Author: Andrew James McLean
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780965849951
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 450
Book Description
"The Las Vegas Chronicles" assembles the true stories of the city's most conniving mobsters and how they ran Sin City during its heyday. Pairing McLean's personal experience working in Las Vegas with his vivid investigative style of writing, this beautifully illustrated book gives you a unique look into the history of this extraordinary city. Uncover the Hollywood myth behind Bugsy Siegel and his wacko schemes for the Flamingo Hotel, and witness the real evolution of the fabulous Strip. In addition to exploring the annals of Mob activity in Vegas, you get a handy, fact-based Timeline of Special Events that took place in Las Vegas from 1829 to present day. Enjoy spell-binding sagas about the city's forefathers, today's casino operators and celebrity performers on the stages of Las Vegas showrooms-Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Elvis, Siegfried & Roy, and Wayne Newton. REVIEW Vegas is where fortunes are created and fortunes are lost. "The Las Vegas Chronicles" tells the history of the people who made Las Vegas, and what has become of them over the centuries, from eccentrics who tossed millions at getting the city's legend gang, stories of gangsters, politics, and the modern atmosphere of keeping the games in favor of the Casino. With plenty of stories, "The Las Vegas Chronicles" is a choice collection for anyone who wants to understand the many twists and turns of Las Vegas's long history. -- "Midwest Book Review" "The Las Vegas Chronicles" by Andrew McLean is a truly remarkable read. After doing extensive research for my Las Vegas police and Mob books, I figured I knew most everything worth knowing about Sin City. At least that's what I thought until I read this book. In "The Las Vegas Chronicles" Mr. McLean accurately tells his readers the history of the city, who the key players were-both good and bad, the celebrities, the gaming, trivia, it's all there. I highly recommend this book to all readers. And if you're a history buff, a Las Vegas fan, or a bit of both, "The Las Vegas Chronicles" is a must read. -- Denny Griffin, author "Policing Las Vegas," "The Battle for Las Vegas," "CULLOTTA" "Although I lived and worked in Las Vegas, Andrew J. McLean's, The Las Vegas Chronicles is a highly educational and enjoyable read. It seems that with so many subjects, the facts are hard to come by. Factual history is really the core of civilization. We also tend to fictionalize so much of what is our history and Andrew McLean seems to have done his homework of what really happened and has now shared his findings with the rest of the world. The subject of Las Vegas has always captured the imagination and being that it's history is so unique, I couldn't put this book down. I witnessed much of what The Las Vegas Chronicles described although until now I never knew how or why so many events happened. The book is laid out in a very organized way so that the reader can fully see the transitions and metamorphous of Las Vegas in chronological order. I sometimes ask myself if I am going to miss something by not reading a particular book The historical information makes this book a great addition to one's library." -- Jay Rankin, author of "Under the Neon Sky...A Las Vegas Doorman's Story" "A wonderfully lucid and fascinating book of the Las Vegas scene during the mobster days and the transition to corporate ownership of the casinos. A fascinating book of stories, facts, and illustrations of one of the most interesting cities in the world. Andy's personality shows though in his fluid writing style. A most enjoyable must-read book." -- "BR" Bob L. Riley, Aerospace Engineer retired "Very enjoyable and interesting read. Anyone with a gambling/Vegas background will be interested in this book." -- Al Rainosek, Ph.D.
The Las Vegas Chronicles
Author: Andrew James McLean
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780965849951
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 450
Book Description
"The Las Vegas Chronicles" assembles the true stories of the city's most conniving mobsters and how they ran Sin City during its heyday. Pairing McLean's personal experience working in Las Vegas with his vivid investigative style of writing, this beautifully illustrated book gives you a unique look into the history of this extraordinary city. Uncover the Hollywood myth behind Bugsy Siegel and his wacko schemes for the Flamingo Hotel, and witness the real evolution of the fabulous Strip. In addition to exploring the annals of Mob activity in Vegas, you get a handy, fact-based Timeline of Special Events that took place in Las Vegas from 1829 to present day. Enjoy spell-binding sagas about the city's forefathers, today's casino operators and celebrity performers on the stages of Las Vegas showrooms-Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Elvis, Siegfried & Roy, and Wayne Newton. REVIEW Vegas is where fortunes are created and fortunes are lost. "The Las Vegas Chronicles" tells the history of the people who made Las Vegas, and what has become of them over the centuries, from eccentrics who tossed millions at getting the city's legend gang, stories of gangsters, politics, and the modern atmosphere of keeping the games in favor of the Casino. With plenty of stories, "The Las Vegas Chronicles" is a choice collection for anyone who wants to understand the many twists and turns of Las Vegas's long history. -- "Midwest Book Review" "The Las Vegas Chronicles" by Andrew McLean is a truly remarkable read. After doing extensive research for my Las Vegas police and Mob books, I figured I knew most everything worth knowing about Sin City. At least that's what I thought until I read this book. In "The Las Vegas Chronicles" Mr. McLean accurately tells his readers the history of the city, who the key players were-both good and bad, the celebrities, the gaming, trivia, it's all there. I highly recommend this book to all readers. And if you're a history buff, a Las Vegas fan, or a bit of both, "The Las Vegas Chronicles" is a must read. -- Denny Griffin, author "Policing Las Vegas," "The Battle for Las Vegas," "CULLOTTA" "Although I lived and worked in Las Vegas, Andrew J. McLean's, The Las Vegas Chronicles is a highly educational and enjoyable read. It seems that with so many subjects, the facts are hard to come by. Factual history is really the core of civilization. We also tend to fictionalize so much of what is our history and Andrew McLean seems to have done his homework of what really happened and has now shared his findings with the rest of the world. The subject of Las Vegas has always captured the imagination and being that it's history is so unique, I couldn't put this book down. I witnessed much of what The Las Vegas Chronicles described although until now I never knew how or why so many events happened. The book is laid out in a very organized way so that the reader can fully see the transitions and metamorphous of Las Vegas in chronological order. I sometimes ask myself if I am going to miss something by not reading a particular book The historical information makes this book a great addition to one's library." -- Jay Rankin, author of "Under the Neon Sky...A Las Vegas Doorman's Story" "A wonderfully lucid and fascinating book of the Las Vegas scene during the mobster days and the transition to corporate ownership of the casinos. A fascinating book of stories, facts, and illustrations of one of the most interesting cities in the world. Andy's personality shows though in his fluid writing style. A most enjoyable must-read book." -- "BR" Bob L. Riley, Aerospace Engineer retired "Very enjoyable and interesting read. Anyone with a gambling/Vegas background will be interested in this book." -- Al Rainosek, Ph.D.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780965849951
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 450
Book Description
"The Las Vegas Chronicles" assembles the true stories of the city's most conniving mobsters and how they ran Sin City during its heyday. Pairing McLean's personal experience working in Las Vegas with his vivid investigative style of writing, this beautifully illustrated book gives you a unique look into the history of this extraordinary city. Uncover the Hollywood myth behind Bugsy Siegel and his wacko schemes for the Flamingo Hotel, and witness the real evolution of the fabulous Strip. In addition to exploring the annals of Mob activity in Vegas, you get a handy, fact-based Timeline of Special Events that took place in Las Vegas from 1829 to present day. Enjoy spell-binding sagas about the city's forefathers, today's casino operators and celebrity performers on the stages of Las Vegas showrooms-Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Elvis, Siegfried & Roy, and Wayne Newton. REVIEW Vegas is where fortunes are created and fortunes are lost. "The Las Vegas Chronicles" tells the history of the people who made Las Vegas, and what has become of them over the centuries, from eccentrics who tossed millions at getting the city's legend gang, stories of gangsters, politics, and the modern atmosphere of keeping the games in favor of the Casino. With plenty of stories, "The Las Vegas Chronicles" is a choice collection for anyone who wants to understand the many twists and turns of Las Vegas's long history. -- "Midwest Book Review" "The Las Vegas Chronicles" by Andrew McLean is a truly remarkable read. After doing extensive research for my Las Vegas police and Mob books, I figured I knew most everything worth knowing about Sin City. At least that's what I thought until I read this book. In "The Las Vegas Chronicles" Mr. McLean accurately tells his readers the history of the city, who the key players were-both good and bad, the celebrities, the gaming, trivia, it's all there. I highly recommend this book to all readers. And if you're a history buff, a Las Vegas fan, or a bit of both, "The Las Vegas Chronicles" is a must read. -- Denny Griffin, author "Policing Las Vegas," "The Battle for Las Vegas," "CULLOTTA" "Although I lived and worked in Las Vegas, Andrew J. McLean's, The Las Vegas Chronicles is a highly educational and enjoyable read. It seems that with so many subjects, the facts are hard to come by. Factual history is really the core of civilization. We also tend to fictionalize so much of what is our history and Andrew McLean seems to have done his homework of what really happened and has now shared his findings with the rest of the world. The subject of Las Vegas has always captured the imagination and being that it's history is so unique, I couldn't put this book down. I witnessed much of what The Las Vegas Chronicles described although until now I never knew how or why so many events happened. The book is laid out in a very organized way so that the reader can fully see the transitions and metamorphous of Las Vegas in chronological order. I sometimes ask myself if I am going to miss something by not reading a particular book The historical information makes this book a great addition to one's library." -- Jay Rankin, author of "Under the Neon Sky...A Las Vegas Doorman's Story" "A wonderfully lucid and fascinating book of the Las Vegas scene during the mobster days and the transition to corporate ownership of the casinos. A fascinating book of stories, facts, and illustrations of one of the most interesting cities in the world. Andy's personality shows though in his fluid writing style. A most enjoyable must-read book." -- "BR" Bob L. Riley, Aerospace Engineer retired "Very enjoyable and interesting read. Anyone with a gambling/Vegas background will be interested in this book." -- Al Rainosek, Ph.D.
Chronicles of Old Las Vegas
Author: James Roman
Publisher: Museyon
ISBN: 1938450027
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 241
Book Description
Discover one of !--?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /--America's most fascinating cities through 30 dramatic true stories spanning Las Vegas's 150-year history. James Roman takes readers on a tour through the glamorous and sometimes sordid history of Las Vegas and explains how a railroad town transformed itself into "the Entertainment Capital of the World." Essays explore the major historic events from the founding of Sin City and the building of the Hoover Dam to the rise of the Rat Pack at the Sands and the establishment of the Mafia-controlled casinos. Also included are intriguing tales of Vegas celebrities from Frank Sinatra and Liberace to Siegfried and Roy, as well as numerous historical photos and full-color maps.
Publisher: Museyon
ISBN: 1938450027
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 241
Book Description
Discover one of !--?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /--America's most fascinating cities through 30 dramatic true stories spanning Las Vegas's 150-year history. James Roman takes readers on a tour through the glamorous and sometimes sordid history of Las Vegas and explains how a railroad town transformed itself into "the Entertainment Capital of the World." Essays explore the major historic events from the founding of Sin City and the building of the Hoover Dam to the rise of the Rat Pack at the Sands and the establishment of the Mafia-controlled casinos. Also included are intriguing tales of Vegas celebrities from Frank Sinatra and Liberace to Siegfried and Roy, as well as numerous historical photos and full-color maps.
The Las Vegas Country Club
Author: Brian Hurlburt
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781935043454
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 239
Book Description
The art of the deal was perfected at the Las Vegas Country Club. For fifty years, the movers and shakers-among them bankers, attorneys, entertainers, business leaders, and, yes, mobsters-have been drawn to "the Beverly Hills of Las Vegas" to play golf, eat lunch, and chart the future of this world-renowned city. From Dean Martin to Kirk Kerkorian, the club's members have been key players in the building of Las Vegas into the major international force that it is today. The brainchild of maverick entrepreneur Marvin Kratter, The Las Vegas Country Club became an iconic community force under the visionary guidance of Las Vegas legends Irwin Molasky, Merv Adelson, Moe Dalitz, and Allard Roen. And it also evolved into the social mecca of a young Las Vegas. The club has a glorious sports history, having hosted many high-profile professional golf tournaments and provided court time for tennis greats. A who's who of celebrities has reveled in the club's lush grounds, including Frank Sinatra, Bill Clinton, Andre Agassi, Bill Cosby, and many more.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781935043454
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 239
Book Description
The art of the deal was perfected at the Las Vegas Country Club. For fifty years, the movers and shakers-among them bankers, attorneys, entertainers, business leaders, and, yes, mobsters-have been drawn to "the Beverly Hills of Las Vegas" to play golf, eat lunch, and chart the future of this world-renowned city. From Dean Martin to Kirk Kerkorian, the club's members have been key players in the building of Las Vegas into the major international force that it is today. The brainchild of maverick entrepreneur Marvin Kratter, The Las Vegas Country Club became an iconic community force under the visionary guidance of Las Vegas legends Irwin Molasky, Merv Adelson, Moe Dalitz, and Allard Roen. And it also evolved into the social mecca of a young Las Vegas. The club has a glorious sports history, having hosted many high-profile professional golf tournaments and provided court time for tennis greats. A who's who of celebrities has reveled in the club's lush grounds, including Frank Sinatra, Bill Clinton, Andre Agassi, Bill Cosby, and many more.
In the Spirit of Las Vegas
Author: Jennifer Worthington
Publisher: Editions Assouline
ISBN: 9782759401253
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 160
Book Description
Initially a one-horse outpost in the middle of the desert, Las Vegas has become the symbol of entertainment of our twenty-first-century world. The history of this strange city is a fabulous mix between reality and dreams. Its heroes are Frank Sinatra. Elvis Presley, Howard Hughes. Its scenes are casinos , extravagant hotels, gigantic boxing rings, or spectcular sets for cult films, like Casino, Ocean's Eleven, and Fear ad Loating in Las Vegas. Sin City attracts millions of people each year, thousands of couples, and makes both fortunes and ruins. This book chronicles the rise of this special desert oasis and the way it became the ultimate dream destination. A selected guide completes the volume with information on the best hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, bars, spas, and sports and entertainment venues everything that makes Vegas a truly amazing place.
Publisher: Editions Assouline
ISBN: 9782759401253
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 160
Book Description
Initially a one-horse outpost in the middle of the desert, Las Vegas has become the symbol of entertainment of our twenty-first-century world. The history of this strange city is a fabulous mix between reality and dreams. Its heroes are Frank Sinatra. Elvis Presley, Howard Hughes. Its scenes are casinos , extravagant hotels, gigantic boxing rings, or spectcular sets for cult films, like Casino, Ocean's Eleven, and Fear ad Loating in Las Vegas. Sin City attracts millions of people each year, thousands of couples, and makes both fortunes and ruins. This book chronicles the rise of this special desert oasis and the way it became the ultimate dream destination. A selected guide completes the volume with information on the best hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, bars, spas, and sports and entertainment venues everything that makes Vegas a truly amazing place.
The Battle for Las Vegas
Author: Dennis N. Griffin
Publisher: Huntington Press Inc
ISBN: 0929712374
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
From the 1970s through the mid-1980s, the Chicago Outfit dominated organized crime in Las Vegas. To ensure the smooth flow of cash, the gangsters installed a front man with no criminal background, Allen R. Glick, as the casino owner of record, Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal as the real boss of casino operations, and Tony Spilotro as the ultimate enforcer, who’d do whatever it took to protect their interests. It wasn’t long before Spilotro, also in charge of Vegas street crime, was known as the “King of the Strip.” Federal and local law enforcement, recognizing the need to rid the casinos of the mob and shut down Spilotro’s rackets, declared war on organized crime. The Battle for Las Vegas relates the story of the fight between the tough guys on both sides, told in large part by the agents and detectives who knew they had to win.
Publisher: Huntington Press Inc
ISBN: 0929712374
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
From the 1970s through the mid-1980s, the Chicago Outfit dominated organized crime in Las Vegas. To ensure the smooth flow of cash, the gangsters installed a front man with no criminal background, Allen R. Glick, as the casino owner of record, Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal as the real boss of casino operations, and Tony Spilotro as the ultimate enforcer, who’d do whatever it took to protect their interests. It wasn’t long before Spilotro, also in charge of Vegas street crime, was known as the “King of the Strip.” Federal and local law enforcement, recognizing the need to rid the casinos of the mob and shut down Spilotro’s rackets, declared war on organized crime. The Battle for Las Vegas relates the story of the fight between the tough guys on both sides, told in large part by the agents and detectives who knew they had to win.
Beneath the Neon
Author: Matthew O'Brien
Publisher: Huntington Press Inc
ISBN: 0929712390
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 296
Book Description
Beneath the Neon: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas chronicles O’Brien’s adventures in subterranean Las Vegas. He follows the footsteps of a psycho killer. He braces against a raging flood. He parties with naked crackheads. He learns how to make meth, that art is most beautiful where it’s least expected, that in many ways, he prefers underground Las Vegas to aboveground Las Vegas, and that there are no pots of gold under the neon rainbow.
Publisher: Huntington Press Inc
ISBN: 0929712390
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 296
Book Description
Beneath the Neon: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas chronicles O’Brien’s adventures in subterranean Las Vegas. He follows the footsteps of a psycho killer. He braces against a raging flood. He parties with naked crackheads. He learns how to make meth, that art is most beautiful where it’s least expected, that in many ways, he prefers underground Las Vegas to aboveground Las Vegas, and that there are no pots of gold under the neon rainbow.
Fly on the Wall
Author: Dick Odessky
Publisher: Huntington Press Inc
ISBN: 1935396218
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 253
Book Description
Imagine what it must have been like to be in Las Vegas during its most glamorous and eventful years: the 1950s, the 1960s, and the 1970s.Back then, "the boys" ran the town, dinner shows were a dollar, and vacant lots on what is now the Strip sold for $5 an acre. Tallulah played baccarat, Shecky shot dice, and Frank dealt blackjack.Fly on the Wall chronicles those times, as well as the men and women who shaped them.As a reporter for two of the city's most respected newspapers and a publicist for two of the city's most infamous casinos, Dick Odessky was in the thick of itthe proverbial fly on the wall. His recollections of Las Vegas' good old bad old days put you in the thick of it, too.
Publisher: Huntington Press Inc
ISBN: 1935396218
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 253
Book Description
Imagine what it must have been like to be in Las Vegas during its most glamorous and eventful years: the 1950s, the 1960s, and the 1970s.Back then, "the boys" ran the town, dinner shows were a dollar, and vacant lots on what is now the Strip sold for $5 an acre. Tallulah played baccarat, Shecky shot dice, and Frank dealt blackjack.Fly on the Wall chronicles those times, as well as the men and women who shaped them.As a reporter for two of the city's most respected newspapers and a publicist for two of the city's most infamous casinos, Dick Odessky was in the thick of itthe proverbial fly on the wall. His recollections of Las Vegas' good old bad old days put you in the thick of it, too.
Las Vegas For Dummies
Author: Mary Herczog
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470438010
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 340
Book Description
Las Vegas can be classy or tacky, cheesy or a bit sleazy, and it's always entertaining. Get ready to cruise the hot spots, test your luck at the casinos, shop the upscale boutiques, take in the spectacular shows, hit the swinging dance clubs, or escape from the glitz and neon and take in natural wonders on refreshing day trips. This guide gives you insider info on where to go and what to do, with great advice on how to: Find the best casinos and play the most popular games Stroll the strip, where you can watch a volcano explode, see the ancient Pyramids, and explore New York, Paris, Rome, and Venice Dine on delicacies prepared by celebrity chefs such as Joel Robuchon at the Mansion (in the MGM Grand) or Emeril Lagasse at Table 10 (in the Palazzo), load up at buffets like Paris, Le Village Buffet (in the Paris Hotel), or split a sub at Capriotti's Take in spectacular entertainment from Cirque de Soleil, Blue Man Group, Penn & Teller, and many more Enjoy performances by big-name stars like Celine Dion or catch the classic topless Vegas revue, Jubilee! See shows like the magnificent Bellagio Water Fountains, hang out with dolphins at Mirage's Dolphin Habitat, or tour the inimitable Liberace Museum Like every For Dummies travel guide, Las Vegas For Dummies, Fifth Edition includes: Down-to-earth trip-planning advice What you shouldn't miss — and what you can skip The best hotels and restaurants for every budget Lots of detailed maps You'll even find a time-saving "Quick Concierge" section with key phone numbers, addresses, and handy how-to's for getting around so you won’t miss a minute of the Vegas action!
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470438010
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 340
Book Description
Las Vegas can be classy or tacky, cheesy or a bit sleazy, and it's always entertaining. Get ready to cruise the hot spots, test your luck at the casinos, shop the upscale boutiques, take in the spectacular shows, hit the swinging dance clubs, or escape from the glitz and neon and take in natural wonders on refreshing day trips. This guide gives you insider info on where to go and what to do, with great advice on how to: Find the best casinos and play the most popular games Stroll the strip, where you can watch a volcano explode, see the ancient Pyramids, and explore New York, Paris, Rome, and Venice Dine on delicacies prepared by celebrity chefs such as Joel Robuchon at the Mansion (in the MGM Grand) or Emeril Lagasse at Table 10 (in the Palazzo), load up at buffets like Paris, Le Village Buffet (in the Paris Hotel), or split a sub at Capriotti's Take in spectacular entertainment from Cirque de Soleil, Blue Man Group, Penn & Teller, and many more Enjoy performances by big-name stars like Celine Dion or catch the classic topless Vegas revue, Jubilee! See shows like the magnificent Bellagio Water Fountains, hang out with dolphins at Mirage's Dolphin Habitat, or tour the inimitable Liberace Museum Like every For Dummies travel guide, Las Vegas For Dummies, Fifth Edition includes: Down-to-earth trip-planning advice What you shouldn't miss — and what you can skip The best hotels and restaurants for every budget Lots of detailed maps You'll even find a time-saving "Quick Concierge" section with key phone numbers, addresses, and handy how-to's for getting around so you won’t miss a minute of the Vegas action!
Becoming America's Playground
Author: Larry D. Gragg
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
ISBN: 0806165537
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 404
Book Description
In 1950 Las Vegas saw a million tourists. In 1960 it attracted ten million. The city entered the fifties as a regional destination where prosperous postwar Americans could enjoy vices largely forbidden elsewhere, and it emerged in the sixties as a national hotspot, the glitzy resort city that lights up the American West today. Becoming America’s Playground chronicles the vice and the toil that gave Las Vegas its worldwide reputation in those transformative years. Las Vegas’s rise was no happy accident. After World War II, vacationing Americans traveled the country in record numbers, making tourism a top industry in such states as California and Florida. The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce saw its chance and developed a plan to capitalize on the town’s burgeoning reputation for leisure. Las Vegas pinned its hopes for the future on Americans’ need for escape. Transforming a vice city financed largely by the mob into a family vacation spot was not easy. Hotel and casino publicists closely monitored media representations of the city and took every opportunity to stage images of good, clean fun for the public—posing even the atomic bomb tests conducted just miles away as an attraction. The racism and sexism common in the rest of the nation in the era prevailed in Las Vegas too. The wild success of Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack performances at the Sands Hotel in 1960 demonstrated the city’s slow progress toward equality. Women couldn’t work as dealers in Las Vegas until the 1970s, yet they found more opportunities for well-paying jobs there than many American women could find elsewhere. Gragg shows how a place like the Las Vegas Strip—with its glitz and vast wealth and its wildly public consumption of vice—rose to prominence in the 1950s, a decade of Cold War anxiety and civil rights conflict. Becoming America’s Playground brings this pivotal decade in Las Vegas into sharp focus for the first time.
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
ISBN: 0806165537
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 404
Book Description
In 1950 Las Vegas saw a million tourists. In 1960 it attracted ten million. The city entered the fifties as a regional destination where prosperous postwar Americans could enjoy vices largely forbidden elsewhere, and it emerged in the sixties as a national hotspot, the glitzy resort city that lights up the American West today. Becoming America’s Playground chronicles the vice and the toil that gave Las Vegas its worldwide reputation in those transformative years. Las Vegas’s rise was no happy accident. After World War II, vacationing Americans traveled the country in record numbers, making tourism a top industry in such states as California and Florida. The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce saw its chance and developed a plan to capitalize on the town’s burgeoning reputation for leisure. Las Vegas pinned its hopes for the future on Americans’ need for escape. Transforming a vice city financed largely by the mob into a family vacation spot was not easy. Hotel and casino publicists closely monitored media representations of the city and took every opportunity to stage images of good, clean fun for the public—posing even the atomic bomb tests conducted just miles away as an attraction. The racism and sexism common in the rest of the nation in the era prevailed in Las Vegas too. The wild success of Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack performances at the Sands Hotel in 1960 demonstrated the city’s slow progress toward equality. Women couldn’t work as dealers in Las Vegas until the 1970s, yet they found more opportunities for well-paying jobs there than many American women could find elsewhere. Gragg shows how a place like the Las Vegas Strip—with its glitz and vast wealth and its wildly public consumption of vice—rose to prominence in the 1950s, a decade of Cold War anxiety and civil rights conflict. Becoming America’s Playground brings this pivotal decade in Las Vegas into sharp focus for the first time.
My Week at the Blue Angel
Author: Matthew O'Brien
Publisher: Huntington Press Inc
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 230
Book Description
A savage journey into the heart of Hunter S. Thompson's Las Vegas with the Good Doctor as tour guide. A Lord-of-the-Rings-like adventure in the city's underground flood channels. A seven-day stay at a seedy motel on East Fremont Street. The stories in My Week at the Blue Angel aren't about Steve Wynn, Cirque du Soleil, or how to play poker, and they aren't set in Caesars Palace, XS Nightclub, or a 2,000-seat showroom. They're about prostitutes, ex-cons, and the homeless, and they're set under Caesars Palace and in trailer parks and weekly motels. In this creative nonfiction collection, Matthew O'Brien--author of Beneath the Neon: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas--and veteran photographer Bill Hughes show a side of the city rarely seen. A side beyond the neon lights, themed facades, and motel-room doors. A side beyond the barbwire fences, No Trespassing signs, and midnight shadows.
Publisher: Huntington Press Inc
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 230
Book Description
A savage journey into the heart of Hunter S. Thompson's Las Vegas with the Good Doctor as tour guide. A Lord-of-the-Rings-like adventure in the city's underground flood channels. A seven-day stay at a seedy motel on East Fremont Street. The stories in My Week at the Blue Angel aren't about Steve Wynn, Cirque du Soleil, or how to play poker, and they aren't set in Caesars Palace, XS Nightclub, or a 2,000-seat showroom. They're about prostitutes, ex-cons, and the homeless, and they're set under Caesars Palace and in trailer parks and weekly motels. In this creative nonfiction collection, Matthew O'Brien--author of Beneath the Neon: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas--and veteran photographer Bill Hughes show a side of the city rarely seen. A side beyond the neon lights, themed facades, and motel-room doors. A side beyond the barbwire fences, No Trespassing signs, and midnight shadows.