There have probably been more books written him than any other player and rightly so. But how much more is there to say? Kostya Kennedy found a meaningful way to do it with True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson (St. Martin’s Press). He focuses on 1947 (the debut); 1949 (when Robinson was “allowed” to be himself and not worry (as much) about the racial implications of his actions; 1956, his final year with the Dodgers; and 1972, shortly before his death the following year at the age of 53. There should have been more to Robinson’s story. Just think of what other things he might have accomplished with more time and better health.
This is the third Conversation with Kennedy whose previous work — 56: Joe DiMaggio and the Last Magic Number in Sports (2011) and Pete Rose: An American Dilemma (2014) — both won the prestigious Casey Award from Spitball Magazine, emblematic of the best baseball book of the year. He also contributed The History of Baseball in 100 Photographs.
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