Frommer S 96 Las Vegas

A union list of serials commencing publication after Dec. 31, 1949.

When Elvis crooned "Bright light city . . . gonna set my soul on fire," he voiced and embraced the siren call of a glittering urban utopia that continues to mesmerize millions. Call it Sin City or Lost Wages, Las Vegas definitely deserves its rapturous "Viva!" Larry Gragg, however, invites readers to view Las Vegas in an entirely new way. While countless other authors have focused on its history or gaming industry or entertainment ties, Gragg considers how popular culture has depicted the city and its powerful allure over its first century. Drawing on hundreds of films, television programs, novels, and articles, Gragg identifies changing trends in the city's portraits. Until the 1940s, boosters promoted it as the "last frontier town," a place where prospectors and cowboys enjoyed liquor, women, and wide-open gambling. Then in the early 1950s commentators increasingly characterized Las Vegas as a sophisticated resort city in the desert, and ever since then journalists, filmmakers, and novelists have depicted a city largely built by organized crime and featuring non-stop entertainment, gambling, luxury, and, of course, beautiful-and available-women. In Gragg's narrative, these images form a kaleidoscope of lights, sounds, characters, and ultimately amazement about this neon oasis. In these pages, readers will meet gangsters like Bugsy Siegel, Tony Spilotro, and Lefty Rosenthal, as well as Las Vegas's most popular entertainers: Elvis Presley, Sinatra's Rat Pack, Liberace, and Wayne Newton, not to mention the Folies Bergere showgirls. And Gragg's skillful interweaving of fictional and journalistic accounts of organized crime shows just how mutually reinforcing they have become over the years. Vegas will always make people's eyes light up as bright as the Strip, witness the new TV show Vegas or the recent film The Hangover. For everyone entranced by its glitter and glamour, Bright Light City is a must read boasting color photos and bursting with insider details: an eclectic blend of stories, people, sights, and sounds that together make up this desert city's extraordinary appeal.

From Cape Cod to Abilene and all the cities and spaces in between, Frommer's covers the U.S., with an incredible amount of information on sights, accommodations, and dining in one volume. With easy-to-use icons and dozens of maps, Frommer's makes it easy to discover why there's no place like home.

America's number one convention center is covered in this guide for millions of business travelers.

You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go -- they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us! Completely updated every year (unlike most of the competition), Frommer's Las Vegas features lavish full-color photos of the spectacle that awaits you. This is simply the most frank, funny, outrageous guide you can buy -- and it's much more up-to-date and indepth than its competition. Our author is completely on top of the latest developments in this fast-changing destination, and she'll make sure that you never miss a minute of the fun. She'll give you an irreverent take on all the casino hotels, with all their attractions. She's also scouted out the very best restaurant choices in this up-and-coming dining scene, and honestly reviews all the casinos, shows, clubs, shopping arcades, and golf courses in town. Frommer's Las Vegas also includes a color fold-out map and an online directory that makes trip-planning a snap!