In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Las Vegas entertainment has gone dark, and the Strip’s brightest stars have been reduced to a flicker. Like you, we’re anxiously awaiting the day when the stage lights shine again. But in the meantime, you can connect with some of your favorite Vegas performers through the books they’ve written. Here are a few by some of the Strip’s greats.
The Universal Tone, by Carlos Santana
Santana knows you want to hear stories about Woodstock, and he’ll tell them, but first, you must understand the universal tone. It’s a concept that connects us all spiritually and artistically, but, more importantly, it’s Santana’s creative North Star. Though he appears cosmic and ethereal, Santana is pretty down-to-earth, writing casually, as if he were an old friend.
Rod: The Autobiography, by Rod Stewart
Stewart would be the first to say he’s a lucky man. But finding fame and fortune is always a stroke of luck, and Stewart decided to dig deeper, telling stories of his working-class upbringing, his early foray into rock ’n’ roll, his iconic hairdo and all the women he’s known (in the biblical sense).
Carrot Top’s Junk in the Trunk
In the ’90s, before you could watch all of Carrot Top’s comedy bits on YouTube, the prop-comic put a picture book together that showed off his hilarious inventions, like an ice tray with a level on it so you won’t spill water while taking it to the freezer or a ketchup bottle that slaps the condiment out for you. Some of these are still in his show, like a pair of slippers equipped with a bumper to avoid stubbing your toe at night.
God, No! by Penn Jillette
The larger, louder half of magic duo Penn & Teller offers an up-close and unfiltered glimpse into his life, with hilarious stories like the time one of Jillette’s more delicate appendages met the white-hot end of a blow dryer. And if you couldn’t guess from the title, Jillette is an unabashed atheist, which he discusses more than obliquely throughout the book.
Tricks With Your Head, by Mac King
Fellow magicians Penn & Teller claim that “not liking Mac King is like not liking Carlsbad Caverns, or Lou Reed, or Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. It means there’s something wrong with you.” The same could be said about not liking this book, in which Harrah’s magician King lays out hilarious ways to prank your friends.
My Life, as I See It, by Dionne Warwick
Warwick describes all the music and memories from her long, storied career. But she also drops some philosophical nuggets, like this one on aging: “If what time represents are lessons learned, goals met, and good health, then you are ahead of the game of aging.”
The Time of My Life, by Bill Medley
From the Righteous Brothers’ encounters with Frank Sinatra at the Sands to Medley’s close friendship with Elvis Presley, along with stories of what it was like to perform in Vegas when rock was young, Medley offers a captivating, nostalgic, front-seat view into Old Vegas.
Once Before I Go, by Wayne Newton
Although Newton’s autobiography was written more than 30 years ago, it still sheds light on an incredible career in which he arguably became Las Vegas’ most well-known performer. You’ll get tales about his humble roots, his friendships with Elvis and Bobby Darin, and how his career skyrocketed.
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