READING LIST

I've been doing something recently that I used to do all the time before the Internet came along to occupy my days.

Actually reading books!

I devoured a couple recently that gave me a lot of pleasure and that I will recommend to you.

This was the first, a book Judy brought home from the library.

Now don't sneer, while Elvis plays a large part, it's really a history of the entertainment industry in Las Vegas.

It tells some of the stories about the mob's influence over the casinos back in the early days, spends quite a bit of time on the Rat Pack days of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop, and details the days when you could see big name entertainers working the Vegas lounges.

(I once saw Della Reese do her show and all it cost me was the price of a drink.)

There are stories about the various entertainment bookers who ruled the roost.

And then Elvis came, after his movie career was drawing to a dismal close, and re-invented Las Vegas with his powerful show with two singing groups, a rhythm combo and a 40 piece orchestra backing him.

And yes, it continues on to the later period when he was bored with doing the same old shows in a greatly expanded jumpsuit to accomodate his ballooning weight, his drug abuse and his eventual death back home in Graceland.

It's a fascinating read.

Then on to an entirely different world with my second selection.

Oliver Darkshire began as an apprentice at Sotheran's, a London- based institution dating back to its founding in York in 1761 and then a move to London in 1815.

Selling rare books and prints in a dusty old bookstore might sound like a boor to you but Darkshire tells of his days there with wry humor (I suppose I should spell that humour) that sometimes borders on slapstick.

I loved it because my wife and I owned and ran a bookstore dealing in new and used books for seven years before we realized the truth in the old saying about how to make a million dollars in the book business: start with two million.

But I think you don't need to have been in the book business to enjoy Darkshire's tales of some of the weird customers and equally strange fellow employees in his story.

All you need is a sense of humor/humour.