Choice Review

At his peak of success in the 1920s, George Wingfield (1876-1959) was Nevada's most important businessman, exerting a powerful influence over the economic and political life of the state. Acquiring his first investment capital by playing poker, Wingfield a few years later revealed an uncanny ability to invest in lucrative mining claims. Goldfield Consolidated Mining Company (1906-19) proved Wingfield's greatest success and escalated his personal fortune to nearly $25 million. Unlike earlier mining tycoons, Wingfield, after making his "pile," did not flee the isolated state; instead, he chose to remain in Reno and encourage Nevada's development. But in the early 1930s the Great Depression destroyed an overextended banking and business empire, forcing the "owner and operator" of Nevada to declare bankruptcy. Still, Wingfield's instinct for profitable gold mines laid the basis for a second, albeit smaller, fortune. During the '30s and '40s Wingfield made a lasting contribution to the state as a promoter of the casino and tourist industry. For two decades, his Riverside Hotel in Reno claimed the undisputed title of Nevada's most luxurious hotel-casino. Wingfield's fabulous career has been painstakingly reconstructed by Raymond from an extensive collection of personal and business records. The resulting book is an exemplary contribution to both business and Western American history. All levels. G. Thompson; University of Toledo