Is anyone else completely behind on their Christmas shopping?! I’m hoping it’s not just me! One of my favorite gifts to both give and get are books. I wanted to share with you a crop of new Cleveland books out just in time for the holidays to hopefully provide some inspiration either for your own gift list or for a present for that Cleveland-lover in your life. Read on to find out about these books and your chance to win a couple of them!
Cleveland Christmas Memories: Looking Back at Holidays Past by Gail Ghetia Bellamy
When I saw this book, I just had to have it! It’s packed with pictures, stories, and memories of Cleveland Christmases. Some of the things you’ll remember, some maybe your parents or grandparents will. From Mr. Jingeling to the Twigbee Shop to the Sterling Linder tree, this book has it all. Cost is $17.95. Click here for more information on the book.
Cleveland is Your Best Friend: 67 Things I Miss About Home by Bridget Callahan

Described as part memoir and part travel guide, this book is a series of vignettes about the town we all love. It is on my Christmas list (hint, hint, Matthew) and I can’t wait to read it for myself. If you’re not convinced, check out the author on Twitter at @BridgetCallahan. Her hilarious and thoughtful tweets will make you want to read her book. Cost is $28. Click here for more information.
Damn Right I’m From Cleveland: Your Guide to Making it in America’s 47th Biggest City by Mike Polk Jr.
The Cleveland book for those with a Cleveland sense of humor. Polk lovingly mocks our city, with everything from local celebrity profiles to favorite Cleveland restroom locations to dating on the cheap in CLE. Cost is $14.95. Click here for more information.
Cleveland’s West Side Market: 100 Years and Still Cooking by Laura Taxel and Marilou Suszko

After this fall’s celebrations of the West Side Market’s 100th birthday, this book is a wonderful way to keep the celebration going. It’s filled with history of the Market, as well as stories from vendors and chefs and shoppers. Cost is $39.95. Click here for more information.
Rust Belt Chic: The Cleveland Anthology edited by Richey Piiparinen and Anne Trubek

A collection of essays by Cleveland authors, including Claire McMillan, Connie Schultz and more. Check out Clue Into Cleveland’s great review of this book. Cost is $20. Click here for more information.
Now for the giveaway: 1 grand prize winner will win copies of Cleveland Christmas Memories, Cleveland is Your Best Friend, Damn Right I’m From Cleveland, Cleveland’s West Side Market, and Rust Belt Chic.
2 lucky winners will each receive copies of Cleveland Christmas Memories, Damn Right I’m From Cleveland, and Rust Belt Chic. Books courtesy of Gray & Company Publishers and the editors and authors of Cleveland is Your Best Friend, Rust Belt Chic and Cleveland’s West Side Market.
Here’s how to enter (leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry):
1. Tell me your favorite Cleveland-themed book (or the one you most want to read).
2. Tweet the following phrase and leave a comment letting me know you tweeted: I want to win holiday reading from @clevelandbooks @ltaxel @rust_belt_chic @BridgetCallahan and @WhyCLE: http://wp.me/p1fb9r-18d
You can tweet once per day for additional entries, just leave a separate comment each time you tweet.
The giveaway will close at 11:59pm on Monday, December 10 and the winner will be announced on Tuesday, December 11. Good luck!
***Disclosure: I was asked by Gray & Company Publishers if I would be interested in doing a book giveaway. I selected the books and Gray & Company, along with the authors and editors of the above books, provided complimentary copies of each to give away, as well as a complimentary copy of Damn Right I’m From Cleveland for myself. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***
I would love to read Cleveland is Your Best Friend: 67 Things I Miss About Home, but all are great choices!
My favorite Cleveland themed book is the Guilded Age- just finished and loved the descriptions of Severence Hall, Cleveland Heights, and the historical references.
Tweeted 🙂
I want to read the West Side Market book!!! I want to pour through it over my vacation between Christmas and New Year’s Day!
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I’d like to read “Damn Right I’m from Cleveland” the most. I think he is hilarious and I’d like to see how his comedy comes across written rather than recorded!
Also tweeted!
I would like to read “Damn Right I’m from Cleveland” the most because I think he’s hilarious and would like to see how his comedy comes across written rather than recorded.
Also tweeted!
I had no idea there were so many books related to Cleveland! I would love to read the one about the West Side Market.
what a great post and giveaway …. and the way to my heart. i love books and would love to add some cleveland ones to my collection – what great coffee table ones. i would love to read “cleveland is your best best friend: 67 things i miss about home” and “damn right im from cleveland”
I would love to read Mike Polk’s book or Cleveland is your best friend!! Love the CLE!
I’ve been dying to read the West Side Market book!
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I want to read them all!
My favorite Cleveland (ish) themed read is a book my Grandma wrote about her life as a farm wife in Vermilion, OH; Harvest of Bittersweet. She does talk about taking potatoes down to the WSM to sell.
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great giveaway! would love to read “cleveland is your best best friend: 67 things i miss about home”
I want to read Damn Right I’m From Cleveland. Polk is one funny guy!
Tweeted (@kuparstwn)
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I would love to read Mike Polk Jr.’s book!
tweet!!! https://twitter.com/MikeT11405598/status/277172537597755392
Live to Cook 🙂
Tweet! https://twitter.com/MikeT11405598/status/277356895608651776
Tweeted an entry. Thanks!!
The book I’d like to read is Cleveland Christmas Memories. I’d like to look at it with my dad and grandpa to see what they remembered about Christmas from back in the day. Thanks!
I think Mike Polk’s book is going to be hilarious and informative.
Tweeted!
https://mobile.twitter.com/MikeT11405598/status/254037894845583360 tweet
tweeted!
Tweet tweet!
Tweeted again. I wanna win!
So many great choices but I would LOVE to read “Cleveland is Your Best Friend: 67 Things I Miss About Home” – I’m sure it has some hidden gems.
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mike polk’s book is on my list!
I would love to read Mike Polk’s Damn Straight I am from Cleveland the most!
I also Tweeted as well (LH2007)
tweeted again! https://twitter.com/MikeT11405598/status/278081673944498176
My favorite Cleveland themed books are about Millionaire’s Row, but I would love to read all of these, especially the one about the WSM.
I tweeted about the giveaway.
Would love the WSM book! Such a wonderful place, with equally wonderful people!
Tweeted!