For thousands of Italian Americans, Las Vegas has amply fulfilled the American dream. In this fast-paced, readable book, Alan Balboni argues that Las Vegas afforded Italian Americans unusual opportunities for rapid economic and social advancement, and that they were allowed to be assimilated into the community at a much quicker pace there than anywhere else in the country. In return, they brought talents and interests that hastened the city's development from a dusty Mojave Desert railroad stop to the entertainment capital of the world. While a few were among the early twentieth-century Las...

Although Patrick A. McCarran represented one of the least populated states in the country, he gained a national reputation as a U.S. Senator from Nevada. He entered the political spotlight by locking horns with the Roosevelt and Truman administrations on foreign policy, internal security, and many domestic issues. His strategic use of committee assignments, coupled with a strong backing of loyal, home-state supporters, enabled him to achieve a powerful position in the government.

Within his native state of Nevada, McCarran constructed a machine designed to dominate the state s political and...