24/7: Living It Up and Doubling Down in the New Las Vegas
By Andres Martinez The premise of 24/7 is at pretty crazy, the author takes his publishers $50,000, and goes to Las Vegas for 5 weeks, and chronicles his experience. Simple concept that might seem like a dream to some and a nightmare to others, and it turns out to be a little of both for Martinez.
Martinez goes to Vegas for 4 or 5 weeks, and stays at about 8 different hotels, gambling his advance and reporting the balance at the end of each day. He starts off at the Luxor, and ends up at Bellagio during it’s opening weekend, staying downtown and at local’s casinos along the way.
One of the interesting aspects of the book is that Martinez is a Vegas Novice. Having never been to Vegas, or even gambled before, his sense of awe makes the book very enjoyable. A modern-day Tocqueville, the author maintains his stance as an outsider. At times writing about Las Vegas citizens and customs as a stranger in a strange land, Martinez becomes more comfortable in his surroundings, but you never get the sense that he is a changed man.
When I first read 24/7 I liked it a lot…Las Vegas was still pretty new to me, and I could appreciate his excitement and sense of discovery. I decided to go back and re-read it for this review, having been to Vegas many times in between and having seen the town change so much, as well as my attitudes towards it. Sadly, the book loses a lot with that transition.
One problem I had upon reading it again was that, while he had a good time gambling, it wasn’t exactly a ‘wild’ time. He meets a few interesting people along the way, but doesn’t really delve too deeply into what make Las Vegas tick. For him, 50 grand didn’t seem to buy much excitement.
Another issue is that the book is already pretty dated. Even though it was published in 1999, 8 years is a lifetime in Vegas years. For example, the Desert Inn no longer exists and it’s tough to listen to him bitch about a $75 show ticket. Martinez caught the tail end of the 90’s building boom, and we are already in the midst of the next one.
Beyond the premise, those with much of a Vegas acumen might be a bit bored. Still, for a Vegas newbie, or those in need of a Vegas fix, this book is a good PG-13 alternative.
Buy 24/7
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