by Joan Rivers
First published 1979
Joan Rivers ventures into fiction with this Vegas-set story from 1979. The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of casino floors, hotel suites, and neon-lit streets where fortunes change hands and secrets multiply. Rivers brings her sharp comedic sensibility to bear on characters navigating the peculiar world of Las Vegas, where the ordinary rules of life bend under the weight of gambling, entertainment, and endless possibility. The protagonist encounters situations that blend the absurd with the all-too-real, creating moments that reveal both the humor and humanity found in unexpected places. Rivers explores the tension between public personas and private truths, examining what happens when people find themselves far from home in a city designed to strip away pretenses. The story captures the particular energy of Vegas in the late 1970s while delivering the wit and observational comedy that made Rivers a household name.
Genres: fiction, humor, contemporary, comedy
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, unexpected-situations
Setting: Las Vegas
Period: 1970s
Paperback · Putnam Pub Group (Paper)