The quintessential Las Vegas novel has yet to be penned To read more columns by J. Patrick Coolican, visit lasvegassun.com/coolican.

2011-11-30T02:30:11Z

Like God before it, the novel is dead, or so we are told.

"The book can't compete with the screen," Philip Roth, the old master, has said.

The hegemony of digital media is now assured - our culture given over to what the novelist Jonathan Franzen once called "attractively priced electronic panderings."

And yet in that same essay...

Hot spots for getting back to nature in Southern Nevada

2011-06-29T02:30:17Z

¶To read about more outdoor hot spots in Southern Nevada visit lasvegassun.com/outdoors.

President Barack Obama declared June 2011 as Great Outdoors Month, an awareness campaign and celebration of outdoor recreation and preservation with a nod to natural landscapes and neighborhood parks. Although Southern Nevada is noted for its designated conservation...

Police officer is thinking like teen

2011-06-09T02:31:35Z

Read more about Metro officer-turned-author Beth Choat and her young-adult novels at lasvegassun.com/policeauthor.

If Beth Choat's life were a novel, it would read something like this: A girl with four brothers gets talked out of entering West Point, pursues journalism instead and travels the world before fighting crime in

Lack of A/C put chill on restaurant

2011-03-29T02:32:11Z

The rule of the land in VegasVille is, when the mayor warns you about doing business on one of the city's most famous corners, it's probably a good idea to heed that warning.Longtime Vegas entertainer and businessman Tony Sacca was reminded of that reality when his Las Vegas Rocks Cafe closed in early January.

"I warned Tony to be careful,"

Reading a lot into ranking

2011-01-18T02:30:13Z

Coming in at 52 of 75 cities leaves room for Las Vegans to improve – but then, they may not want to

So, Las Vegas checks in at No. 52 on a new ranking of the nation's 75 most literate cities. Are you surprised that we placed so high - and feel free to treat this as an essay question - or a little peevish at being dissed? (Or simply relieved that we beat Metro Police Sgt. Harry Fagel fits the physical stereotype of a cop.

He is 6 feet tall, weighs 235 pounds and looks like he could crush boulders with his hands. He has a broad, toothy smile that exudes the kind of confidence that the best officers strive for. And, of course, heÕs an expert marksman.

But unlike most police officers, this 16-year veteran is a poet.

Earlier this year, he put music behind his stanzas on...

FINDING OUR OWN VOICE

2010-04-16T09:23:12Z

Local writing scene is displayed in works of authors, professors and journalists

Front row: Douglas Unger, E.L. Doctorow, Claudia Keelan, Michael Green

Back row: Vicki Pettersson,

General Session

2010-10-22T11:01:26Z

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City of Asylum

2010-06-25T15:34:15Z

UNLV program allowed former Chinese labor camp prisoner to complete memoir

Americans take literary freedom for granted, so much so that we often forget there are writers around the globe who are routinely imprisoned or killed for attempting to publish their work. That is what makes Las Vegas’ City of Asylum progra...

Park upgrades to have baseball stadium theme

2010-04-16T14:26:59Z

Patrons might be reminded of storied Fenway Park, Wrigley Field

Las Vegas officials soon will break ground on improvements — $46 million worth — to Freedom Park.

Upgrades will include the construction of six lighted fields for baseball and softball that would replicate parts of the designs of famou...

Now: Keep It Gay

2010-09-11T00:51:11Z

Described as a "brutally honest, completely un-PC take" on our fair city, the new book Las Vegas . Author Steve Friess gets high marks for his campiness in this entertaining read, rating production shows 1-to-10 on the Beefcake-O-Meter and including a whole chapter called Vegas' Most Phallic. Also featured are sections on nightlife, shopping, restaurants and gay-friendly hotels. It's tr...

Now: Got a Thing About the King

2010-09-11T00:40:17Z

No matter how much we learn about Elvis , it's never enough. Fans of the King will appreciate Sonny West with Marshall Terrill . The book is a personal, obviously loving account of Elvis , written through the eyes of a member of the Memphis Mafia. The book covers good times and bad, and gives you an inside look at some of those infamous Vegas antics, movie shoots and tours. If y...

Now: Picture Perfect

2010-09-10T23:41:36Z

He calls it a "neon oasis embraced by a spiritual land," and in his new book, Lik 's vibrant photography and distinct style, and is available at his galleries at Mandalay Place and The Venetian. Las Vegas and Beyond , Peter Lik captures that juxtaposition of the serene Mojave landscape and the electrical beauty of Sin...

Now: It's Scooter-ific!

2010-09-10T23:31:02Z

Get out of the way, Las Vegas , the scooters are on the move. Feb. 25 marks the end of the annual Las Vegas Scooter Rally . Four days of festivities, sightseeing, gaming and scooter shows culminate on Sunday with a ride through Red Rock Canyon, a trip to Star Trek: The Experience at the

Now: A Thousand Words

2010-09-10T23:30:19Z

As one of the most exciting, and well-lit, cities in the world, it's no wonder shutterbugs find our neon metropolis so fascinating to shoot. Local photographer Barrett Adams is no exception, and in his new coffee-table picture book, Vegas memorabilia collection. Las Vegas in Photographs , he captures the vibe and energy of our magnetic city. Now available in such major bookstores as Borders and Barnes & Noble, Las Ve...

Book Hungry

2010-09-10T22:37:30Z

A new picturesque dining guide has surfaced trying to capture the relentless Las Vegas food and industry, and the glossy 136-page tome for nosh novices makes for an appetizing read. Gastronomes and restaurateurs can indulge in a visual guide through the Strip’s gourmet eateries, with Cool Restaurants Las Vegas. Hungry tourists can gorge on fantastic imagery as well sample menus and maps to find their cravings. Edited by Las Vegas lacks culture?
Of course not. Despite the Downtown scene, the First Fridays, the restless party scene, the new and used book stores, and even despite all the unique people and dynamics proliferating throughout the Valley, we all hear it: Vegas lacks culture.
And so it must be the urbane things, like oper...

Gadget Show Future of Chips

2011-01-04T14:01:51Z
FILE - In this Sept. 13, 2010 file photo, Intel CEO Paul Otellini gives the keynote address at a conference in San Francisco. Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc., whose processors are the “brains” of PCs, are bot...

Las Vegas Snow

2011-01-05T08:05:30Z
A thin layer of snow sits on rooftops west of The Strip, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nev. Between one and two inches of snow fell on the west side of town. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Copyright 2011 AP News

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Toshiba Tablet

2011-01-04T08:31:01Z
An image provided by Toshiba shows the Toshiba Tablet. The Japanese computer and flat-screen TV maker is set to unveil the tablet at the annual International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. (AP Photo/Toshiba)
Copyrigh...

UFC 125 Mixed Martial Arts

2011-01-02T00:00:58Z
Frankie Edgar reacts as his fight against Gray Maynard is declared a draw shortly after their UFC lightweight mixed martial arts title match Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in

Nevada Pot Shops

2010-12-29T15:01:29Z
In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010, empty bottles for cola containing THC, known as consumables, are pictured in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
Copyright 2010 AP News

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