An entertaining story about stories. I guess the description of the book made it seem that it would be full of tall tales, but Big seemed more of a supporting character much of the time. The anachronistic style may take a hot second to get accustomed to, but it eventually grows on you, as does the charm and energy of the narration. The ending seemed a bit anti-climactic, but barring that minor hiccupy, a thoroughly enjoyable and inventive book

“Cuyahoga” by Paul Beatty is an unusual book not, I think, to be kept to oneself. I often wished that I had a receptive audience, even one of two people, in front of me so that I could read this book aloud instead of to myself. Failing to find an audience, I’d probably need this story several times over for fear of missing something.
“Cuyahoga” reminded me of all the rollicking and joyous literary versions of “Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox.” However, “Big Son” and all the places, events, and personalities in “Cuyahoga “did not meld as folklore over the decades but arise from Beatty’s imagination! Kudus to Paul Beatty!
I recommend Beatty’s book to readers liking tall tales and folklore. It probably would not hurt prospective readers to have familiarity with the history of Cuyahoga County and Cleveland, Ohio, or a large present-day map of Cuyahoga County and Cleveland.
I chose to review this book because I was born and grew up in Cleveland where my hobby was pursuing my love of local history and lore. Although no longer living in Ohio, I still manage to keep up, however inadequately, with current happening in the Buckeye State. However, as I read “Cuyahoga,” I constantly compared Beatty’s descriptions of places and activities to my own mental images. This was probably a disservice to Beatty from whom I would welcome more books.

I received an ARC copy of this book via NetGalley for a fair review.

This mythological origin story of the industrial Midwest is a wild ride. I've seen other reviews mention the Coen brothers which I agree with. The story is innovative and surely not for everyone. Interested to see more from Beatty.

Thank you NetGalley for the free copy! I loved Beatty's use of language, American traditions and folklore, and the decision to focus on a city I wish I read more about (Ohio City, but also Cleveland). What held me back in this book was the plot development, especially near the last third, that felt messy, hard to follow, and centered on interpersonal relationships that I didn't care that much about. Big/Middle have the most endearing bond throughout but the focus on (no pun intended) middle characters like secondary love interests and shopkeepers didn't fold into this central relationship as much as I wanted. Also, the copy I was given removed all instances of "fi" or "fl" or "fli" meaning that "fire" became "re", flying "ying", fling "ng", and wow was that hard to read. I hope this technical problem doesn't interrupt others' experiences. Overall, this is the exact kind of book I want to read and see MORE of, and though Cuyahoga had some misses, I really value the work that went into production (images, cover, old way of speakin) and the fact that it exists.

https://artsfuse.org/214283/book-review-cuyahoga-an-old-fashioned-medicine-show-of-a-read/?fbclid=IwAR0xyK1wP2gHdKPLqwghkjjduXokbOs6K4G0elI_BZaEo4KS6aNn4IMAdQ8


I do not award stars ---

What an unusual, inventive book! I didn't know what to expect, mostly intrigued by the title and cover, but this was a fun, clever read that makes me curious to read more by the author!

One of my favorite early history of Cleveland stories; the Bridge War is just ripe for a fiction story about it! The early history of the city itself is pretty entertaining. Loads of colorful characters, incidents, etc... This story just makes it more so! The story just grabs you from the first page. I liked the cast of colorful characters and the plot. I am sure it should read well in NE Ohio. To this day, the divide between the east and west sides still exits (locals know what I mean, but I don't think any of us has a clue as to why; we visit routinely!). Lol! Fun story!

A modern reinvention (reinvigoration?) of the tall tale for 21st century audiences. Jokes abound with the same energy that Big Son bounds. Big Son and his brother Medium Son live on the banks of the Cuyahoga in the 18th century as commerce (and bridges) are unifying Ohio City and Cleveland. Beatty manages to build up the heroic stature of Big while also questioning whether heroes have a place in the booming world of industry.

Further on, the book shows its biggest through-line in a twin story of envy. The younger brother v. the unfathomable older brother and the little city that just wants a reason to exist v. a city of inevitability.

Inventive, colorful and humorous are a few words to describe this novel.
It’s 1837 and the reader is introduced to Big Son (Cleveland’s Paul Bunyan). Big Son is not only tall in stature but in tale. The story of Big Son and the merging of Cleveland and Ohio City and is relayed by his younger brother, Middle Son (known as Meed). Meed’s gift of dialogue, phrasing and humor weaves throughout the story and makes this a romp of adventure/misadventure, struggle, family, the midwestern frontier and romance (the brothers loving the same woman).
Pete Beatty has gifted readers with a very unique reading experience. It soars and dips and is filled with surprises.
I have never read a book as fun, quirky or filled with so much heart as this one.
All I can say is sit back and enjoy the Cuyahoga ride!

“Let us have commerce and racing horses. Progress and the mastery of nature. Swap swords for axes and plows. Let us have tenderness but also a dash of cussedness and tragedy. All in the manner native to Ohio.”

Set in the 1830s, this deals with the two small towns that became Cleveland, Ohio. It is told in the form of saccharine tall tales featuring Big Son, the invincible older brother of the narrator of the book, Middle Son. The author is really committed to his writing style and the reader will either like or, like me, hate it. I found it annoyingly cute: “Now, this were no crime, except he had been at his washing when the horse ran off and was wearing only shirtsleeves, and his hind and front bits were visible all around just as the wedding party come out. Men frowned at Big for a month after that, and some women still did not return his hides.” “Tom were wearing his heaviest manners. You could near to smell his scheming.”

I know nothing of the history of Cleveland so I have no idea how much of it might have been based on actual events. I do know that their description was somewhat jumbled and confusing in this book. More interesting to me was the sibling rivalry. Ultimately, I was too put off by the writing style to really enjoy this book and it was so bland that I literally kept dozing off while reading it.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

I have already ordered this book to send to my Grandpa. I wish my dad was alive so I could send it to him. I bought a copy for Christmas for my stepdad.

This book is the thing that the Coen brothers would lose their mind over. George Clooney should option this right now. It's writing that is so beautiful and just plain funny. I love every minute of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Published by Scribner on October 6, 2020

Cuyahoga revives a tradition of American storytelling: the tall tale. Impossible deeds and thrilling contests. Remember Paul Bunyan digging the Grand Canyon with his axe and eating more pancakes than the other contestants combined? Big Son is the new Paul Bunyan.

Cuyahoga is the story of two brothers, Big Son and Medium (“Meed”) Son, but Big is the character of legend. Unlike Paul Bunyan, Big has no ox, although a well-loved ox named Asa plays a role in the story. Like Paul Bunyan and John Henry and Davy Crockett, Big’s improbable deeds remind us of a time when the American frontier was wild and untamed, a time when Americans looked to wild and untamed characters for inspiration.

Big helped settle the land that lies to the west of Cleveland, across the Cuyahoga. “The first settlers found the place full of discouragements, such as mosquitoes, ague and poorly behaved wildlife wanting chastisement.” Big cleared the forest in record time and used the timber to build the houses that became Ohio City. When a lake objected to the settlement with storms and shipwrecks, Big brawled the lake and taught it a lesson. Tales come no taller than those that are told about Big Son.

Meed narrates Cuyahoga, telling us early in the novel that the stories of Big are “mostly” true, “simple and moral, easy to grab, the better to encourage someone over the head with.” Meed assembles tall tales about Big into an almanac that satisfies the American thirst for exaggeration. Yet the almanac doesn’t tell the whole story. Meed feels brotherly love for Big but — drawing on another book of tall tales — Meed also tells a Cain and Abel story of resentment.

Big and Meed both feel a desire for Cloe Inches, but Cloe has a tendency to run off when pressure begins to build. Perhaps she represents the first stirring of women’s liberation, or simply the American desire for freedom. Being chained to a life of domesticity clearly isn’t for Cloe. Although Cloe tells a competing suitor where her heart lies, adventure seems to be her heart’s true yearning.

The conflict that drives the plot splits the residents of Cleveland and the newer Ohio City: how many bridges, if any, should span the Cuyahoga to connect the old and new cities? When Cleveland builds a bridge, it charges Ohio City residents a toll to go back home (and charges an extra penny for peanuts), so one bridge is not the answer. Some people think that blowing up that bridge is the answer; others think a second bridge would solve the problem. In 1937, a new solution arrives after the other alternatives fail.

A key theme of Cuyahoga is the American character. Meed tells us that it favors “motion above nearly everything else.” Hence the need for bridges and steamboats, the desire to keep expanding the nation, “to move toward every compass point, always.” Betting on chance, whether in “rastling” contests or by starting a business, is another component of the American character.

Uneducated eloquence describes the voice in which Cuyahoga is told. In part because of Pete Beatty’s ability to link words into unexpected sentences, Cuyahoga coaxes guffaws and belly laughs that break up a steady stream of chuckles and grins. I particularly enjoyed the dentist who treats teeth with creosote and tells patients not to smoke for a few hours, lest they set their mouths on fire.

Near the novel’s end, Big swims in a race against his rival’s steamboat, human strength versus machine power, one of the enduring themes of American folklore. Tall tales represent the spirit of America, the struggle to defeat long odds, to overcome formidable obstacles and achieve unattainable goals, to become the master of one's fate. While Cuyahoga gives a modern twist to the tall tale, Big Son is a worthy addition to the tradition of larger-than-life American folk heroes.

RECOMMENDED

Thank you for the opportunity to read an ARC of Cuyahoga by Pete Beatty. Unfortunately, the copy I had access to wasn’t yet formatted for final print and there were so many spacing issues that I couldn’t follow the story. From what I gathered it was meant to be a bit of a comedy, and I did get that from the narration. Hopefully, I will be able to try again with this title and re-review once it has been released.

Tall tales, yarns and (literal) wildness in the settling of Ohio envelope this fish story from medium brother about Big Son, our hero. He is larger, stronger and braver than anyone you’ve ever heard of or ever will hear about. Sit right down and enjoy this tale of monstrous delight. And wish even a sliver of it were possible. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I had the hardest time finishing this one - I think I understand the premise? Sort of a comedic and satirical take on early folk literature. Think Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan, Lumber Jack-Rabbitt, John Henry, etc. Think all of those things, but then throw in a touch of 90s era Looney Tunes and a dash of dim-witted narrator syndrome. I can appreciate the art behind the writing of a modern tall-tale, and I certainly love that Ohio (my beloved home) is at the core of this novel, it just wasn't my jam. However, I know for certain that this is something my 80-year-old grandfather will think is laugh out loud funny, so perhaps this novel has merits that I simply can't understand.

cultural-heritage, family-dynamics, fiction, 18th-century, tall-tales, fun

Welcome to the Tall Tales version of the story of the city Cleveland on the Cuyahoga river as narrated by the younger brother of Big Son in 1837. Big Son is portrayed as a clear rival to the more northern Paul Bunyan and the tales are at least as tall. Great fun! Can't wait to get a copy for my #3 son who lives in that very same Cleveland!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Scribner/Simon & Schuster Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

A unique narrative voice and an inventive plot create a compelling mix in Cuyahoga. I had to slow down to get the rhythm and cadence of the narrator and that forced me to more fully appreciate the story and the creativity involved. I’m sure it’s not for everyone, but I enjoyed the skill and appreciate the artistry in putting this novel together.

I was intrigued by the delightful, unique concept behind this novel, particularly because it is set in my hometown of Cleveland, a place still dear to me that doesn’t often show up in novels.

Unfortunately the concept was greater than the reality of this book, which too often veers off into weird for weird’s sake territory and is rife with what feels like forced humor.

I’ve never been a big fan of the uneducated dim bulb as narrator, and this book was no exception to that. While the narrator often makes wise observations, in his way, the lens of the simpleton makes it a difficult and often irritating read.

If there was an episode of Prairie Home Companion that covered the supernatural Americana vibes of American Gods, the result would be CUYAHOGA by Pete Beatty. Equal parts folksy and hilarious, this memorable novel is simply a must-read. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Cleveland was on the eastern bluff at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River. "As Cleveland grew, handfuls of folks spilled the river looking for an emptiness more to their liking...In order to make good emptiness, you have got to clear land...but...we only nibbled out our few acres...the trouble come when the nibbling spread out into eating-up," the words of Middle Son (Meed). In describing his brother, Big Son (Big), "My brother was democratic in his feats...hung church bells one-handed...hunted one hundred rabbits in a day...this taste come from his first feat...when he whipped ten thousand trees. This is a story of the west." This is a tall tale, the tale of how Big cleared ground for Ohio, in 1837, for a town on the western bluff of the Cuyahoga River. Dueling towns would soon be jockeying for dominance.

"At first, Big did not mind his empty palms...it were enough for him to be wondered at and adored...but...the only income Big had ever known was wonder won by feats". He needed a real job, one that would provide him with "a wage and a prospect and a Cloe". (The girl he was aiming to marry). Would Big get the girl? Meed, as narrator, provides commentary of his brother's adventures and misadventures.

A tale of two testy cities, warring about a bridge being built over the Cuyahoga River, funded solely by the deep pockets of wealthy Cleveland resident Mr. Clark. "Built in the interest of the future of the two cities...in perpetuity free without toll". The bridge built at the Columbus Road "... came out of the fat farm country... [and]... would roll down the hill straight into Cleveland and never into Ohio City starving the little sister of commerce and custom". Residents would face challenges, perhaps the bridge was a nuisance to greater good!

"Cuyahoga" by Pete Beatty is populated with humorous characters who converse in colorful language. Our narrator, Big's brother Meed, works as a coffin maker. "A good coffin will do as a bench-a chest of linens-a wardrobe if you turn it on end". Dogstadter Gricer (Dog) was "...a considerable success as a whiskey grocer, but his true gift lies in spinning wild stories from between his frightful teeth..." Ozia Basket (Oze), a teamster, had a barn full of mules, all with "respectable Bible names". These are just a few residents of Ohio City the reader will encounter. "...everyone has a story to tell here in wildly entertaining fashion". Debut author Beatty has written a novel that is a comical, quirky, imaginative romp. Very original and highly recommended.

Thank you Scribner and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.