Book Review: Storming Caesar's Palace - History, Semester 1

This report is a book review of 'Storming Caesar's Palace: How Black Mothers Fought Their Own War on Poverty' by Annelise Orleck. The review highlights the book's exploration of Operation Life in Las Vegas, led by Ruby Duncan, and its impact on anti-poverty programs. The essay praises Orleck's writing style and the book's detailed account of the struggles and achievements of black welfare mothers. It emphasizes the historical, political, and social contexts, the extensive research, and the unbiased narration. The review also discusses Ruby Duncan's life, her role in the movement, and the Nevada Welfare Rights Organization's activism, which led to significant changes. The report concludes by presenting the book as an inspirational account of social change and a crucial historical document, underscoring the importance of the women's efforts in fighting poverty and advocating for a better future. The review emphasizes the book's ability to inspire further changes in the face of adversity.

Running Head: BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1BOOK REVIEW
‘Storming Caesar’s Palace: How Black Mothers Fought Their Own War
on Poverty’ by Annelise Orleck is a book on how a group of black, welfare
mothers, had paved the way for various anti poverty programs within their
country. This is a very gripping and informative story that highlights the
‘Operation Life’ that gave rise to countless firsts in the Westside, within Las
Vegas, Nevada. This essay will be reviewing this brilliant book along with the
life of the foreman of this book and various other programs, Ruby Duncan.
The importance and gravity of the topic that is explored within this book
is enormous, but the reading is light. Orleck has beautifully recounted the
stories of struggles that gave way to sweet results in this book. It is an
amalgamation of serious thought and gentle writing that has given way to this
book. The various stories of the women have been brought together to show
critically they planned and thought through the various plans and programs that
would enable them to smoother life in their place. “Poor women must dream
their highest dreams and never stop." One must appreciate the good amount of
effort given to this book in collecting the stories and the women were very
enthusiastic to have them told because the world deserves to know their mettle
and struggle and feel hopeful if they are going through the same. In other words,
the book is inspirational.
This book can be called a historical report, a recollection of events that
had occurred a long time back as well as a splendid piece of journalistic writing.

2BOOK REVIEW
Each change that she describes is backed with facts and a consequence, various
political, economic and social contexts of each event mentioned in the book is
carefully highlighted. One will not leave out a fact because everything is
beautifully brought together and explained. The various changes within the
legislations of the companies are also recorded. The times in which the book is
based is well analyzed and provides broad social context of everything.
The research of the book took twelve years and the help of the women
who had made operation life possible. The narration that is done by the author is
both informal yes matter of fact. One might even notice that the voice of the
author has been voluntarily reduced to throw more light on the unbiased
reporting than on personal point of view. This is appreciated because in
historical pieces like these, often the opinion of the authors impede the actual
events and come to the forefront and that does not happen to this book. Ruby
Duncan had made sure that the story is told in its entirety and the bits and pieces
and nooks and corners are not left out in the process.
When it comes to the political vies being highlighted, both Orlecks and
other welfare mother’s political views are sent across by the author, they coexist
on the same pages. This book successfully brings out the struggle because
creating and maintaining such an operation for the marginalized during those
times was a lot of work given they were opposed by countless people all the
time and they were forced to live with disease and violence surrounding them

3BOOK REVIEW
along with their poverty. The activists wanted to make sure that all these people
come together and form a wall that is unbreakable, tethered together by the
spirit of making things better and securing their future. Togetherness will help
the positive come faster and stronger for everyone to be a part of and utilize.
The operation was rather successful given the amount of impediments
that were strewn across the way of these activists. These intelligent women had
created policies and designed countless programs to make life better. They
wanted to battle poverty and disease, fight the various impediments they had to
undergo on a regular basis. This book speaks about them in details and these
details are given access to by all the women who were a large part of operation
life. The organization of the stories is commendable s each ends to give the
latter the life it deserves. Each of the stories are Pandora’s boxes of correct
information and emotion, put together for the reader to feel and delight at. This
localized event was given national importance by Orleck. A very centralized
approach is evident throughout the book.
The operation life that had been a series of firsts was actually
successfully. It had under its wing countless welfare services, like the first
centre that helped them with medical emergencies, a daycare for little children
of working mothers, the first library for all, the first provider of job training and
even a housing provider for the senior citizens of that place. According to Ruby
Duncan one of the co-founders, the poor women knew what the poor needs,

4BOOK REVIEW
only poverty would know what the rest would need, and hence, should plan
what the poor needs and accordingly deliver.
Duncan was a sparkling figure throughout, worthy of looking up to and
remembering that if someone who had suffered a lot could manage to not only
drag herself out of it, but drag others’s as well, one will be able to do similar
when needed in one’s own life. Ruby Duncan was born into poverty and soon
became an orphan. Her parents were black sharecroppers and she had to labor
like them from a very young age. She attended school as well. She grew up as
an orphan with her relatives in another place while struggling to make herself a
place in this world. In Las Vegas, she first worked s a housemaid and then as a
hotel maid. This was followed by years of struggle even after she had a child.
The jobs she had paid very little and had poor working conditions, once because
of a similar job, she had suffered injuries. Needless to say, the jobs she served
was never upto the mark and often caused her more trouble than help.
It’s much after in a sewing class that she met the welfare mothers who
were radically keen on bringing about a change here. Women, who have little
mouths to feed and take care of knew the right moves that had to be made to
ensure a better future for themselves especially since they worked so hard to
make a life worth living. They voiced various opinions and formed a bond that
willing to get together and give wings to the movement. Needless to say, the
Nevada welfare rights Organization which they had set up soon became a face

5BOOK REVIEW
of change. Their activism had successfully brought forward a series of changes
in the state like the assistance programs for various needs. Many attorneys and
celebrities joined the movement, especially a march that was 6000 people strong
to show the world that they will not tolerate injustice of any kind against their
honest efforts. They march had caused a complete lockdown of operations in
Las Vegas and even the famous Caesar’s palace had shut down.
Ruby Duncan because of this received various accolades from various
authorities. She was also a recipient of various honorary degrees from various
colleges. She was a democratic delegate from Nevada as well. She had indeed
served well and true for a greater cause which had helped change the life of
many like her.
In conclusion, this book is an eye-opener about various issues that the
black women had faced through the iconic figure of Ruby Duncan and the
other’s who made the dreams of countless young women like them possible.
This book reflects the effort both the writer and the mothers had put in to tell a
story of change that will inspire more changes in the world even in the face of
adversity.

6BOOK REVIEW
References
Orleck, Annelise. Storming Caesars palace: How black mothers fought their
own war on poverty. Beacon Press, 2005.