REVIEWS

MINDQUEST - June, 2008

Subject:  Catering to big business, our government used the devastating eminent domain tool to take away the profitable farm of the author's grandfather, on Neville Island in Pittsburgh, near the end of WWI.  The absorbing storyline details with how their loss also affected future family members.  The author is a university graduate living in Maine.

Noteworthy:  During our time of food price increases and shortages, the book is an eye-opening must-read for today.  Readers will be impacted with the prospect of their own possible property loss by eminent domain.  The loss of the Cole farm, located in the "market basket of Pittsburgh," is presented professionally with barbed humor - a timely, heartfelt read.

MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW -- Small Press Bookwatch, May, 2008

The family farm, providing sustenance and income for their legacy and kin for generations upon generation - is no more.  "Stolen Fields:  A Story of Eminent Domain and the Death of the American Dream" is the story of author Jean Boggio and her ancestors and their former farm on Neville Island in Pennsylvania.  A somber and somewhat depressing story about losing ones livelihood to circumstances beyond their control - the construction of a munitions factory for World War I, claimed by the government by eminent domain.  It becomes more tragically pointless as the factory is simply never built and the land is auctioned off to the highest bidder, Boggio's family helpless against a financial juggernaut of Carnegie Steel.  Not completely living in the depressive past, Boggio tells the tale of her family moving on and doing what they can to succeed in life.  "Stolen Fields:  A Story of Eminent Domain and the Death of the American Dream" is highly recommended for any biography collection and for anyone who wants a look at the shadier practices of the government against it's own citizens.

READER VIEWS - Online

STOLEN FIELDS is a story of the American Dream gone wrong.  It is a story of hatred, bitterness, ambition and greed.  It is also a story of "What If" and "If only."  What if eminent domain had not taken the Cole property?  If only Grandfather Cole had been able to build his prosperous ventures?

Jean tells of growing up as a descendant of the strong-willed and vibrant Cole family.  In the first few chapters she gives the reader a glimpse into the historic heritage and of the hard working Coles and the economic success of the fertile farm on Neville Island near Pittsburgh.  The Cole farm on Neville Island was known as "The Market Basket of Pittsburgh."

Jean Boggio consistently and fairly shared two sides of a story.  I felt bonded to the family as I listened as Jean shared lighthearted gossip through the stories handed down from one generation to the next, fairly reporting on two completely different perspectives of the perceived facts.

During the years of 1918 and 1919 toward the end of WWI, the United States government came up with a plan to rival the German Krupps Works that provided munitions for the German juggernaut.  Neville Island was selected to be the site for the project.  The government officials invoked the process of eminent domain to seize the property for public use.  The project had only begun when the Armistice was signed.  The government no longer needed the land.  It was put up for public auction.

The Cole family, distraught by loss of the home that had been in the family for over a hundred years, held out in an attempt to negotiate a fair market price.  After a great deal of harrassment and the fear of arson they were forced to accept the government-determined price.

Family accounts, newspaper research, and historical sources, as well has her own memories provided Jean Boggio with the material for this remarkable account of the Coles of Neville Island and the impact of eminent domain on the dreams of her parents, their children, and ultimately on the generations that followed. Although there were feelings of hatred and bitterness by members of the Cole family, theirs is a journey that resonates with a sense of accomplishment, pride, and promise. 

This is more than a leisurely nostalgic stroll down memory lane.  Jean's vivid descriptions draw the reader into the experience of being part of her childhood at the Sandy Lake farm.  She has the amazing ability to turn everyday circumstances and events into entertaining, often humorous, stories that resound with simplicity, sarmth, and reality.  Jean uses flashbacks depicting scenes from her childhood.  She reveals details of her relationships with her sister, her parents, her grandparents, Aunt Gladys, Uncle Robert, Uncle Ned, and her cousins.  These colorful characters provide dramatic word pictures bringing an excitement to the otherwise routine life for the Coles from Neville Island.  Family photos are included throughout the book to illustrate the events.  These pictures add another dimension and a sense of relationship to the Cole family.

I especially enjoyed Jean's openness in relating college relationships and her early experiences in New York City.  As an aspiring actress she was sympathetic to the beatnik culture.  I appreciated her positive writing even in light of romances gone awry, family relationships gone amok and personal goals unattained.  Jean gained a broad range of work experiences in corporate offices, in the field of education, and ultimately in the medical field as a nurse.

Strong writing, thorough research, and an objective look into the avarice that often accompanies the process of eminent domain make STOLEN FIELDS a significant contribution to the history and future restructuring of a process often misunderstood and abused.

As a memoir writer Jean Boggio is a gifted storyteller.  Her vivid descriptions and characterizations insure that the enjoyment of her writing will linger long after reading the final chapter.  STOLEN FIELDS is a rich and entertaining reading experience. -- Richard R. Blake for Reader Views.

Stolen Fields was a book that caught my attention and kept it throughout the whole story.  It contained historical facts which I was not aware of and also many personal elements about the Cole family that were not presented in a long, drawnout manner.  Personal history can sometimes be very boring.

Jean Boggio has a very delightful style of writing that is easy to follow and kept my attention.  It also left me wanting to know more about the island and the Cole family.

For 22 years I looked out my living room window at Neville Island.  I also traveled over Neville Island to go to work and took my thildren to the roller skating rink there.  I had no idea that its history included farming and being the "breadbasket" of Pittsburgh.  I just knew its industrial side.

The Cole family's history should be included in Allegheny County's history.  I am going to do some research into that.  There are many elements of the family that fascinated me.  I felt their sorrow and anger when they had to move off the island and start anew in a different place and environment.  To me, the grandchildren sound like strong survivors and who have overcome any impediments that had put before them, either from family members or society.   I hope that Jean will continue writing.  I would enjoy reading more of her work in the future.  She will probably be a good novelist, also.  --Rock Fan "Shirley," Amazon Reader Review

She makes you feel like you're right there with these people.   -- Phyllis Lee, Artist

A very enjoyable book.  I learned a lot about Neville Island that I didn't know before.  -- Anonymous

 I love the way the author tells both sides of an anecdote, then provides her own opinion as to what really happened. -- Marian Fletcher, Political Scientist

The book is well-written and fascinating at times -- Marlys Styne, Professor of English, retired

This book grabbed me from the first page.  I felt like I was sitting at the kitchen table listening to the saga unfold in front of me.  Boggio is an exceptional story teller.  I can't wait for her next book. -- Terry Walsh, Amazon Customer Review