Robert Laxalt (September 25, 1923 – March 23, 2001) was a Basque-American writer from Nevada. Biography Robert Laxalt was born in 1924, a decade and a half after his father Dominique Laxalt and his mother Theresa Laxalt had emigrated to the United States in 1906 to herd sheep. His brother Paul Laxalt later became Governor of Nevada (1967–1971) and then a United States senator (1974–1986). After graduating from Carson City High School, Robert Laxalt attended Santa Clara University and then the University of Nevada at Reno. Robert Laxalt began his writing career as a journalist working for United Press International, before starting his own news service in Nevada in the 1950s. In 1957, Laxalt published his second book Sweet Promised Land, which was widely read and remains his best-known work today. This book tells the story of Laxalt journeying with his father back to France. Laxalt later published over a dozen books, among which several (like Sweet Promised Land and The Basque Hotel) are biographical or semi-fictional accounts of his family's history. In 1961, Robert Laxalt founded the University of Nevada Press and served as its first editor. Basque identity From the Basque Oral History Project: Laxalt brought Basque identity to the forefront of those living in the Western States. Born on a livestock ranch during the Great Depression, he saw his father went out on the road doing whatever he could to make a living because of the depression. His mother heard that there was a Basque hotel in Carson City for sale named the French Hotel. The business went pretty well and even during Prohibition the hotels served wine. The clientele were more American than Basque. The politicians took a liking to Paul at the time, said he'd be governor some day. Eventually his father bought some ewes again and started buying private land so he would be able to run his sheep. He never wanted to be big again, because it was too risky. In the hotel there were also many miners, prospectors and buckaroos. In town, the Basques would wear their best suits every day. His father almost went crazy staying in the hotel, wanted to be outside in the mountains running sheep and cattle. They knew most of the other families in the area, would travel around all the time. His father had only one American sheepherder, but he lost sheep. The significance of the