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jeffburns's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.0
Have you ever visited Hot Springs Arkansas? Perhaps explored the National Park designated downtown Bathhouse Row? Visitors can tour the old bathhouses and partake in the hot springs and spa treatments in modern, even luxurious, accommodations today, although I prefer the historic traditional style of the Buckstaff, built in 1912, the only spa that operates in much the same manner as when it opened. Some visitors may not know, however, that for much of the 20th century, Hot Springs was a "Mob" town, owned and controlled by organized crime figures. There were a few homegrown owners, but much of the illicit business was controlled by the mobsters we all know by name. As local and state officials looked the other way, or actively participated, Hot Springs became the gambling mecca of the South, with horse racing and casinos. Prohibition-era bootlegging and prostitution added more illegal activity. Hot Springs became a favorite destination, even a haven or sanctuary for mobsters. When things got too hot or stressful in Chicago, New York, or Atlantic City, and they didn't feel like going to Cuba or Miami, mobsters flocked to Hot Springs to enjoy the baths and to take in live shows starring the greatest entertainers in America, mostly free of fears of harm from rivals and free of federal investigators' scrutiny and harassment.
David Hill's book is a history of 20th century Hot Springs, told both through the historical record and through the author's own family history during the time. It was an interesting read, and I would probably give it 3 out of 5 if asked to rate it. Its appeal is probably limited to people who are specifically interested in Hot Springs and/or organized crime history.
jansbookcorner's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting story - especially for someone who grew up in central Arkansas.
joeynedland's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. The historical narrative of Hot Springs, an erstwhile gambling Mecca in the heart of the bible belt, has plenty of interesting characters and sagas to detail, all while painting a picture of a time in American life that couldn't feel more foreign. Hill does a good job of weaving in his own family's history in with those of the gambling bosses that ran the town into ruin in the mid-1960's. That said, he focuses quite a bit on the seemingly hundreds of names of those involved in the town, with biographical details and asides, and not enough on a consistent narrative that felt like it contained a logical throughline. I had to flip back many times to understand whose first name he was referencing, and wait a few pages to understand how important a character truly was to the broader story. Got lost a bit too much to enjoy it thoroughly in that way, but still, a book that I don't regret spending the time reading.