A personal, nonfiction memoir about my 15 years in my adopted home town, Cleveland. It’s not an autobiography or a kiss-and-tell book, but it’s all about how Cleveland welcomed me, changed me, and turned me into a very different writer. Lots about family, friends—and a few enemies, too.

“You know it’s true love as you listen to Les talk … he praises the people—their warmth and sincerity, but doesn’t flinch from the warts and wens to be found here, either … first and foremost, Les Roberts is a writer, and a damned good one. Let his words show you his town … ” (Kelly Ferjutz, coolcleveland.com)

Excerpt: I began noting things about Cleveland that were unique, things I knew I’d have to include if the proposed series was to be real and believable.

What I discovered, of course, is that this is unlike any other city I’ve ever visited. I’ve been to plenty of towns and cities in America, and I’ve enjoyed most of them. Cleveland, especially, presented me with a veritable feast of delicious tales and legends and surprising truths, with some of the most startling early twentieth century American architecture anywhere. Progress, the bitch goddess, must be served, and the pitiless wrecking ball swings in Cleveland as often as anywhere else, but we’ve managed to retain many of our great buildings and historical statues, so our downtown is different from almost any other big city.

Publisher: Gray & Company (2006)

Pages: 192