This image is the cover for the book Paul Bunyan in Michigan, American Legends

Paul Bunyan in Michigan, American Legends

“Gathers the oral traditions of the loggers who settled Michigan’s Upper Peninsula . . . Stott preserves the tall tales for generations to come.” —Grandpa Shorter’s, “Seven Michigan Authors to Put in Your Beach Bag This Summer”

The loggers who settled Michigan’s Upper Peninsula whiled away winter evenings with tales of extreme weather, strange geography, legendary beasts and improbable feats. One mythic figure strode confidently from one story to the next, his legend growing with each retelling. Soon, Paul Bunyan began to appear in newspapers, magazines, books and even a Walt Disney cartoon. In this first collection since 1946 set exclusively in the UP, author Jon C. Stott recaptures the oral tradition that cast Bunyan’s shadow across the national imagination. Relive the winter of the blue snow and cross paths with familiar companions like Babe and Johnny Inskslinger, as well as odd creatures like the hodag and the agropelter.

Jon C. Stott

Jon C. Stott, professor emeritus of English, University of Alberta, spent his summers during high school and university in the woods of western Canada working for the British Columbia Forest Service. For the last four decades, he has spent his summers at a cabin in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. He is the author of two books of retellings of traditional stories: A Book of Tricksters and Quests for Fire. He now spends his winters in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The History Press