Book review: Nevada — A History, by Robert Laxalt

Adding context to Twain’s accounts of early Nevada (January 2019)

I sought out this book because I heard that there had been some friction between Laxalt and Mark Twain (one of my favorite authors), and that this book would reveal details about their feud. I didn’t find that information in this book, but it does provide a nice history of Nevada from a more general perspective than that found in Twain’s works. Laxalt does mention Twain, but only in passing.

The book starts off with a couple of beautifully-crafted descriptions, but then settles down to a more pedestrian level. The writing style is more than competent, though, and the author is so filled with love for Nevada and its inhabitants that the book is a compelling read to the end.