Cleveland is a crazy quilt of bold schemes, failed dreams, and colorful characters in this collection of Michael Heaton's best newspaper and magazine stories.

Heaton reported on as wide a range of subjects as any active Cleveland journalist. On any day his byline could appear in any section of the region's newspaper of record, The Plain Dealer, where he was a featured columnist and reporter.

To get the story he put on boxing gloves and entered the ring; accompanied a heroin addict while he shoplifted, fenced stolen goods, scored smack and shot up; and driven in a demolition derby. He interviewed chefs and coroners, prosecutors and perpetrators, gypsies and priests.

And he delivered each story with a sense of style--and a sense of humor.