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This memoir by the daughter of one of America's most beloved sports heroes appears just in time for the 50th anniversary of the desegregation of major league baseball. Those expecting to find a darker side of the taciturn, dignified Jackie Robinson will be disappointed: Robinson, according to his daughter, was a devoted father and a civil rights activist whose messy rifts with more outspoken black leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are barely mentioned here. Robinson was evidently a complex, deeply reserved man, and it seems likely that even his daughter, whose affection for her famous dad is obvious, did not know him well. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Robinson Home
I guess I went into this book with the wrong expectations. I thought this would be a book about Jackie Robinson. But it was almost exclusively about Sharon, his daughter. And though she had an interesting life, I feel like her book didn't go far beyond the surface.

I felt like she really didn't know her father all that well, or at least she didn't express that in the story. I have no doubt that Jackie Robinson was as great a man as the public believed him to be. However after reading this book, it seems like Sharon got parts of her life from reading articles from past newspapers. I don't feel like I understand the workings of her family any better than I would if I had simply watched old news clips.

I wasn't ever bored with the book and I am glad that the Robinson's were a functionsl black family amidst so much external societal strife. Sharon does do a good job of showing the rest of us the priveleages and the tribulations of being the child of a famous African-A! merican in the 1950's and 60's. She also shows that there are still racial conflicts even when blacks and whites are on the same economic level. Overall its a B+, Robinson was not only a premiere ballplayer, but an outstanding father! ... Read more

Book Description

Jackie Robinson changed the face of baseball and captured the attention and hearts of America when he strode onto Ebbett's Field on Opening Day, 1947, as a Brooklyn Dodger. He broke baseball's color line, paved the way for African-American players in all professional sports, and became a pivotal figure in the struggle for racial equality.The Jackie Robinson Reader gathers together writings that demonstrate the cultural impact of Robinson's actions and the life of the man himself. In addition to Robinson's own words, there are contributions from some of baseball's greatest figures, including:* A previously unpublished manuscript by Arthur Mann, Branch Rickey's confidant, on why he chose to sign Robinson
* An excerpt from Roger Kahn's legendary Boys of Summer
* Actor Woody Strode's memories of his days playing football with Robinson at UCLA
* A notable exchange of correspondence between Robinson and activist Malcolm X
* A never-before-published 1946 report from the Major League Steering Committee, which defends the exclusion of blacks from the major leagues.The Jackie Robinson Reader covers the entirety of Robinson's life, creating a definitive work on the man, one no baseball fan will want to be without. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Jackie Robinson
This book is pretty good.I just wish it would tell me more about baseball at that time.I learnd a few things abut Jackie, like how he lead the league in hits in in 1949 with 342 hits and drove in 142 runs.He was also MVP that year and thats why I gave this book 4 stars. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Jackie Robinson
This was a fairly good book. Sally Walker gave a good account of his life. I know that there is so much that could be written about Jackie Robinson but this short book covered all of the main points.I believe that it could have used a little bit more detail because in some parts of the story it makes big jumps. However, overall it is a good book for young children to read when learning about Jackie Robinson. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The best man
I think this book has all the features of a story it goes very in depth on who Jackie robinson is that is why i gave it 5 stars.

Jakie Robinson
I give this book a 4 star rating. It deserves 4 stars for a couple reasons: One, it gave a great description of his life... And two, because it had a few confusing parts so I knocked off a star. Overall it was a pretty good biography. I would mostly recomend this book to baseball fans and African Americans. I would recomend it to Baseball fans because he was a great baseball player and is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. I would also recomend it to African Americans because he was the first black baseball player in the history of the game. ... Read more

Book Description

When Jackie Robinson first stepped up to bat for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 194 7, he faced a long, hard battle. People called him horrible names. Pitchers aimed the ball right for his head. And players used the spikes on their baseball shoes to cut his legs.

Jackie Robinson didn't back down. As the first black player in the white major leagues, he had made up his mind to play ball-and to open baseball's doors to all black men. This is the dramatic story of his triumph.

Book Description

Jackie Robinson's extraordinary courage, his unflappable dignity, and his astonishing feats on the field as the first African-American to play on a major league team made him not only a great sports legend but a genuine American hero. In this comprehensive, moving portrait, David Falkner explores in detail the lifelong influences on Robinson, the pressures he had to bear, and the contributions he made to the cause of integration.

From Robinson's famous battle with the army over segregation to his rigidly maintained restraint in the face of ugly prejudice and life-threatening hostility from baseball fans and players alike, to his post-baseball efforts to help African-Americans establish an economic base within mainstream America, Falkner illuminates Robinson's inner strengths and his determination to make a lasting difference in American society. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good biography, warts and all
I enjoyed this book greatly and learned a lot about this complex man.

Growing up in Brooklyn, I heard many stories about Jackie Robinson.All of them praised his courage and admired what he went through.But nobody ever thought of him as a saint, he was a complex character with many rough edges.

Most of what has been written about him has deified him incorrectly.The author makes it very clear early in the book that he wanted to show Robinson as "warts and all".And he succeeds, Robinson comes across as a complex human being.

Two things to note regarding the research done on this book.The author refers often to other biographies, especially when they disagree on various points.He then gives his account of the given point, a very good procedure.

The author also notes that he was not given any access to the "official" Jackie Robinson archives and that Jackie's widow and her minions refused to cooperate in any way shape or form with this book as well as trying to discourage others.All I can say about that is how petty those actions are.

I especially liked the depth in which the author discussed Robinson's post-baseball life, especially in the political arena.Robinson supported several prominent Republican politicians, such as Rockefeller and Nixon and took a lot of heat for his views.The author did a wonderful job in this area.

Great job by the author is separating man and myth.

Robinson Fans, This Is A Must!
I'm a big Jackie Robinson fan and this book taught me things I never understood or knew! Great reading.Great insights into the life of a true pioneer! BUY IT! ... Read more

Book Description