Average customer rating:
- Sadly disappointed
- Dissapointing
- Some good material for a much shorter story
- Big Disappointment
- Another Masterfully Written Parable
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Skin
Ted Dekker
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1595542779
Release Date: 2007-04-03 |
Book Description
A freak storm has spawned three tornadoes that are bearing down on the town of Summerville.
Yet under the cover of the storm looms a much more ominous threat: A vindictive killer known as Red who's left a string of victims in his wake and is now bent on exacting his final revenge on the unsuspecting town.
But there is an enigma surrounding Red that the FBI is unwilling to admit-closely guarded secrets of something gone terribly wrong beneath the skin of Summerville. Secrets that will destroy far more than one small town.
Wendy Davidson is caught in the middle. She's a recovering cult survivor who takes refuge in Summerville on her way to visit her estranged mother. And with her, four strangers, any of whom could be the next victim . . . or the killer.
Customer Reviews:
Sadly disappointed.......2007-09-26
I'm a HUGE Ted Dekker fan...I own at least one copy of every book to date...and I've recommended his books to many people to find they enjoy his books very much as well. When "Skin" came out, I rushed to the bookstore and purchased it immediately. Unfortunately, it was a let-down. The book was sometimes even a struggle to read, unlike his others, and I was utterly disappointed at the end. In reading the other reviews of "Skin," I'm apparently not alone. What happened to the Ted Dekker whose books left us with such an impact and new insight into this life we live and the God we serve? "Skin" seemed to continue down a trend of "secular" writing in the name of creativity, rather than the impactful, spiritually relevant writing of "The Circle Trilogy," "Blink," and others.
So here's to hoping the path turns back toward the fruitful and potentially life-affecting books that we all know 'could' continue to hit the press. Ultimately, the fruit is what is most valuable, not the entertainment value anyhow. Please, Ted...
Dissapointing.......2007-08-27
I grew up on Stephen King and Den koontz... but lately have been attempting to not fill my mind with too much wordly garbage (which King can do...) so I took a friend's advise and turned to Dekker. His book Showdown was excellent and House was very good as well. SKIN.... not so much. I ready it very quickly, and at first was drawn into the story... but it is a letdown. The dialouge was cheesy, the storyline confusing, and the ending predictable. I will give Mr. Dekker's next novel a chance but if it reflect anything seen in SKIN then I will have to find my "horror" book fix elsewhere.
Some good material for a much shorter story.......2007-08-14
Normally I am a big fan of the creative Mr Dekker. However, I almost gave up on this one twice and only hung in there to the end to see what kind of twist he would produce this time. Indeed there was one, at about the 3/4 point - a good one - but with some big logic holes still left in it. Without the twist, this was a 2 star at the best, full of lame, immature, repetitive, weak dialog, strung together with cliches. A good hard nosed editor most likely could have turned this embarrassment into a very good short story. Hopefully I am wrong, and other Dekker fans will love it. However, I may skip a couple of the next ones hoping he will eventually get back into the form evidenced in Thr3e, Blink, and the trilogy. In the meantime, I hope he reads more Koontz and absorbs some of Dean's snappy dialog.
Big Disappointment.......2007-08-07
I must join the others who've said that this book was a big disappointment. It took me much longer than normal to read through it because it just was not all that interesting. When I finally did finish it, I was left wondering what the point was. I am a mature Christian but if there is some deep spiritual truth to be gleaned from this work of fiction, it sure has eluded me.
I have not been all that impressed with his most recent novels but this one was the most disappointing. I see a trend here that I don't like. I hope Ted can refresh his ideas and get back on track to writing novels like "Blink".
Another Masterfully Written Parable.......2007-07-18
Another well done Dekker thriller! Dekker is a very interesting writer for several reasons, but one of the most unique things about his writing is the way it evolves so rapidly from one novel to the next. I never know what to expect!
That was especially true with Skin. It just didn't go the way I expected. For starters, I was pleasantly surprised because the book description makes it sound like a rehashing of House, a novel that Dekker recently co-authored with Frank Peretti. I liked House, but I wanted Skin to be its own novel. It definitely was.
The story begins with five strangers thrown together in a small town through highly unusual circumstances. In the midst of a massive storm, a serial killer strikes-and keeps striking. For some unknown reason, he begins targeting this group of five and draws them into a twisted homicidal mind game.
That would be enough groundwork for a thriller, but Dekker takes it further: reality itself seems to begin playing games with these five young men and women as the story takes on a Twilight Zone quality. As the truth gradually reveals itself, we discover along with the characters that real truth lies just beyond the skin of this world.
One of the best things I like about Dekker is that he's a master teller of modern-day parables. That's really what his stories-especially the ones from the past two or three years, which are quite distinct from his earlier novels-are: parables.
I'd definitely recommend Skin, but with a strong warning: it is not for the faint of heart! The violence in the book would make it difficult for a movie version to escape with anything less than an R rating. But if you can stomach that (it's gross and violent, but not excessively graphic), you might find Skin to be one of those novels that genuinely affects the way you perceive the world around you... and the world within you.
Book Description
The story fo the evolution of the gambling racket from mobbed-up vice to corporate success story as told through the biographies of the men who made it happen.
Customer Reviews:
Sloppy, Fragmented and Unfocused.......2007-03-22
This is a book that appeals to no one. If you're not already familiar with Vegas history, it is not a good place to start. And if you already know something about Vegas, it will not teach you anything new.
In theory, the structure of this book seems like a good idea -- devote a chapter each on the movers and shakers who built Las Vegas. The problem is that they all influenced each other, so separating them results in an arbitrary, fragmented, sometimes difficult-to-follow, narrative. Even the chapters themselves tend to jump back and forth in time and place. Structurally, the book just doesn't work.
Then there's the problem of sketchy information. Smith doesn't go into great detail explaining the why's and how's of events, leaving the reader with a great longing to know more about the individual characters of these men and what makes them tick. If you're looking for some good dish on Vegas -- which is what the snappy title promises -- there are better choices.
Compounding the reader's frustration are the numerous typos, spelling, and grammatical errors. Smith either had no editor or edited this himself. It feels like a first draft in serious need of a major rewrite and fact checking. It's difficult to believe Smith makes a living as a journalist. He must have a good editor at the Review/Journal.
The Real McCoy........2007-03-05
This book gives you the real story behind the Vegas gaming legends. Nobody does justice to this topic like John L. Smith. His research is impeccable.
It delivers on the title but in a less than thrilling way.......2006-10-31
This book is a fun read if you are someone who is familiar with Las Vegas. The book indeed delivers on what the subtitle, "..The Founding Fathers and Current Kings of Las Vegas" states. Each chapter is more or less devoted to discussing a specific person and the impact they had on setting the stage for the evolution of Las Vegas. I imagine those of you who have never been infatuated with Las Vegas will want to pass on this one.
Based on some of the anecdotes, it seems amazing that some of the Vegas hotels are still open today. The mobsters and the so called "straight laced" owners who ran (or still run) the hotels come off as either extremely brilliant or totally incompetent. It is no wonder that most of the Strip hotels have all been swallowed up by one or two companies. The author also seems to question if some hotels are completely honest when it comes to gaming.
The problem I had with the book was perhaps I was expecting something more chronological and dramatic. Instead, the book is like a compilation of old newpaper columns that are all put together in one place(of course, maybe that is not a surprise since the author is a newspaper reporter). Much like other books of that nature, the reading becomes almost repetitive and seems easier to take over a long haul rather than a week or two of reading cover to cover. Also note that there are a few typos and errors that make it seem like someone did a spellcheck with a computer rather than really proofreading it.
If you can stick with this type of book, you will probably enjoy it. Now this is the first book about Las Vegas I have read so I can not compare it to anything but I've got to believe there is probably something a bit more compelling.
Las Vegas history: from mob to corporate.......2006-03-16
The complete saga of Las Vegas from its early roots with the mob to modern corporate times is presented in a lively history of the city's real rulers in SHARKS IN THE DESERT: THE FOUNDING FATHERS AND CURRENT KINGS OF LAS VEGAS. Many made their fortunes developing the casino business the city is most famous for today - but many myths have surrounded their activities - myths which columnist Smith dispels in an investigative history which tracked mobsters and their connections to the city's rich and monied.
Great book and great shipping time.......2006-02-17
I received this book almost right away. It's a very good summary of the people of Las Vegas written by someone who knows, John Smith.
Book Description
#1 National Bestseller!
The amazing inside story about a gambling ring of M.I.T.
students who beat the system in Vegas -- and lived to tell how.
Robin Hood meets the Rat Pack when the best and the brightest of M.I.T.'s math students and engineers take up blackjack under the guidance of an eccentric mastermind. Their small blackjack club develops from an experiment in counting cards on M.I.T.'s campus into a ring of card savants with a system for playing large and winning big. In less than two years they take some of the world's most sophisticated casinos for more than three million dollars. But their success also brings with it the formidable ire of casino owners and launches them into the seedy underworld of corporate Vegas with its private investigators and other violent heavies.
Filled with tense action, high stakes, and incredibly close calls, Bringing Down the House is a nail-biting read that chronicles a real-life Ocean's Eleven. It's one story that Vegas does not want you to read.
Download Description
"It's Friday night and you're on a red-eye to the city of sin. Strapped to your chest is half a million dollars; in your overnight bag is another twenty-five thousand in blackjack chips; and your wallet holds ten fake IDs. As soon as you land in Las Vegas, you are positive you are being investigated and followed. To top it all off, the IRS is auditing you, someone has been going through your mail -- and you have a multivariable calculus exam on Monday morning. Welcome to the world of an exclusive group of audacious MIT math geniuses who legally took the casinos for over three million dollars -- while still finding time for college keg parties, football games, and final exams. In the midst of the go-go eighties and nineties, a group of overachieving, anarchistic MIT students joined a decades-old underground blackjack club dedicated to counting cards and beating the system at major casinos around the world. While their classmates were working long hours in labs and libraries, the blackjack team traveled weekly to Las Vegas and other glamorous gambling locales, with hundreds of thousands of dollars duct-taped to their bodies. Underwritten by shady investors they would never meet, these kids bet fifty thousand dollars a hand, enjoyed VIP suites and other upscale treats, and partied with showgirls and celebrities. Handpicked by an eccentric mastermind -- a former MIT professor and an obsessive player who had developed a unique system of verbal cues, body signals, and role-playing -- this one ring of card savants earned more than three million dollars from corporate Vegas, making them the object of the casinos' wrath and eventually targets of revenge. Here is their inside story, revealing their secrets for the first time.
Customer Reviews:
Non Fiction.......2007-09-03
A look at the ever growing sophistication of the duel between casinos and the professional card counters who realise that they do, indeed, have an edge at blackjack.
Technology and increased surveillance is slowly and surely bringing this to an end. Where it doesn't, there is still the good old beat up the winners technique if you fancy try it in Uzbekistan or somewhere.
Great Book.......2007-08-04
If you like Vegas, Money, and an awesome time, read this book. I read it in 2 days, and I hardly read.
Dad's fathers day gift.......2007-07-22
Amazon website wouldn't let me type in a zip code; website defaulted the zip based on city name and the zip was incorrect. As a result, package couldn't be delivered. I was issued a full refund (I think).
Fiction.......2007-07-19
A reviewer below who gave this book 5 stars noted that it is a dramatization based on real events. There is a label for those types of books--fiction. It bothers me tremendously that this book is billed as non-fiction and was listed on non-fiction bestseller lists. As soon as it became obvious to me that the book was fiction (which should happen very quickly if you approach the book with any sort of a critical perspective), it became difficult for me to enjoy the book. If you can suspend disbelief and are interested in a story based on events the general framework of which I'm sure are true, then you will probably find this to be a quick, entertaining read.
I get it.......2007-07-08
This is an interesting story, but it would have been better as a feature article in a magazine, not a 257 page book. It was a ballsy thing for these geeks to do, but we didn't need to hear about every trip, and every close call. And where were the serious consequences besides getting banned from casinos, and audited by the IRS? I kept waiting for some real trouble for Kevin.
Book Description
From the publishers of The Unofficial Guide(r) to Walt Disney World(r)
"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
-Chicago Sun-Times
"Indispensable"
-The New York Times
Five Great Features and Benefits
offered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide(r):
* Each casino reviewed in detail and ranked, from the best values to the hottest slots
* Helpful hints for getting the best room and the lowest possible rate-and the inside story on packages and Internet booking
* Insider tips on casino gambling, with proven strategies for making the most of your betting dollars
* Where to find the best buffets, plus detailed reviews of more than 100 restaurants-a complete dining guide within the book
* Tips for gaining easy access to the top shows and best evening entertainment, plus reviews of each
Sample Rating
Cirque du Soleil's Mystere
Appeal by Age under 21 21-37
38-50 51+H
Host casino and showroom T. I.-Cirque du Soleil Showroom; # 702-894-7722 or 800-392-1999
Type of show Circus as theater. Admission cost with taxes $95/$60, limited seats. Cast size 75. Nights of lowest attendance Thursday. Usual show times Wednesday-Saturday, 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.; Sunday, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Dark Monday and Tuesday. Special comments No table service (no tables!). Topless No. Author's rating ..... Duration of presentation 1H hours.
Customer Reviews:
Good Book to Take to Vegas.......2007-07-17
We have used the other "Unofficial" Guide books and this one had good info that we used while in Vegas. Excellent reviews for shows and food. We were not disappointed. Would like to see Timeshare Accomodations included in the lodging. Our timeshare experience was excellent. A great option instead of the standard hotel. Another excellent "Unofficial" guide.
Good to know info before you visit Las Vegas.......2007-05-12
My wife and I spent a week in Las Vegas recently. We've been going there every few years. The information and maps provided come in very handy. The hotel reviews are on the button. We stayed at the New York New York, and the review was about right. Last year, we stayed at the Monte Carlo, and again, the review was on the button. We had some excellent steaks at Mon Ami Gabi, not far from our hotel. If you plan on staying in Las Vegas for longer than a week, you will want this book.
Second "Unofficial" book I purchased!.......2007-04-07
I really like these "Unofficial" guides. Las Vegas changes so much that you almost have to buy a book yearly but I waited for 4 years to buy this one and it's just right! I can't tell you how accurate the information is until I take my trip but it sure has helped in the planning stages.
All things Unofficial.........2007-03-18
Great source of information for my Vegas trip. I love all of the unofficial Guides. Great for finding in city discounts and information.
Going to Vegas? Read this first!.......2007-03-11
If you want the skinny on Las Vegas this is a great book to read. With a city as spectacular as "Sin City," you want an authoritative book that spells it all out. This book does just that. Definitely worth reading before you go to the glamor capital of the world.
Frank Scoblete: author of Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution! and Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution!
Book Description
The Nevada Corporation Handbook is designed to provide effective, legal strategies and solutions for tax savings, liability protection, privacy, estate planning, and a host of other problems and difficulties. Extensive and detailed information and strategies are presented in a format that can be easily understood and implemented by the expert and the novice alike. It is recommended and relied on by corporate planners, attorneys and other financial experts. If you do not have the time to delve into the world of strategies utilizing corporations, give this book to your accountant or attorneyyou will be glad you did.
Anyone with income or assets worth protecting can benefit from a Nevada corporation.
Customer Reviews:
A review for the Nevada Corporation Handbook.......2005-12-01
This is a great book! It not only teaches you the benefits of incorporating in NV, it also provides detailed info on different kinds of companies and tax saving strategies.
Please note, the latest edition (as of this writing) is the 9th Edition. I accidently bought the older 8th Edition. You can check the most current edition at the publisher's web site:
http://www.strategicpress.com/
why pick Nevada.......2001-06-02
How I wish, I found this book first! I could have saved myself a lot of time and money.
I read this book in one sitting - 7 hours. I just could not bring it down. This book answered for me three important questions, 1) Why should I incorporate? 2) Why should I choose Nevada? and 3) How do I incorporate in Nevada?
The depth of the answers provided by Rowley is assuring. It appears to be complete and authoritative. With this knowledge I am now in a better position to do my own homework!
This book appears to deliver what it promised. I think I am going to read it again.
I like Rowley's style of writing: it is simple and straight to the point -- a real time saver! How I wish that Rowley will write one more book -- something like entitled, "Taking Care of Your Nevada Corporation."
Completely professional.......1999-09-06
A book on a subject like this is a situation where you'd really rather look over the various books in a bookstore rather than buy online. But after looking over all the books I could find online, I decided to buy this one. I am very pleased with it, with one quibble: the price. The content is good, the book is nicely printed and bound, but even so ... ouch! $65.95?! At any rate, the reasons I bit the bullet and bought it are: (1) I got the feeling that a lot of books on this subject are shill come-ons for Nevada "incorporation advisors"--I did searches on the net for some of the titles, and they came up on pages of such outfits, obviously written by the people behind the businesses, who tend not to have any formal legal training; the Rowley book is not a shill job at all. (2) Rowley has put a good chunk of his book online where you can read it for free; I'd put the URL here, but Amazon would delete it; nevertheless, if you search for it and read the content, it gives you a good preview of the book (although the juicy stuff, like the sample articles of incorporation are not online). (3) About a third of the book consists of reference material like the Nevada Revised Statutes, which are available online at the Secretary of State's site (where you can search for words in your browser), but it's nice to have a printed copy. With this book and a resident agent (look online at the Secretary of State's site for a complete list), you can do the incorporation yourself.
Great Book full of VERY useful and valuable information!.......1999-08-11
I have bought several other books on incorporating and have often been disappointed to find out that what promised to be informative was mostly a glorified sales piece for some company or seminar speaker - lots of hype but little information you can use yourself without their help. This book was different! Filled with all the info I need to setup and maintain Nevada Corporations (has info on LLC's and Wyoming corps too!) Best book on the subject I have ever seen!
This is the definitive work on Nevada corporations.......1999-08-03
I can't believe how much information this book has. I wondered why it has almost twice as many pages as other books on the subject, now I know.
Average customer rating:
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The Book on Vegas
Dave Hickey
Manufacturer: Greybull Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Disco Years
ASIN: 0972778888
Release Date: 2006-11-15 |
Book Description
In celebration of Las Vegas's centennial, Greybull Press has put together the ultimate visual tribute to sin city. An exceptional collection of images of the city as seen through the eyes of many of the most important photographers, artists and filmmakers of the past 50 years, it also includes classic archival images that capture the true essence of what makes Vegas the high/low pleasure capital of the world: its entertainers and celebrities, its winners and losers, the dealers, divas, players and dreamers. The Book on Vegas features landmark images of the desert city's architecture, street life, weddings, casinos and surrounding landscape. Some of the highlights include William Claxton's intimate backstage portraits of Marlene Dietrich, Sammy Davis Jr. and Noel Coward; Elliott Erwitt's iconic image of the lone slot machine player; Helmut Newton's photograph of the secret money room at Caesar's Palace; Bruce Weber's portfolio of Siegfried & Roy at home with their tigers; Grant Mudford's straight architectural photos of Liberace's outlandish estate; Lauren Greenfield and Philip-Lorca diCorcia's intimate portraits of pole dancers; Diane Keaton's mysterious images of hotel lobbies; Garry Winogrand's off-the-strip motel swimming pool; Ed Ruscha's stop-action shots of a typewriter being dropped from the window of a Buick speeding through the nearby desert; Leroy Neiman's painting of Buddy Hackett; stunning film stills from Casino, Koyaanasquatsi, Godfather II and other classic films--and much, much more. With over 300 pages, and 226 exquisitely produced color images, The Book on Vegas is luminous, loud and spectacular--like the city itself. Includes work by Doug Aitken, Guy Bourdin, Sophie Calle, Robert Crumb, Todd Eberle, William Eggleston, Eliott Erwitt, Larry Fink, Lee Friedlander, Ron Galella, Lauren Greenfield, Dennis Hopper, Mary Ellen Mark, Joel Meyerowitz, Richard Misrach, Helmut Newton, Martin Parr, Raymond Pettibon, Jack Pierson, Robert Polidori, Richard Prince, Ed Ruscha, Stephen Shore, Thomas Struth, Larry Sultan, Arne Svenson, Robert Venturi, Nick Waplington, Bruce Weber and others, as well as an essay by the influential art critic and University of Las Vegas professor Dave Hickey.
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Sierra Nevada: The John Muir Trail Deluxe Edition
Ansel Adams
Manufacturer: Little Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Adams, Ansel
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ASIN: 0821257269 |
Product Description
Modern version of Adams ' 1938 masterpiece. The original was recognized as the highest quality fine art book at the time. The 2006 version is similar, with exception design, paper, printing, and binding.
The images are printed on a light, silk finish paper using a stochastic printing process, which means there is no printing grain or dot structure, giving each print a continuous tone. They are then tipped' in, glued along the top edge to the page.
* Limited quantities available Edition of 500 numbered copies plus 26 lettered copies.
* 224 pages; 50 photographs; 8+ lbs
* This 13 x 17 book is cloth bound and comes in a linen slipcase
* The paper is mouldmade cotton fiber paper, a high quality heavier stock with a slightly toothy feel, letterpress printed with hand set type
* Published by Little, Brown & Company
Book Description
Drawing on extensive interviews with the accused herself, here is the sordid, twisted, and surprising story of Brookey Lee West--a successful technical writer from Silicon Valley who went on a twenty year crime and killing spree.
Customer Reviews:
interesting.......2007-09-22
Though it was not one of the best true-crime books I've read, it certainly is worth reading.
NO ONE TO CARE ABOUT.......2007-08-18
Due to the description of the perpetrator and the victim(s)which one assumes is all true, one simply does not care about these people. Scumbag killed scumbag(s). How are we supposed to feel sympathy for that? Puit is a little too redundant in his writing. One gets the point, however, Puit pounds away various points at least three times each; perhaps to fill the book. When one does not care about the victim, one does not care about the killer therefore one cannot care about this book. It leaves one feeling polluted after reading about people who never deserved any mention in any book.
Brookey convicted on little evidence.......2007-08-07
I am an attorney in Las Vegas who read Mr. Puit's book to get to know some of the main law enforcement operators in Las Vegas.
Mr. Puit sets forth a wealth of information in West's case. Based on the information provided, it seems that West was convicted of murder on very shaky circumstantial evidence.
The cause of death of her mother was undetermined. No murder weapon was adequately identified. The motive was not clear cut. There was no eye-witness of the murder, just a bunch of witnesses that made a case that West was weird.
It appears to me that West was convicted simply because she was different. "Guilty by reason of weirdness."
All of her alleged victims were weirder still.
However, she was a criminal who committed a series of property related crimes including shoplifting and identity theft. Such crimes could be attributed to her poor upbringing and her mental problems.
Murder? I think there was reasonable doubt based on what this book presents.
Recommended Reading / Great Story.......2007-03-19
I bought this book during a trip to the local bookstore where I had purchased many other True Crime books. I put this one off until I had none left to read because I thought it might be a mediocre story, but I was in for an unexpected Roller Coaster ride! So often in True Crime books, there is a paucity of background information or family history available to the reader. I read True Crime books because I want to understand WHY individual criminals act as they do and HOW they became the people they are. This book delivers!
Strangely enough, despite the obviously evil woman Brookey Lee West is, I am not without sympathy for her. Her own mother was a freak of monumental proportions and her father a Satanist. I am certainly relieved West was convicted and will spend the remainder of her life in prison, but it is not difficult to understand how she became the bizarre individual she is. It is tragic that such an obviously bright and resiliant child was warped beyond recognition by her own family. (It should be noted that it requires a talented author to convey empathy for such a dangerous and predatory individual.)
Oddly, I lived and worked in Las Vegas for almost 9 years during the time in which this murder was discovered, but I have NO MEMORY of this crime. True, I do not watch the news often, but usually when a crime is this astounding, you find out about it anyway. I do not think the crime was quite as publicized as the author suggests. However, I was also raising three children under the age of 5 years and working full time as an individual and group therapist for sex offenders, so I may not have had much time left to consider any crimes beyond those of my clients!
It is interesting that Brookey Lee West is at the center of several strange deaths and disappearances. I am certain this is no coincidence. I cannot believe she continues to protest her innocence to this day. How stupid does she believe others are? Perhaps that is the problem. She does not think about anyone except herself.
interesting read.......2007-02-22
I did not think I would like this book as much as I did! This is about a woman from an incrediblely dysfunctional family who also dabbles in witchcraft. People around her die mysteriously, including her mother, who is found in a trash can inside a rented storage shed. It is scary to think people like her and her family could be living and working next to you! The book is fast paced, beginning with the find of the body in the trashcan and following with the usual background family history of the killer. The narrative does not get bogged down in lengthy details and cuts to the chase. It is not your average murder mystery, well worth the read.
Average customer rating:
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The Gaming Industry: Introduction and Perspectives
Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas, William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration International Gaming Institute
Manufacturer: Wiley
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Binding: Hardcover
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Casino Operations Management
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Casino Accounting and Financial Management
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Casino Dictionary: Gaming and Business Terms
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Introduction to Casino and Gaming Operations (2nd Edition)
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ASIN: 0471129275 |
Book Description
An authoritative introduction to the world of professional gaming and casino management, from the authorities on the subject, the faculty of the UNLV International Gaming Institute: Vincent H. Eade, Director David J. Christianson, Dean William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration
Contributing faculty members: Frank D. Borsenik Leslie E. Cummings Robert J. Martin John T. Bowen Bernhardt Fried Andrew Nazarechuk Pearl Brewer Zheng Gu John M. Stefanelli Anthony N. Cabot Jim Kilby
This is the book for anyone interested in pursuing or advancing a career in the gaming or casino industry, the ideal reference for hospitality students as well as professionals. Completely up-to-date and reflecting current academic and technological trends in the field, as well as the legislative developments permitting gambling casinos in almost every state, The Gaming Industry:
- Covers the historical background and regulatory aspects of gaming
- Explores all facets of casino operationsâfrom food and beverages to cage operations, auditing, marketing, and reporting
- Examines the mathematics and utility analysis of gaming, including all newly introduced technologies and related practices for gaming and casino operations
- And much more...
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic Book.......2005-06-14
I read this book, along with "Casino Operations Management" by Kilby, Fox, and Lucas. Both books were EXTREMELY helpful. They both start by assuming you know nothing about the gaming industry. They then show you the history and the evolution of the industry and then take you under the covers to show you the hows and whys of casino management and its decisions. I would HIGHLY recommend both books to anyone looking to gain insight into this fascinating industry.
Product Description
Vegas like you've never seen, tales you've never heard -- until now. Sizzing, behind-the-scenes stories about the men, the Mob, movie stars, and missing money that made '50s and '60s Vegas such a hot spot in the Nevada desert. On opening night at the Cal-Neva Lodge, Sinatra's guests included Marilyn Monroe, Joe Kennedy and his son, John F. Kennedy. Also there that weekend were Johnny Roselli and Sam "Momo" Giancana. Uninvited and hiding up in the hills around the casino lodge was an FBI surveillance team with long-range lenses . . . From the chapter Frank Sinatras Cal-Neva Lodge "On Sept 22, 1953, the Riviera Hotel was approved, the name was changed from the Casa Blanca to the Riviera just before this meeting . . . and the list of newly approved owners included Harpo (Arthur) Marx, movie star, comedian; his brother, Gummo (Milton) Marx, comedian" . . . From the chapter Does the Riviera Still Kill Its Executives? The Tropicana partners included Rossellis bosses in Chicago: Sam Giancana, Paul Rica, Camel Humphries, Meyer Lansky, Frank Costello, and Carlos Marcello . . . Fronting for the Chicago Outfit was Ben Jaffe. He owned the giant Fountainbleu Hotel in Miami, and also owned a little insurance company in Indiana . . . From the chapter Frank Costello Builds the Tropicana "In every showroom in Las Vegas, there are certain inviolate rules. Rule Number One the headliners go for 60 minutes. Not 64. Those extra 4 minutes represent 4 minutes of lost revenue on the casino floor . . . Then Deano came out on stage with his signature, "Who are all you people, and what are you doing in my room?" and so started the two and a half hours of the Rat Pack Show!" From the chapter Coffee Shop Stories: Rat Pack and the Sands 21 stories packed with intrigue and mystery, a thoroughly research book, vintage photos.
Customer Reviews:
Great Read.......2007-05-25
The book was excellent. A lot of names were mentioned so one should really read it twice and to get the full impact take some notes as to the persons involved as the accounts have what one might count as flash backs.
For those that want to know what Las Vegas was all about when the Mob & their associates were involved this is a MUST read. Highly recommended.
Entertaining as well as informative.......2007-03-12
I could not put this book down! A lot of nonfiction books have all the allure of required reading in school. This book is written in an almost
conversational style. I learned a lot of things I did not previously know about Las Vegas history. I have loaned it to others, urging them to read it.
If you are interested in Vegas ... You'll love this book!.......2007-03-09
I have lived in Las Vegas since 1992 and this book is very accurate for the period of time that it covers. I've met and talked to a lot of "old-timers" and they have filled me in on the "mob-run" Vegas so I knew some of the info written in the book ... however this book filled in the blanks (so to speak). A GREAT read!!
For Mobster Fans!.......2007-01-10
If you loved the Gofather, Goodfellas, The Untouchables, Sopranos... and so forth. You will love this book. Some parts to drag on but for the most part a great book. Interesting facts about the real mobsters which later were used to make movies like Casino and The Godfather. Also some great storied or I guess "myths" about President Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe.
A must read for you mob fans
Why These Men Gave Their Money.......2006-10-20
The Kefauver Committee is a 1951 flashback on the Las Vegas of the 1940's. The original charge of the committee was to combat crime of any type which crossed state boundaries. What the committee ended up investigating was gambling. One witness was Frank Costello
who raspy voice was imitated by Marlon Brando in The Godfather. "On advice of counsel" Costello took the 5th Amendment 138 times in five days of testimony. Meyer Lansky was subpoenaed as were Joey Adonis and Virginia Hill. Kefauver quizzed Hill about the death of her former boyfriend, Bugsy Siegel. Hill handled the questions easily. Then Kefauver made the mistake of wanting to know why men gave her money for no apparent reason. "Senator, are you sure you want to know why these men gave me money?" Hill asked. The Kefauver Committee hearings were broadcast live on network TV. There was no time delay to censor Hill's response.
What is now the commonly conceived of view of Las Vegas began in 1945 when an attorney by the name of Bautser bought the Folsom Guest Cottages on US 91, which were at that time six miles south of Las Vegas. The buyer was one of Ben (don't call me Bugsy) Siegel's men. The planned project was The Flamingo. Siegel got lumber and pipe for the project from movie studios in Hollywood and Culver City. Marble came from the Mexican black market. Siegel made friends with a US Senator named Pat McCrarran who reprioritized the building needs of southern Nevada so that Siegel get copper fixtures and tiling in time for the Flamingo to open by Christmas 1946. Siegel had a competitive racing service in Vegas run by James Regan. During the Flamingo's grand opening, Regan was shotgun blasted in half.
Siegel had already begun to scare off the movie stars. Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn declined the Flamingo's grand opening. Clark Gable got a cold. Marlene Dietrich sprained her ankle. Gary Cooper said his mother had become very sick. At this time these stars were MGM stars and William Randolph Hearst ran the studio. Hearst hated Siegel because the latter had had a series of one night stands with starlet Marion Davies. Siegel in turn owned the Screen Actors Guild. The opening night of the Flamingo was disastrous. George raft was the only well known loser. Raft said he lost $75,000, but that didn't matter as the house was down $200,000 on just its first night. The next night was worse. Rose Marie (remember her from the Dick Van Dyke Show?) played to fewer than 20 people. Jimmy Durante played to the smallest crowd he had ever seen. New Year's Eve faired a little better with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez. In 65 days the Flamingo closed while losing close to three quarters of a million dollars.
It will be quite a number of pages before Fischer finishes his story. Along the way one will run into Meyer Lansky, Elvis, Joe Kennedy and his son John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Howard Hughes, Marilyn Monroe, Harpo Marx, and on and on. There are more big names than in front of Grumman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Fischer ends his story with Lefty Rosenthal leaving Las Vegas in the early 80's. There was no question that the Sands just had to close. Fischer and his wife take one more trip to Vegas and have to put up with a Jerry Lewis who is way too loud. Buddy Hackett does a show that under 18's can not enter and which has Frank Sinatra rolling on the floor. In the Rat Pack years of the early 60's the sands was "mobbed up." The Sands closed in 1996.
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