Fear and Trembling in Las Vegas

Fear and Trembling in Las Vegas functions as the perfect sequel to Will Hoyt’s The Seven Ranges. In The Seven Ranges, Hoyt sought answers to how and why small, self-sufficient landholders in eastern Ohio consented to the destruction of once-thriving townships and even topography itself via strip mining in the 1960s. Surprisingly, America itself and its grandeur as a project came into view after following strictly localized clues. Now, in Fear and Trembling, Hoyt details a different kind of devastation—the collapse of Western Civilization as experienced by residents in eastern Ohio, Cleveland, and Michigan between 1994 and 2024. In this case, he employs popular culture as a lens rather than land. Yet, despite these differences, America and its grandeur as a project once again come into view. Readers will close this new book with a firm grasp not only on the importance of the American dream, but also on the timeliness of its promise.