Son of a Gambling Man
My Journey from a Casino Family to the Governor's Mansion
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4.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
A memoir of growing up in mob-run Sin City from a casino heir-turned-governor who's seen two sides of every coin
When Bob Miller arrived in Las Vegas as a boy, it was a small, dusty city, a far cry from the glamorous, exciting place it is today. Driving the family car was his father Ross Miller, a tough guy—though a good family man—who had operated on both sides of the law on some of the meaner streets of industrial Chicago.
The Miller family was as close and as warm as "Ozzie and Harriet," as long as you knew that Ozzie was a bookmaker and a business acquaintance of some very dubious criminal types.
As Bob grew up, so did Vegas, now a "town" of some two million. Ross Miller became a respectable businessman and partner in a major casino, though he was still capable of settling a score with his fists.
And Bob went on to law school, entering law enforcement and eventually becoming a popular governor of Nevada, holding office longer than anybody in the state's history. And the Miller family's legacy continues. Bob's own son is presently serving as Secretary of State.
A warm family memoir, the story of a city heir, with just a little bit of The Godfather and Casino thrown in for spice, Son of a Gambling Man is a unique and thoroughly memorable story.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Miller, Nevada's longest-serving governor (1989 to 1999), opens this book by saying that it is not a typical autobiography. After a capable foreword by former President Bill Clinton, Miller writes lovingly, and without apology, about his father, a Chicago bookmaker, whose word was his bond. He counted mobsters as associates, leading to business opportunities in the preglitter Las Vegas era. The fledgling gambling mecca, Las Vegas, plays an important character here, as Miller's father becomes deeply involved in the casino life, yet shields his son from it, instead urging him to take part in the American Dream. After a stint in the service and law school, Miller rises quickly from assistant district attorney to judge, entering public office and eventually becoming governor, where he boldly takes on the gaming industry and corrupt lawmakers. In addition to providing the basis for a revealing family memoir and a triumphant political document, Miller's unique life is a testament to persistence, ambition, and respect for blood ties, including ties to his proud casino father.
