Stealing Tomatoes

by Bill Pezza

Stealing Tomatoes Synopsis Ernesto Lombardi loves his backyard tomato garden. He plants it, nurtures it, and fiercely protects it against neighborhood kids who steal tomatoes for sport. When a twist of fate unites "Old Man" Lombardi and Johnny Marzo, the young leader of the mischievous neighborhood gang, the boy and the old man form a powerful bond. Lombardi, a World War II paratrooper, teaches the boy valuable lessons about life, love, and the unyielding defense of one's family and country. Johnny and his friends come of age in small-town America in the 1980s and struggle to learn who they are and what they value. Over the next two decades, the boys evolve into men, driven by duty and bolstered by the women they love. Together they must preserve their relationships while being swept up in the most critical security issue of our time. Stealing Tomatoes is a powerful cross-generational story in which survivors of eras gone by pass the torch to a new generation of Americans faced with a different kind of conflict. They find themselves confronted with a diabolical and elusive enemy that knows no national boundary and uses unspeakable tactics. Set in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Stealing Tomatoes is a sweeping and provocative story of love and conflict with engaging characters whose experiences will cause readers to laugh, cry, and, most of all, think.

492 pages, Hardcover

First published April 15, 2009

About the author

Bill Pezza was born in Manhattan and has lived in Bristol, Pennsylvania, most of his life. He has taught American History and developed curriculum in the Lower Moreland Township School District for almost four decades, specializing in interdisciplinary studies and incorporating oral, grass roots history into his work. Beyond the classroom he has enjoyed extensive experience on all levels of government. He and his wife Karen have three adult children, Leighann, Bill, and Greg.

Reviews

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished (actually I made myself late to work because I HAD to know what happened) and I can honestly say Bill Pezza has written a fantastic book which makes recent history come alive. Unlike Anna's Boys, the events in Stealing Tomatoes are events I remember and lived through. He gives history life and I recommend this book for anyone who wants to know more about how others coped with 9-11 and the aftermath. Also, Go Cesare's!