The author of that book is doing travelers a serious dis-service. Virginia City has never been a ghost town, it's been continually occupied by thousands of residents from the very beginning. It was a very wealthy gold/silver mining town and the architecture of the saloons, churches and homes makes for a great day trip. The sidewalks are still wood and the place has it's share of characters. Here's a link from the visitor authority and we have a bunch of articles about our visits there. One of coolest things is that the old railroad has been reconnected to Carson City -- A very cool trip!
Mark