I really wanted to like this book. A more accurate title would have been 'Times I geared up and went for a walk in the tunnels under Las Vegas and let my lurid imagination run wild while nothing happened - then later I wrote it all down in a way that made it clear I had a degree burning a hole in my pocket'.
But that would have been less snappy I suppo I really wanted to like this book. But that would have been less snappy I suppose. If you want to know about how people live in the tunnels, this is not the book for you. There are interviews but they are quite few and far between - the author would much rather 1. I have no problem with an author expanding on their subject, providing they show a command and understanding of that subject to begin with, and honestly, there is very little substance.
This guy went into tunnels, describes some of what he sees but then goes off on poetic tangents - poetic in the way that men in their 20s get about girls who 'aren't like other girls'. Also, the books is told in a weird way, mixing times the author went into the tunnels before, with times he went in more recently, and the facts don't match up entirely?
Like on one occasion he describes waiting for Josh to come out of the tunnels, while not going in, but then later he recalls climbing over a fence to get to the tunnel? It's a bit of a mish mash. Also, considering the author says he was wearing a recording device I assume he wrote down the interviews word for word - yet somehow they come off as unreal and manufactured.
This is nowhere more obvious than when he is interviewing a young man living in the tunnels, being visited by his mother. The two people don't react to what the other person is saying - they just talk to him, even though what they are saying would have surely made one of them respond? It's very weird. There are some pictures in the book as well, but these aren't annotated. Overall impression - making this a book rather than an article was a stretch. It is basically a book about two young guys who thought it would be cool to dress up like urban warriors and stalk the sewers with a big knife while talking about serial killers - only then they tried to turn it into a think piece about society.
In the end the author hasn't lived in these tunnels, just walked through them, imagining. Which is no basis for informative nonfiction. Dec 14, Dana Jerman rated it liked it. May 18, Verne rated it it was amazing. Appealed to the curious explorer in me. Here's what this book is about: People live in the flood tunnels of Las Vegas because a they have a gambling problem, b they have a drug problem, or c both.
The end. Okay, it's not quite that simple. There are also numerous homeless veterans, and others are probably homeless for varying reasons. But nearly everyone the author spoke to had a drug or gambling problem most of them were non-natives and apparently had no idea how to conduct themselves like normal humans in Las Vegas, leading them Here's what this book is about: People live in the flood tunnels of Las Vegas because a they have a gambling problem, b they have a drug problem, or c both.
But nearly everyone the author spoke to had a drug or gambling problem most of them were non-natives and apparently had no idea how to conduct themselves like normal humans in Las Vegas, leading them to lose everything. The conversations he had with them were rehashed over and over until I just didn't care to read about it anymore. About halfway through, the book ceased to be interesting. This is where I stopped reading. There were only so many times I could read about where the author parked before going into a tunnel, what equipment he brought with him, and how THIS particular tunnel met the exact same description of every other tunnel, with variations in the graffiti.
I didn't care for the writing. After a while I became aware of this annoying habit the author seems to have, where he would say "Josh and I'd gone to several different tunnels.
He used other tales of people living in tunnels as filler, except the juxtaposition was SO awkward and kind of offensive at times, as many of these other tales were about people who had to live in tunnels due to persecution and not their own human weaknesses. Honestly, I thought the author seemed like kind of a douche.
He just walks right up to where people are sleeping, waking them up to have conversations with them. They're glad to talk, it seems, but come on. One guy he saw was washing a shirt in dirty runoff water, and the author says paraphrasing "You know there's a ton of chemicals in that water?
Like he cares about chemicals! He obviously just wants to freshen up his fucking shirt in whatever way he can. AND, the author calls the desert on the east side "useless to developers" when in reality most of it is protected land.
Plus there's a landfill. In short, very interesting concept, but much too long and rather poorly executed. View all 4 comments. Aug 02, Judah rated it it was ok Shelves: non-fiction , nook , didnt-finish. Interesting on some levels, but not enough so to merit finishing it at this point. While new folk are introduced at rapid pace, you never quite get a feel for who they are I may finish it at some point down the road, when I'm out of other things to read. May 09, Lauren Camarillo rated it really liked it.
This book did not disappoint. So as the title pretty much says, this book is about the underground tunnel systems that Vegas installed to solve the problem of flash flooding yes it floods here in the desert, and yes we have a monsoon season where this is pretty much the norm for about a month.
I pretty much expected this book to cover the topic of homelessness due to its subject nature. The one thing preventing me from giving this book 5 stars is that I do wish that he had followed up with the people more than once. View 1 comment. Oct 16, Laura rated it it was ok. I lived in Vegas for 10 years and worked on the Strip for most of that time, so the premise of the book really spoke to me. The author spends a gratuitous amount of time explaining his equipment, his plan of action, comparing it to ot I lived in Vegas for 10 years and worked on the Strip for most of that time, so the premise of the book really spoke to me.
The author spends a gratuitous amount of time explaining his equipment, his plan of action, comparing it to other historical tunnels, and making really DUMB decisions. The part where I really lost it is when he went into the tunnels during a rainstorm.
Such an incredibly stupid and dangerous move. He comes across as a condescending prick, honestly. Jul 08, T. Anderson rated it it was amazing. This is a non-fiction work about the storm drains of Las Vegas. Storm drains are not sewers. Surrounded by mountains and resting in a geological bowl made mostly of sand, rain water has nowhere to go. Hence, the storm drains. If you th This is a non-fiction work about the storm drains of Las Vegas.
This book is engrossing from start to finish and it is engagingly narrated by Alan Carlson. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. This is an interesting book regarding people who live in the storm drains and tunnels beneath the city. What's interesting is after reading this book, I am a little more cognizant when I stay drainage ditches, flood channels, etc. I don't know if I would have the guts to go down into one and the fact that this author did it numerous times over the years is crazy. I enjoyed the pictures I will say that it seemed like it was a bit disjoin This is an interesting book regarding people who live in the storm drains and tunnels beneath the city.
I will say that it seemed like it was a bit disjointed May 04, Jim rated it really liked it Shelves: nonfiction. It makes sense that people take advantage of the free and cooler but dangerous tunnels underneath Las Vegas. Mostly the people the reporter met were victims of the ravages of drinking, drugs, and gambling. Quite a few were Vietnam veterans, and many had lead normal, even prosperous, lives until whatever demons caused their downfalls.
Although there could have been dangerous encounters, most seemed to be pretty cordial and informative. Certainly the homeless can be inventive a Fascinating.
Certainly the homeless can be inventive as well as creative. I would hope never to be forced into that that type of existence, but you have to wonder in awe at the toughness and tenacity of these tunnel dwellers. Jan 06, Bob Scheidegger added it.
A friend of mine once lived near the entrance to one of these tunnels near the Boulder Highway in Las Vegas , and the local lore about people and floods meant I absolutely had to read this book when I saw that it existed. What I learned is that the street people of LV have a sad, hopeless life.
For many of them, these tunnels were a safe haven. How awful does your life have to be if this seems safe? Las Vegas is as two faced as a city can be-- immense wealth and flash, and immense poverty and f A friend of mine once lived near the entrance to one of these tunnels near the Boulder Highway in Las Vegas , and the local lore about people and floods meant I absolutely had to read this book when I saw that it existed.
Las Vegas is as two faced as a city can be-- immense wealth and flash, and immense poverty and filth. O'Brien did his job well-- I was drawn into his quest, and will do more reading along this line. Aug 11, Victoria Haugen rated it it was amazing. THIS is crazy! Matthew O'Brien's research is raw and spellbinding It's a gripping account of what life is really like for those who are truly the poorest among us, and how they survive.
What a harrowing, real, and horrifying experience. Reading it was eye-opening, living it must be I give Mr. O'Brien a lot of credit for going there and exposing that side of our country, and of humanity. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my reque THIS is crazy! Aug 21, Jan rated it it was amazing Shelves: journalist , las-vegas , homelessness , investigation , hopelessness , nonfiction. Matt goes into the flood control drains beneath the surface of Las Vegas in , originally to follow the trail of a convicted deranged murderer.
It became something more for him as he met the men who lived down there, some of them for several years. Each chapter is the result of interviews and experiences in a particular drain.
The descriptions of sights, sounds, and impressions are as clear as if drawn with more than pen and ink. Well done! Alan Carlson narrates as convincingly as if he was t Matt goes into the flood control drains beneath the surface of Las Vegas in , originally to follow the trail of a convicted deranged murderer. Alan Carlson narrates as convincingly as if he was the writer, and that's a very good thing.
Apr 10, Chantal rated it it was amazing. I loved this book and declare it a fascinating must read for anyone living in Vegas. Cultural backdrop for LV residents I've lived in Vegas for 41 years and always wondered about the homeless seen begging or camping in the ragged places. I know some want to be there, but most don't.
I'm trying to figure out which is which, having no mind to help someone who just wants a free ride at my expense. Nov 17, Alison Gordon rated it it was amazing. I read this book quite some time ago when I found it while perusing the library shelves, it drew me in completely. Matthews style of writing, with a topic that is almost taboo, was riveting. Learning of the Las Vegas underground and the lives of those living there was an eye opener.
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Please surf the website link below. Sadly, many alternative-weekly papers—including Las Vegas CityLife , where I toiled for ten years—have gone out of business. But there is a national alt-weekly. The composition is unique, the lighting exquisite and there are always small details hidden in plain sight: a bird perched on a ledge, surreal cloud patterns, reflections in the window, etc.
He was meticulous … in the most polite way possible. He was constantly tweaking the angle and lighting and perspective, snapping hundreds of shots over several minutes or hours, while engaging in a friendly and, at times, profound back-and-forth.
I could whine about the fact that Bill and I are not going to be able to have one last powwow on the patio of Sunrise Coffee, the planes buzzing us, the old newsroom just up the street. Credit: Bill Hughes. Here are a few thoughts, in award-ceremony format, to update you on my experience:. Teaching Highlight- An open mike-style poetry event that was hosted by one of my students, during which every member of the class got on stage and read an original poem. I read, too, as did my colleague Dr.
Bud Navero. The poems were outstanding and presented with poise.
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