For 50 years, Las Vegas has been a magnet for great writers-yet these “parachute journalists” have largely failed to capture the true essence of Las Vegas, refusing to see past the neon and discover the multifaceted community beyond.
People all over the globe know Las Vegas as gambling’s Mecca, Sin City, the Entertainment Capital of the World, a resort destination that attracts more than 37 million visitors per year. But that’s just one piece of the story of this fascinating metropolis of 1.8 million people – and counting. It’s the other parts of the story that veteran journalist Geoff Schumacher tackles in Sun, Sin & Suburbia: An Essential History of Modern Las Vegas.
The ’90s saw the mega-resorts rise on the Strip, enticing tourists with a variety of new attractions and amenities beyond the casino floor. Schumacher traces the history of the Strip from the early ’40s to the present, debunking myths and highlighting key players. Throughout, he provides his own insights to put it all in proper perspective. He even gets out his crystal ball to deliver an educated guess about how Las Vegas will grow and what it will look like five, ten and twenty years from now.