David G. Schwartz (Faculty Affairs) recently presented a paper called "Pitiless Cruelty: Cynicism, Capitalism, and Gambling in the Work of Mario Puzo" at the  32nd annual Far West Popular Culture Association/American Cultural Association Conference, which was organized by chair Felicia Campbell (English) and program coordinator Chantelle Mitchell (English) and supported by UNLV's College of Liberal Arts and English department, along with the Policy Studies Organization and Westphalia Press. The paper is an outgrowth of Schwartz's current book project on the history of the Sands hotel in Las Vegas, where Puzo was a heavy gambler for several years.