They Died Crawling: And Other Tales of Cleveland Woe

I discovered this book nearly by accident. But it was a great read. Very few other books I have read on history have connected me to the everyday world around me. I may have driven over the Innerbelt Bridge (near the site of the Central Viaduct), by Ontario just south of Public Square, by E 55th and St. Clair, by the Cleveland Clinic and so on, not really recognizing the disasters that have occurred there. With the exception of the Sam Sheppard case, many of these tales have passed out of the knowledge of the average Clevelander. Also fascinating was the mystery still wrapped in the cause of many of these events. Who killed one of the founders of one of the world's most powerful law firms (still headquartered in Cleveland)? Was it a light bulb that caused so many to die in the early days of the Cleveland Clinic?

This book will appeal even to people who have never been to Cleveland if they enjoy reading about disasters or crime. The book is evenly balanced between the two types of tragedies. The author uses human interest to make the stories come to life. I just wish he had been able to go into more depth about some of the stories, and for my personal taste I would rather have seen more disaster stories and fewer crime stories. With all that said, this is a very good to excellent book.

This book and the two that follow are some of the best written, most captivating material I've had the pleasure to read in far too long. The stories will bring tears to your eyes and stay with you long after you've finished the book. I do hope Mr. Bellamy has more tales to tell.