Reading the States: Nevada

Friday, July 20, 2012



State: NEVADA

Fiction:
- Desperation by Stephen King
- Bittersweet by Nevada Barr
- Man Walks Into a Room by Nicole Krauss
- The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter van Tilburg Clark
- The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall
- Prey by Michael Crichton
- The Tall Stranger by Louis L'Amour
- Trunk Music by Michael Connelly
- The Goldfinch* by Donna Tartt 

Nonfiction:
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas* by Hunter S. Thompson
- Positively Fifth Street by James McManus
- Area 51 by Annie Jacobsen
- Brothel: Mustang Ranch and Its Women by Alexa Albert
- The Silver State by James W. Hulse
- The Lifespan of a Fact by John D'Agata and Jim Fingal
- About a Mountain by John D'Agata 

Authors Known for Writing in or about the State: 
- Geoff Schumacher
- Samuel Post Davis
- Robert Laxalt  

Great Bookstores:
Sundance Books
Le Book Nook

*Books I've Read 

Photo by moi.

6 comments:

annieb said...

I kind of knew that Nevada was right up there with Montana for nothing much going on in popular literature. As Nevada is my adopted state I should point out that Robert Laxalt wrote some wonderful books about the Basque culture in the Nevada: The Basque Hotel, Sweet Promised Land and a few more. All good books I have read. Wikipedia says Laxalt would have gotten more exposure, but he chose to publish with the University of Nevada press instead of a national publisher.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

annieb - Thanks! I had him listed under Authors Who Live Here, but I moved him up to "known for writing about the state." Nevada was a tricky one, but I found a few things set there!

annieb said...

Melissa, you did a great job of finding Nevada writings. Nonfiction seems more prevalent than fiction, but I suppose that is to be expected. I wish more people knew that there is so much more to this state than Las Vegas--not that Vegas is bad.

Sandy Nawrot said...

Ah yes, Desperation. And wasn't there a flip side book too? The Regulators? I think they both took place in the same town but alternate universes or something like that. I overloaded my brain on King back in the day...can't remember!

Nikki Steele said...

Another great mix of books! My home state is Nevada (and city is Las Vegas) and so didn't think there were too many out there covering the state--you proved me wrong! The one book that I hadn't expected to have so much about Vegas, but also really enjoyed, was The Lifespan of a Fact by John D'Agata and Jim Fingal. It's a short quick read, but broaches the subject of true facts in nonfiction and how they should be used while also crafting a story.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

annieb - I agree, I don't think I know much about the state other than Vegas either!

Sandy - I'll add those in!

Nikki - Thanks! I'll add it in.