and fun from cover to cover. Poker players will enjoy stories of some of the action of the times. The big games of that day make quite a few appearances, as well does the collection of characters that played in them. Stories of cheats and cheating, hustlers and hustling, are both enjoyable and educational. People familiar with Las Vegas will be familiar with many of the locations, such as the casinos and intersections. This gives a more authentic feel to each story. Having just finished the read, I find myself wanting to read more. The free spirited writing style made for a fun and easy read. The book flowed smoothly from story to story and had few proof reading errors. If you liked the works of McManus, Alvarez, and/or Holden you'll enjoy Tales of Old Las Vegas.
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Charming Reminiscence of Related Stories,
This review is from: Tales of Old Las Vegas: Inside are a few stories set in the 60's. Where there was more to the action than the games. (Paperback)
I enjoyed the book a lot. The book is a collection of stories with interrelated characters and other plot elements. There is a larger narrative which weaves throughout the whole book as well. All this means that the reader is given a variety of toys to play with, and it's a lot of fun.
The writer has a subtle sense of humor which I enjoy. The book creates an almost mystical momentum. I.e., it keeps getting more and more interesting the further you get into it, reaching a page-turning climax. I think it would make a great movie, a "Crash" for old-time Vegas. "Tales of Old Vegas" is a reminiscence about American culture which I'm sure you'll like.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Good Old Days!,
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This review is from: Tales of Old Las Vegas: Inside are a few stories set in the 60's. Where there was more to the action than the games. (Paperback)
"Tales of Old Las Vegas" is a 250 page,(somewhat) fictionalized history of Vegas, back in the '30s, 40's and early 50's, when there was Mob rule, and Las Vegas was just beginning to be the gambling Mecca it has become. Due diligence -- author Sam O'Connor and I are friends and share a love for poker, at which Sam excels.
The story is told, in part, through the eyes of a young man who is employed by the Mob to perform mostly menial tasks. As the book progresses, each chapter finds us first hearing about the details and loves of his life, as he returns to Vegas with a hitchhiker in his car. He shares with the rider the basic facts of his life in Vegas, and his concern about his expected fate. Interwoven are tales of various characters, including the author himself, who was in 'Vegas in those days, and was in on the very first of the poker boom. He was in the poker room the day that Holdem was first played in Vegas. His actual mentor from those days is a major character, "White Haired Murphy," who weaves in and out of the tales as a knowledgeable gambler and a giver of solid advice to several of the characters. Several love stories are featured as well as the emergence of a young ex-lawyer and poker player named "Clemmens" who may actually represent the author, himself, as a young man. Rampant cheating occurs in some of the games, but Murphy, who sees it, remains above such things. Geographic features of the Strip and downtown areas are quite interesting for those familiar with the city. The book is written in a breezy style, and I found it quite an enjoyable read. Bill Conklin
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