A Short History of Las Vegas

Today's Las Vegas welcomes 35 million visitors a year and reigns as the world's premier gaming mecca. But it is much more than a gambling paradise. In A Short History of Las Vegas, Barbara and Myrick Land reveal a fascinating history beyond the mobsters, casinos, and showgirls. The Lands present a complete story, beginning with southern Nevada's indigenous peoples and the earliest explorers to the first pioneers to settle in the area; from the importance of the railroad and the construction of Hoover Dam to the arrival of the Mob after World War II; from the first isolated resorts to appear in the dusty desert to the upscale, extravagant theme resorts of today. Las Vegas - and its history - is full of surprises.

Barbara and Myrick Land, internationally distinguished journalists, have collaborated on six books, including A Short History of Reno. In addition to her articles and newspaper columns, Barbara Land has written four books. Myrick (Mike) Land was an editor of LOOK magazine and a prolific journalistic who published eleven books. Mike Land, who died in 1998, had recently retired as professor of journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno.