Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Super Casino : Inside the "New" Las Vegas by Pete Earley ISBN: 0-553-57349-7 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 02 January, 2001 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.28 (36 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: The behind-the-scenes-at-Luxor parts are valuable.
Comment: This book does a fair-to-good job of sketching out the history of Las Vegas casinos, though much of it will be familiar to readers of other books about Vegas. It is an easy read--a good airplane or bathroom book--though some of the writing seems sloppily edited. (Foe example, another poster here commented on the weirdly unqalified assertion that Bally's no longer exists, and there are places where elements from different eras of Vegas are made to seem simultaneous.)
The most substantial, and most interesting, parts of the book are the details of the history of Circus Circus Enterprises, (which has since changed their name to Mandalay Bay Resorts--they own Circus Circus, Luxor, and other hotel/casinos), which involves some of the less-written-about Vegas tycoons, notably Jay Sarno and Bill Bennett, and, in part two of the book, the day-to-day business operations of the Luxor (to which Earley had unusual access for a time).
There are a number of rather sappy "human interest" tales threaded through the book--the turbulent love life of a showgirl, a teenage hooker who becomes a blackjack dealer--that don't provide much insight into Vegas or "Super Casinos."
If the Circus Circus/Luxor stuff sounds interesting to you, then you will want to read this book.
Rating: 4
Summary: Part Reference, Part Fun
Comment: The first half of the book deals with the history of the gaming industry in Las Vegas. The description of the early "grind joints" sets the stage for contrasting the "Super Casinos" of the 1990s. I learned a lot about the gaming pioneers such as Jay Sarno, Bill Bennett, Steve Wynn and Kirk Kerkorian.
The second half of the book deals with a behind-the-scenes look at the Luxor from the perspective of numerous characters- corporate management, the general manager, a gaming shift supervisor, a security chief, and a cabaret dancer. Having stayed at the Luxor on my last Vegas trip, all of the behind-the-scenes blood, sweat and tears added to my appreciation of this massive resort/casino.
Having formerly worked as a securities analyst, the Wall Street angles throughout the book were of interest. Earley does a great job of tracking the industry's access to financing. One also better appreciates the factors which drive gaming stocks as evidenced by the volatile stock price of Circus Circus (now Mandalay Bay Resort Group).
Overall I found Earley's book informative and enjoyable, he is a hardened journalist who is extremely thorough and leaves himself out of the plot.
Rating: 5
Summary: Excellent documentary style writing
Comment: I loved this book. I was looking for a descriptive work that provided real inside views of Las Vegas. I particularly enjoyed the financial information provided - revenue numbers, salaries etc.
 |
Title: 24/7 : Living It Up and Doubling Down by Andres Martinez ISBN: 0440509092 Publisher: Dell Pub. Date: 07 November, 2000 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
 |
Title: The Money and the Power: The Making of Las Vegas and Its Hold on America by Sally Denton, Roger Morris ISBN: 037540130X Publisher: Knopf Pub. Date: 03 April, 2001 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
 |
Title: Running Scared: The Life and Treacherous Times of Las Vegas Casino King Steve Wynn by John L. Smith ISBN: 1568581904 Publisher: Four Walls Eight Windows Pub. Date: 02 March, 2001 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
 |
Title: The Hot House : Life Inside Leavenworth Prison by Pete Earley ISBN: 0553560239 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 February, 1993 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
 |
Title: The Players: The Men Who Made Las Vegas by Jack Sheehan ISBN: 087417306X Publisher: Univ of Nevada Pr Pub. Date: November, 1997 List Price(USD): $17.09 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
