--- product_id: 170850880 title: "The Vapors: A Southern Family, the New York Mob, and the Rise and Fall of Hot Springs, America's Forgotten Capital of Vice" brand: "david hill" price: "VT5576" currency: VUV in_stock: true reviews_count: 6 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/170850880-the-vapors-a-southern-family-the-new-york-mob-rise store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # The Vapors: A Southern Family, the New York Mob, and the Rise and Fall of Hot Springs, America's Forgotten Capital of Vice **Brand:** david hill **Price:** VT5576 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Vapors: A Southern Family, the New York Mob, and the Rise and Fall of Hot Springs, America's Forgotten Capital of Vice by david hill - **How much does it cost?** VT5576 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/170850880-the-vapors-a-southern-family-the-new-york-mob-rise) ## Best For - david hill enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted david hill brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Vapors: A Southern Family, the New York Mob, and the Rise and Fall of Hot Springs, America's Forgotten Capital of Vice ## Images ![The Vapors: A Southern Family, the New York Mob, and the Rise and Fall of Hot Springs, America's Forgotten Capital of Vice - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91LfSyCx2ZL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars A great book on my hometown of Hot Springs, Arkansas! *by C***C on Reviewed in the United States on February 29, 2024* I grew up in Hot Springs, and this is a fabulous book about my hometown. Perhaps people don't realize what a sophisticated town Hot Springs is, right in the middle of Arkansas. It was such an exciting place to grow up. One special memory is the late, great Tony Bennett singing "Blue Velvet" to me on my birthday. After his performance, he joined our table, and he was such a nice gentleman.I have so many wonderful memories of Hot Springs, and this book is full of great stories! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars It's a fun read; check it out. *by L***N on Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2020* Once upon a time in the USA, gambling was illegal across the land. A few cities and towns went ahead and had illegal gambling. Those cities stopped one by one until just one was left: Hot Springs, Arkansas. Casinos ran ads in nearby cities' newspapers, encouraging tourists to visit Arkansas. Though the casinos advertised openly, they were still illegal. The city, county, and state governments were all in on the deal, turning blind eyes. This book The Vapors talks about Hot Springs' time as America's last illegal gambling city. We see Hot Springs from the perspective of bosses and citizens.For the bosses, Hot Springs' situation was tricky but lucrative. E.g. when a new governor got elected, there was the delicate matter of establishing new bribery channels. Or the time when two local judges vied to become the city's boss gambler—so if you got hauled before the court, you weren't worried about whether your judge was corrupt, but rather which faction's corrupt judge would shake you down. There was grumbling from the traditional mobsters when Dane Harris became an important gambler by palling around with a boss on the golf course instead of working his way up via the traditional activities of extortion and murder. It's grim but often funny.The bosses told themselves they were making life better for Hot Springs' citizens (cosmopolitan entertainment surrounded by Arkansas' natural wonders!), but the book tells the story of a casino shill named Hazel; Hazel's story does not brim with joy. Lots of money flowed through Hot Spring to the bosses, but not so much to the citizens. Those citizens were close to some sophisticated entertainment, but maybe couldn't afford to actually view that entertainment. Hazel, seeking excitement, becomes addicted to pills.This book isn't all tragedy. There are fun details. Hot Springs started out as a spa town where people would bathe in the, uhm, healing waters of the eponymous hot springs. Among the services offered: post-bath mercury rubbings. For health! Copious election fraud kept gambling-friendly politicians in power. At one point, the fraud is revealed when polling place records indicated that the day's voters had coincidentally shown up in alphabetical order. Also, as you'd expect in a gambling city, there was betting on elections. Not so funny but plenty interesting: racist FBI agents raided black-owned businesses that had slot machines, but mysteriously let illegal casinos operate freely. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars Great read in to a little known piece of American history *by R***S on Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2020* This read like a novel. It was thoroughly researched and kept my interest right until the end. It was interesting how the city went through boom and bust depending on who was in local, state and national office.Would be interesting to see what would have become of Hot Springs if the state took more of the same approach as Nevada. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/170850880-the-vapors-a-southern-family-the-new-york-mob-rise](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/170850880-the-vapors-a-southern-family-the-new-york-mob-rise) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-05-09*