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.
