American Mythology - by Giano Cromley (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A charming and comic debut novel about a quirky ensemble who embark on an epic quest to find bigfoot. Every month at St. Pete's Tavern in rugged western Montana, a meeting is convened by the Basic Bigfoot Society's members--both of them. Jute and Vergil are lifelong friends, bound by an affinity for the elusive North American Wood Ape. Jute more so than Vergil, having once had a disturbing encounter as a teenager with his father in the Elkhorn mountain range. But their monthly meeting and annual expeditions are a tradition that keep their friendship alive when so much else about their small town has fallen away: all the lucrative mining jobs, Jute's own father, Vergil's late wife, as well as his sharp daughter Rye, who's now a full two hours away at college. But things are about to get exciting for the Basic Bigfoot Society. The primatologist Dr. Marcus Bernard, once an esteemed scholar and now perhaps the country's foremost Bigfoot 'expert, ' introduces himself after the Society's proceedings with a tantalizing proposition: to join their next expedition with an ambitious young documentarian, Vicky Xu. Thankfully, Rye is in town, and decides to tag along in order to make sure her dad and Jute aren't made fools of. Thus begins the quest to find America's great cryptid. Their trip is not without its complications. Vergil's real reason for asking Rye to come home in the first place is so he can tell her in person about his cancer diagnosis. And Dr. Bernard, after all, has his own agenda for initiating this venture, namely to show once and for all that Bigfoot does not exist. But strange things begin to happen that seem to defy rational explanation. Is this a hoax? Or are they on the precipice of the greatest anthropological discovery ever? A spooky adventure story and a wry and heartwarming tale of friendship, American Mythology is a fabulous debut about the power of belief and our sacred bond to nature"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

A charming and comic debut novel about a quirky ensemble embarking on an epic quest to find Bigfoot

"American Mythology is a riveting, big-hearted novel about a group of pilgrims who encounter both the mysteries of nature and ultimately those of the human heart. Giano Cromley has given us a much-needed reminder that, if sought, wonder may yet be found in our world." --Ron Rash, author of The Caretaker

Every month at St. Pete's Tavern in rugged western Montana, a meeting is convened by the Basic Bigfoot Society's members--both of them. Jute and Vergil are lifelong friends, bound by an affinity for the elusive North American Wood Ape. Their monthly meetings and annual expeditions are a tradition that keep their friendship alive when so much else about their small town has fallen away.

But things are about to get exciting for the Basic Bigfoot Society. Dr. Marcus Bernard, the country's foremost Bigfoot "expert," approaches them with a proposition that seems almost too good to be true: to join their next expedition, along with an ambitious young documentarian, Vicky Xu. Thankfully, Vergil's daughter Rye is home from college, and decides to tag along in order to make sure her dad and Jute aren't made fools of. Once in the woods, strange things begin to happen to them that seem to defy rational explanation. Is this a hoax? Or are they on the precipice of the greatest anthropological discovery ever?

A spooky adventure story and a wry and heartwarming tale of friendship, American Mythology is a fabulous debut about the power of belief and our sacred bond to nature.

Review Quotes

"American Mythology is a riveting, big-hearted novel about a group of pilgrims who encounter both the mysteries of nature and ultimately those of the human heart. Giano Cromley has given us a much-needed reminder that, if sought, wonder may yet be found in our world."
--Ron Rash, author of The Caretaker

"With mysteries most eerie, abiding, lifelong friendships, and an earnest desire to believe in wonders bigger than ourselves, American Mythology has completely stolen my heart. Is the Basic Bigfoot Society taking on new members? Sign me up!"
--Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Thirteenth Child

"An absolute delight. American Mythology is an action-packed story about friendship, art and the nature of belief. It's also funny, mysterious and filled to the brim with heart. Giano Cromley has written exactly the book we need right now."
--Daisy Alpert Florin, author of My Last Innocent Year

"Funny, bighearted, and suspenseful, American Mythology follows a band of singular characters on a quest for Bigfoot--all of whom are engaged in trying to understand the crucial difference, as Giano Cromley puts it, between believing and believing in. I loved the deep respect for mystery suffusing the pages of this novel, and I was rooting hard for its characters to find what they were seeking."
--Clare Beams, author of The Garden

"Giano Cromley's American Mythology brings together a ragtag group of explorers on that most quintessential American quest: finding Bigfoot. Each has their own reason for being in the wilderness, and each has secrets. The story is fast-paced, funny, spooky, and has incredible generosity of spirit. American Mythology is a testament to the magic of friendship, the necessity of protecting our natural resources, and the astonishing power of belief. It's the Bigfoot novel we need right now."
--Nora Fussner, author of The Invisible World

"[An] entertaining adventure. . . . Cromley hits just the right tone, balancing satire, horror, and heartfelt drama. It's a lot of fun."
--Publishers Weekly

"Cromley imbues the book with an intoxicating whimsy, propelling the story with unexplainable mysteries, a diary that spans generations, and quiet battles for each member of the group. . . [an] easily digestible fable . . . Family drama, deep friendships, and the power of belief bring reality to this otherworldly novel."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Using immersive prose and hilarious, relatable characters, [Cromley] writes of deep familial relationships that persist despite different viewpoints and ways of life and forces his protagonists, and therefore the readers, to examine what belief is--and how far we would go to keep believing."
--Booklist

"[M]ore than just a story of searching for sasquatch. . . . The resulting adventure is comedic and heartfelt with a few moments that verge on psychological horror. . . . Woven throughout is a timely reminder of the sanctity of wild places."
--Backcountry Magazine

"Fantastical, heartfelt. . . . In Cromley's novel, what lies within each of these characters is just as exceptional as what might be hiding in the wilderness. . . . This is a novel for anyone who delights in myths old or new--their bold claims of what might be possible in our world, and what they reveal about the magic of the everyday."
--Newcity

About the Author

Born and raised in Montana, GIANO CROMLEY is the author of two young adult novels and a collection of short stories. He is a recipient of an Artist Fellowship from the Illinois Arts Council and was a BookEnds Fellow with Stony Brook University. He is an amateur woodworker, a certified wildlife tracker, and an English professor at Kennedy-King College, where he is chair of the Communications Department. He lives on the Southside of Chicago with his wife and two dogs.