Book Review - Matthew O’Brien
A review of Beneath the Neon and a podcast interview with the author
Beneath the Neon: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas
Huntington Press
The underground flight of a murderer in 2002 prompted Matthew O’Brien’s exploration of the Las Vegas flood-control system for more than four years. With striking black-and-white photos by Danny Mollohan sprinkled throughout, O’Brien’s stories offer a compelling look at an ignored part of Las Vegas. A tendency toward noirish dramatics – O’Brien inserts himself into his stories early and often – only sometimes detracts from what the book does so well: honestly and empathetically telling the stories of the people living under this strange city.
1:15-2 p.m. Sun., Sept. 2. City Hall stage.