John Glionna’s Books
Outback Nevada
From the Publisher
Glionna’s interest in Nevada’s rugged, isolated landscape and the people who choose to live in this often-harsh environment was born of his own wanderings into the “outback.” Through his stories, he shares intimate portraits of rural and small-town lifestyles not many understand. Readers meet men with names like Flash and Mr. Cool; listen to a cowboy minister preach the word of God to his parishioners; walk with an antiques dealer from Genoa as he hunts for denim in Nevada’s abandoned nineteenth-century mine shafts; and learn from an ex-paramedic-turned-coffee-shop-owner who provides Boulder City with a true sense of community. Full of humor, eccentricities, and compassion, these stories reveal the state’s true nature and extend an invitation to get lost “somewhere out there” in the real Nevada.
—University of Nevada Press
Click to buy from Amazon … the University of Nevada Press … Barnes & Noble.
From the Critics
“I dare you to stop reading a John Glionna story. I know I couldn’t. Every time I hop on board … I know I am in for a smart, informative and highly entertaining ride. It’s impossible not to take the journey to the end. His work is a real treat!”
—Michael Connelly, the New York Times best-selling author of crime fiction
“[Glionna’s] deep reporting and lucid explanatory writing evokes the McPhee school, but he tends to sprinkle his meat and potatoes with a kind of cosmic Flamin’ Hot Cheeto dust from the crinkled bag of his subconscious. Enjoy the burn. And wash hands thoroughly after contact.”
—Richard Fausset, the New York Times’ Atlanta bureau chief
“This collection is a vivid tapestry of human stories, representing twenty-first-century rural life in a state known for its eccentricity. John Glionna has made a career of portraying rural Nevadans, and the essays collected here are masterful glimpses into the realities of the region’s diverse residents. … the author presents them with precise details, enthusiasm, and a sense of humor.”
—Scott Slovic, University Distinguished Professor of Environmental Humanities, University of Idaho, and author of twenty-seven books, including Going Away to Think: Engagement, Retreat, and Ecocritical Responsibility
“Glionna brings life to unique and sometimes almost absurd characters, introducing a side of Nevada few may know exist.”
—Roberta L. Moore, park ranger, Great Basin National Park (retired); editor of Wild Nevada: Testimonies on Behalf of the Desert; author, artist, and activist.
Click to buy from Amazon … the University of Nevada Press … Barnes & Noble.
Real Men Wear Pink
Mel Larson lived life in high gear, emblazoned in scarlet pink.
My new book, Real Men Wear Pink, takes readers on a fast-lane jaunt across Mel’s improbable story, from NASCAR driver and off-road speedster to jaunty helicopter pilot to serving for decades as the PR face of the kooky Circus-Circus casino.
Mel was there as Vegas grew up, morphing from its back-alley ties to violent men with underworld connections to become the darling of the MBAs on Wall Street. He was at the forefront of the Strip’s monumental change in marketing strategy — forsaking high-rolling elites for the everyday whims of average American families.
Most people knew Mel as the Man in Pink, an uber marketing executive who kept a collection of stunning pink tuxedos, a flashy pink Cadillac, and sleek pink helicopters. Even in a town known for its glitz and flash, Mel stood out, that rare character who could effortlessly pull off the color pink. His pal Liberace considered him serious competition when it came to drawing eyeballs.
His life story played out like a cross between the movie Casino and the popular TV series Madmen, a racy realm of relentless pitch-and-sell, where cigarette-smoking, hard-drinking men like Mel called the shots.
Along the way, Mel made fast friends and kept them forever, whether it was competing in the wacky Mint 400 off road race, on NASCAR tracks across America. His social network spread from the Strip to Hollywood — and his running buddies included actor Ernest Borgnine, singer Wayne Newton, comedian Dickie Smothers and racers like A.J. Foyt and Parnelli Jones.
In the end, Mel was just a big kid who like to laugh and drive fast. Even in retirement, he buzzed low in his helicopter, hits speeds of 100 mph on surface streets — forcing passengers to hold on for dear life. He went skydiving for the first time at age 75.
So, gentleman, start your engines and take a ride with Mel Larson.
We’ll see ya at the finish line.