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Issue
20
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January
24-30, 2001
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Volume
1
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page
3
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Horses, The Mob, Nevada History
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Carole
Case, whose last title was The Black Book and The Mob: The Untold
Story of the Control of Nevada's Casinos, has now focused her
energy on the Jockey Club. Her newest work is titled The Right
Blood (America's Aristocrats in Thoroughbred Racing). This $26
hardbound (241 pages) explores the influence over racing a "select
group of financiers, industrialists, diplomats and philanthropists"
like Belmont, Phipps, Vanderbilt, Whitney and Widener have had over
the centuries. The Jockey Club, formed in 1894 explores how these
money people live their lives, conduct their business and see others
who are outside their "social class." 
John
McEvoy, former senior writer for The Daily Racing Form, here
focuses on racing's strangest and most baffling stories. The book,
titled Great Horse Racing Mysteries (True Tales From The Track)
is a 261-page hardbound ($24.95). His intriguing collection of true
stories includes some noted and some obscure real events. There's
the mysterious death of the great Australian runner Phar Lap, the
disappearance of jockey Al Snider (regular rider on the legendary
Citation), the death of William Woodward Jr. (shot by his wife),
the strange fire at Hawthorne Race Course, the disappearance of
stallion Shergar, and the vanishing of jockey Ron Hansen. (Was he
killed? Did he fix races?) 
Georgia
Durante knew the Rochester, N.Y., Mafia well. She married into
the life for a while; later found a new life in California as
a model; moved from there into movie stunt work as a driver. Her
life was colorful and adventure-packed after a rough start, including
being an abused wife and a rapevictim. This is a frank, detailed
look at the life of a woman who turned her life around. Writing
the book was a form of therapy for her. On her journey through
life, she met the jet-setters, the rich and famous, the hustlers,
and sometimes allowed her life to be guided by them. The book
is titled The Company She Keeps. The hardbound sells for
$24.95. 
Anyone
who enjoys looking at old houses, wondering when the were built
and by whom, whether hotel, mansion, church or government building
among others (and especially in Nevada) will find Julie Nicoletta's
Buildings of Nevada (312 pages, hardbound, $45) a valuable
reference source. Packed with photos, historical material, maps,
addresses and locations, the work is divided into regions like
Northwestern (including Reno, Lake Tahoe, Carson City); the Northern
Region (including Winnemucca, Lovelock, Elko); the Central Region
(including Ely, Fallon); and of course the Southern Region (which
includes Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City and Hoover Dam). For
example if you're wondering who built Caesars Palace or the old
Moulin Rouge or who designed the Stratosphere Tower or the University
of Nevada, Las Vegas, this is the place you'll find the answers.
