by nan palmero
Las Vegas is one of those places that has to be seen to be believed. The neon strip, the vast and opulent hotels, the all-night wedding chapels and, of course, the casinos – they’ll all make your eyes pop.
But there’s more to Vegas than cabaret, cocktails and casinos.
In fact, as modern online casinos continue to attract more and more players, Vegas’ unique selling point is becoming less about the gambling and more about the spectacle.
Of course, people are drawn to online casinos – they offer a realistic experience thanks to state-of-the-art technology and the play-anywhere-convenience is an added attraction. There are literally hundreds of games at your fingertips and you can even sign up to a dedicated casino bonus guide to keep track of the best online offers and pay outs.
So when you visit Vegas, go for the glamour and the glitz. Even then you’ll only scratch the surface of this complicated, sometimes seedy and often misunderstood city.
There is no guide book or travel article that can give you a glimpse into what Vegas is really like. For that, you’ve got to read between the lines. The following books lift the lid on the Vegas the tourists rarely see.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream
(Hunter S Thompson, 1972)
This modern classic, set in the psychedelic 1960s, tells the story of an oddball journalist and his psychopathic lawyer as they embark on a dangerously hedonistic tour of Las Vegas in search of the elusive American Dream.
The weird and wonderful Terry Gilliam film version starring Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro was a runaway success and gave the novel cult status.
Air Guitar: Essays on Art and Democracy
(Dave Hickey, 1997)
Hickey, born in Nevada and a Las Vegas resident, is one of America’s most respected art writers and his memoir of 23 essays has been described as an album of love songs. The collection waxes lyrical about places as diverse as a record shop and art gallery to cocktail lounges and honky tonk bars. His writing about the Liberace Museum – A Rhinestone as Big as The Ritz – is a highlight.