Reviews for The Nevada desert

The average rating for The Nevada desert based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2019-10-20 00:00:00 Igor Van Driessche A bit too too heavy on the "Vegas / Area 51 Sauce"... Granted David Thomson provides an entertaining read with "In Nevada" but I share some of the other reviewers' distastes. For instance, a couple of chapters (e.g., "Frankly and "In the Cards") felt completely out of place and off topic. One about Frank Sinatra and the other about a bridge tournament. Instead of Frank and bridge tournaments, how about covering the raging battles over land use and the constant clashes between Nevada's cattle ranchers and the U.S. Government? The author does a respectable job of stirring clear of most of the cliches that surround Nevada, but unfortunately not all. The first half of the book is loaded with interesting and useful history like the finding of Spirit Cave Man. However, I got the feeling the author is fixated on moving the story's focus to Las Vegas. Like a first time tourist, he gave into the lure of the city's neon lights.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-11-14 00:00:00 Shelby Wilking I don't like books that take a non-linear style, and David Thomson's book about the state of Nevada, its history and musings on modern life there, is done in a meandering, frustrating style. Even though it's a pain in the neck to plow through, he does provide some interesting sketches of the explorers, Indians, miners, rogues, charlatans and kingpins that have made the Silver State what it is. Nevada outside of Las Vegas and Reno is mostly obscure, and he does a somewhat adequate job trying to fill in the blank spaces on the map. Would have been more effective if he had followed a more reasonable timeline.