A Lot of World to See

"... a fascinating account of a trip around the world in the midst of the Cold War! If you are like me and love Las Vegas, you will also discover an intriguing inside story of one of the famed Copa Girls at the Sands Hotel."

-Larry Gragg, author of Becoming America's Playground: Las Vegas in the 1950s (2019), Curators' Distinguished Teaching Professor, History and Political Science

"What happened in Vegas was just the beginning for Judy Jones. Her memoir captures a time when anything was possible for a young woman with dreams and the desire to see the world. It's a personal look at years that profoundly changed the world, from the pen of an astute observer of herself and the world around her."

-David G. Schwartz, Ph.D., Professor and Gaming Historian, University Libraries, Executive Director, Far West Popular Culture Association

" The "inventive" way to Paris is a metaphor for a creative way we can design our lives as we learn and grow and experience and love on our life's journey."

-Claytee White, Director of Oral History Projects at UNLV

"In 1958, with the freedom and determination to experience life on her own terms, coupled with a passion to learn and an unbridled libido, Judy's dream of becoming a writer in Paris begins. From Houston schoolgirl to Las Vegas showgirl and beyond, Judy shares her journey, taking advantage of unexpected offers that led to the rarest of opportunities: an impromptu trip around the world. is one-of-a-kind story will leave readers breathless, yearning, disbelieving, and heartbroken, but always amazed by Judy's unmatched audacity to make her big dreams come true."

-Sheri Langford, Teacher, Traveler, Writer, Book Lover