Moon Handbooks: Nevada 6 Ed

Rating:
Summary: Love Nevada!
Review: Nevada is a unique state, all right. There's no state quite like it in the US. Deke Castleman's book does a GREAT job of capturing every nook and cranny of this sometimes weird and quirky state. The alien landscape of Nevada and its rich western character of ghost towns, colorful history and "life on the edge" never cease to fascinate me. This book captures this Nevada quite nicely! Sure, it covers the Las Vegas casinos but it delves into the sparsely populated boom&bust ghost towns that make up the vast majority of the area of the state. Things are always changing in Nevada so Castleman can be forgiven if some things don't make it to press. For example, when I visited (spring of 2002) the Mizpah Hotel in Tonopah had been closed for renovations. I had eagerly awaited staying there based on my reading about it in this and other books. Hopefully, they said it would reopen again sometime but they didn't say when. :( I hope it will be soon! Otherwise, everything is pretty much right on target. Can't wait for the next update!

Rating:
Summary: what kin I getcha hon?
Review: The pace of change in urban Nevada is faster than any author can keep up with. My 2nd edition from 1991 is hopelessly out of date as far as casinos are concerned (Vegas has an additional 200,000 residents and about 6 new casinos now) but the areas outside the cities don't change much. Anecdotes about Nevada's neverending cast of characters spice up the pages, which is more than can be said for the state's consistently bland road food that bores the weary traveller in search of a decent bite to eat. Includes a lot of information by using tables and lists avoiding the travel-writers' trap of waxing lyrical about every roadhouse and juke joint.

Rating:
Summary: what kin I getcha hon?
Review: The pace of change in urban Nevada is faster than any author can keep up with. My 2nd edition from 1991 is hopelessly out of date as far as casinos are concerned (Vegas has an additional 200,000 residents and about 6 new casinos now) but the areas outside the cities don't change much. Anecdotes about Nevada's neverending cast of characters spice up the pages, which is more than can be said for the state's consistently bland road food that bores the weary traveller in search of a decent bite to eat. Includes a lot of information by using tables and lists avoiding the travel-writers' trap of waxing lyrical about every roadhouse and juke joint.

Rating:
Summary: a great book about a great state
Review: This book reveals the true character of the greatest state in the Lower 48. With Deke Castleman's wit and the solid updating skills of Nancy Keller and others, it's surely the most complete treatment of a rapidly overpopulating but still magical state. There's a lot more to Nevada than casinos, and from Jackpot to Laughlin, this book will take you to the real Nevada, and a taste of the disappearing American West.

Rating:
Summary: An absolutely throughly enjoyable book to read.
Review: This is easily the best guidebook I have ever had the joy of using. This book is fun to read. You can have fun reading it and not even go to any of the places. He is spot on on his story telling, making many places in the state that seem merely dry and dusty come alive with history and meaning. He will tell you why small towns like Austin exist. Towns that would by the looks of them have almost no purposeful existence. Most importantly, this book will change your perspective of this state. It is not jsut a gambling state. It is a place of immense beauty and fascinating geography. You may not want to live there, but this Moon Guide will make you want to visit there many many times. Five plus stars.