This is a very comprehensive look at the elements that came together to shape the Las Vegas we know today. Mark Curran does a wonderful job bringing to light the beginnings of what was once a small, dusty, old west-looking way station in the middle of the desert to the arrival of the gangsters who built and shaped Las Vegas to the corporate run mecca it is today. I found it very interesting to see photos of these people who shaped the city and the parts they played. With time and the change it brings, it's good to know this record will be available for future generations.