The Tomato Smuggler - by Mark Lee Myers (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

His father waged war without bullets, triumphing over communist oppression during Dictator Ceauşescu's final decade in rural Romania.

Communism robbed freedom, so Nicolae's father led the family to subtle and overt resistance to retain their dignity. The Cismigiu family built a thriving tomato business and smuggled tomatoes to market to survive. Creatively defying tyranny brought harassment and intimidation directed at what was most valued: family, a prized workhorse, and their tomato farm.

Zeal to keep the spirit of freedom alive came at a cost many could not pay, even the death of a friend during one of their harrowing, midnight tomato smugglings. Joy and sorrow were interwoven into the fabric of the family's life story, but they focused on happiness and contentment. Grandpa always believed the Americans would come and liberate Romania after WWII but never lived to see the day. Ironically, his dream did come true. It skipped a generation and impacted Nicolae.

Review Quotes

"A remarkable, tensely exciting, moving true account. The energy of the narrative will stimulate any reader." - Dr. Mark Stock, former Assistant Professor, University of Wyoming

"A natural storyteller. Mark draws the reader into the storyline, exposing the forces of an oppressive regime that many in the free world have never known nor lived under its heavy hand. There is much to learn that will inspire readers currently at a crossroads politically." - Paul Lentz, author of "The Stuff of Life" trilogy

"I loved reading about the creative ways Nicolae's father coped with communist oppression. Mark Lee Myers does an excellent job of portraying life under a communist dictatorship, where many freedoms we take for granted are denied." - Sharon Marchisello, author of Going Home and Secrets of the Galapagos