The history and culture of the Czech people in general and those in the Cleveland, Ohio, area especially are on full display in this book. Part historical narrative, part travelogue, this book invites readers into the Cleveland Czech settlements of Brooklyn and Kubu, Croton, Arch, and Burwell, and Na Vrsku. Readers are also invited into historical churches like St. Mary's-on-the-Flats and the halls of cultural organizations like Slovanska Lipa (Slavic Linden). Highlights about the varying importance of music and performance to the Czechs in the Cleveland area also engage readers and take them on a musical journey through the history of various singing groups and drama societies. Before readers depart from this vibrant and fascinating culture, however, they encounter an overview of Czech history before and after World War I. They witness the heroic actions of the Cleveland Czechoslovak Legionnaires—a patriotic group dedicated to the preservation of an independent Czechoslovakia.

With its delightful photographs depicting important groups, people, and buildings, this book brings history to life for modern readers. For anyone interested in the contributions of early Eastern Europeans to the United States, this book provides a vast array of information about an often overlooked culture. For readers specifically interested in the Cleveland area, this book is a necessity because, as the text asserts, "The children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other descendants of those Czech men and women who immigrated to Cleveland who have directly and indirectly benefitted from their Czech heritage will continue to significantly contribute to the artistic, cultural, professional, and business life of Cleveland and many other communities." This book is like an episode of Rick Steves' Europe but with a fascinating focus on the Czech diaspora.

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