True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson

by Kostya Kennedy

Winner of the CASEY Award for Best Baseball Book of the Year

True is a probing, richly-detailed, unique biography of Jackie Robinson, one of baseball's―and America's―most significant figures.

For players, fans, managers, and executives, Jackie Robinson remains baseball’s singular figure, the person who most profoundly extended, and continues to extend, the reach of the game. Beyond Ruth. Beyond Clemente. Beyond Aaron. Beyond the heroes of today. Now, a half-century since Robinson’s death, letters come to his widow, Rachel, by the score. But Robinson’s impact extended far beyond baseball: he opened the door for Black Americans to participate in other sports, and was a national figure who spoke and wrote eloquently about inequality.

True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson by Kostya Kennedy is an unconventional biography, focusing on four transformative years in Robinson's athletic and public life: 1946, his first year playing in the essentially all-white minor leagues for the Montreal Royals; 1949, when he won the Most Valuable Player Award in his third season as a Brooklyn Dodger; 1956, his final season in major league baseball, when he played valiantly despite his increasing health struggles; and 1972, the year of his untimely death. Through it all, Robinson remained true to the effort and the mission, true to his convictions and contradictions.

Kennedy examines each of these years through details not reported in previous biographies, bringing them to life in vivid prose and through interviews with fans and players who witnessed his impact, as well as with Robinson's surviving family. These four crucial years offer a unique vision of Robinson as a player, a father and husband, and a civil rights hero―a new window on a complex man, tied to the 50th anniversary of his passing and the 75th anniversary of his professional baseball debut.

Genres: Baseball, Sports, Biography, Nonfiction, History, Biography Memoir, Audiobook

288 pages, Hardcover

Published April 12, 2022

About the author

KOSTYA KENNEDY is the Editor in Chief of Premium Publishing at Dotdash Meredith. A former Senior Writer and Editor at Sports Illustrated, he is the author of the forthcoming book The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America as well as True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson, the New York Times bestsellers 56: Joe DiMaggio and the Last Magic Number in Sports, and Pete Rose: An American Dilemma. All three books won the CASEY Award for Best Baseball Book of the Year. He has taught at Columbia and New York University, and he lives in Westchester County, New York.

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

"[Jackie] Robinson's most searing eloquence would remain rooted in the way he shook the foundation as a young man. From the first moment he stepped onto a baseball field as a Montreal Royal to the last time he left the diamond with the Dodgers logo stitched across his breast, Robinson gave to the world a profound and enduring expression, articulated in the way that he played the game." -- pages 156-157

Although all sorts of books on Jackie Robinson (thankfully) line the shelves in various libraries and stores across the nation, I think Kostyra Kennedy's True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson instantly belongs on that short list with the some of the very best, including Jonathan Eig's Opening Day, Christopher Schutz's Jackie Robinson: An Integrated Life, and Ed Henry's 42 Faith. In True, Kennedy sidesteps the oft-standard 'birth-to-death' timeline of a bio, but instead selects four distinct eras from the legendary man's career - Robinson's 1946 season with the minor league Montreal Royals; his third season with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949 (when he was finally free of the 'turn the other cheek' directive from the astute Branch Rickey, who heartwarmingly was both mentor and father figure to the then-young Robinson); his last season with the Dodgers in 1956, when he was now a seasoned ten-year veteran in the club during it's final months in Brooklyn before the controversial Los Angeles relocation; and then 1972, when '42' was retired by the Dodgers club but mounting health issues sadly betrayed Robinson's once-strong and enviable physique and sent him to an early grave at age 53. I will go on record here stating that the chapter on his time with the Montreal Royals team was the the best in ANY Robinson book that I've ever read thus far, fully bringing to life his season there before being called up the the majors, and noting also how well he and wife Rachel were treated by open-minded fans and residents of that Canadian metropolis compared to what they would face upon returning home to the sad prejudicial realities of the U.S. And speaking of Rachel (and mangling a Simon & Garfunkel lyric) here's to you, Mrs. Robinson - one of these days she deserves a bio of her very own, as this strong, intelligent and kind woman was certainly a pillar of incredible support for her husband, and just a unique and interesting person fully on her own.

[Brina · Rating 5 out of 5]

To those who have followed my reviews for awhile, then you know that Jackie Robinson is one of my American heroes. His life has been documented from every imaginable angle, preserved in books, movies, statues, and a museum. Each year, I try to read a new book about his life in time for his birthday, January 31. I did read a lovely memoir written by Jackie’s daughter Sharon; however, 2022 marks a milestone in Jackie’s history: 75 years since he broke baseball’s color barrier and the 100th birthday of his wife Rachel (may she live and be well). Esteemed sports writer Kostya Kennedy published a new book in honor of these occasions and I knew it would be a must read for me.

Jackie aficionados know the path of his life trajectory, so Kennedy decided to examine this special life from a different angle, focusing on four years of Jackie’s life: 1946, 1949, 1956, and 1972. Relying on interviews with members of the Robinson family and those who were touched by Jackie in ways large or small, Kennedy attempts to provide readers with aspects of this life that they may have been unaware. He starts in Montreal 1946, the year that Jackie played for the international league Royals. Montreal was removed from the racism that still permeated American society, was a melting pot of immigrants, and was a city that tolerated the presence of a black man in ways that United States cities of the era did not. The Robinsons roomed in a house owned by a Jewish couple, leading Kennedy to note throughout this book of the shared prejudice of blacks and Jews throughout the civil rights movement. That Jackie dominated the international league and could have joined the Dodgers early was a footnote to the fact that the Robinsons acclimated well to Montreal life, leaving them with positive memories of the northern city. After winning the little World Series in 1946, Robinson was ready to join the Dodgers. Just how well the Dodgers were ready for Robinson to join them is a story for another time.

Kennedy skips over 1947 as entire books have been published about that season. April 15 is marked as Jackie Robinson day throughout Major League Baseball and the United States, so Kennedy chose to focus instead on 1949, the year Jackie won the most valuable player award and lead the Dodgers to the pennant. After two years of not fighting back, leading to more black players joining the Dodgers, Giants, Braves, and Indians, in 1949 Branch Rickey told Jackie that the niceties were over. No longer would Jackie have to ignore being spiked in the leg or the constant bigoted pejorative launched at him. In 1949 the Dodgers went from being PeeWee’s team to being Jackie’s team, as he lead the league in batting average and steals and was among the league leaders in many other categories and became a vocal clubhouse leader. In a contested pennant race with the Giants and Cardinals, Jackie willed the Dodgers to victory, and there was no doubt around baseball who the team leader was. That the Dodgers lost to the Yankees in the World Series yet again was not due to Jackie’s lack of trying or leadership. The team was beginning to age and the core players desired to win one for their borough oh so badly. That would come later at the twilight of Jackie’s illustrious career.

During the early 1950s, Jackie and his African American teammates still had to stay in black hotels in St Louis and received lesser treatment around the league. The Dodgers also continued to play exhibition games throughout the south so that African American and white fans alike who never saw Robinson play would get a chance to, albeit at mainly segregated stadiums. The Dodgers were changing writes Kennedy about 1956 and Brooklyn along with it. Dodger owner Walter O’Malley had long since ousted Branch Rickey from team control. New manager Walter Alston detested Robinson’s aging presence on the team, and long sought to trade him. Robinson could sense that after the 1955 World Series that the 1956 season would be his last. He had other avenues outside of baseball to further the rights of African Americans, and he desired to be present in his children’s lives, something that has not changed for athletes in the last seventy five years. Although he nearly willed the Dodgers to a second championship in 1956, it was not meant to be, and Jackie retired before O’Malley traded him to the rival Giants. One year later both teams would relocate to California, O’Malley and the Dodgers severing ties with Robinson. Because managerial positions were not yet available to black men in the 1950s, Jackie Robinson became a businessman and joined the fight for civil rights alongside emerging leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Their partnership has also been well documented although I believe not stressed enough, so I am glad that Kennedy gave this relationship its proper credit. In King’s words, Jackie Robinson was a civil rights pioneer before the movement started.

I cannot read about the end of Jackie Robinson’s life without shedding tears, and, although Kennedy attempts to present it here from a different angle than I am used to, cry indeed I did. In the winter of Robinson’s life he suffered from diabetes and other health ailments. He was still a loving husband and father and civil rights activist yet could barely walk without assistance. Being honored at the 1972 World Series, Robinson noted that he would feel better about baseball if he would look in the third baseball dugout and see a black man managing. Twenty five years after his integration of the game, there were still no black men coaching, managing, or in the front office. Fifty years later, this still has not changed enough throughout the sports landscape. Robinson would pass away five days after being honored at the World Series. In his eulogy, Jesse Jackson noted that now his body is one for the heavens. His tombstone reads his most famous quotation: a life is not important except for the impact it has on other lives.

In 2022, Rachel Robinson is approaching 100 years old. The Dodgers and Major League Baseball are planning a party for the queen mother of baseball in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of Jackie’s integration of the game. It is the 50th anniversary of the Jackie Robinson Foundation which provides scholarships for underprivileged minority students to attend college and get a leg up on life. One stipulation of receiving the scholarship is meeting with Rachel and learning about Jackie. The students come away with added respect for both him and history. Sadly Jackie Robinson was in the news last week for the wrong reasons when Josh Donaldson evoked Jackie’s name to taunt Tim Anderson, one of the leaders of today’s Players Collective. Donaldson was suspended for his actions, yet on the surface he appears as bigoted as Ben Chapman did 75 years ago. With the 75th anniversary lasting the entire year and the Jackie Robinson Foundation increasing its presence around baseball, Jackie Robinson remains as relevant as ever in our national game. Kennedy did not present much new to me information in this book but did so in a way that I still immensely enjoyed what I read. Today Jackie Robinson would look down the third base line and see some black faces among baseball’s managers, including the Dodger’s own. Jackie has impacted countless other lives as he lives on in our collective psyche.

⚾️ 5 stars ⚾️

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African American Major League Baseball player in modern baseball. There had been others in the late 1800s, namely Bud Fowler and Moses Fleetwood Walker, until Cap Anson refused to play with or against teams with Black ballplayers. This is what started the color line that Robinson broke.

In True, Kostya Kennedy takes a deep dive into 4 "seasons" of Robinson's life and shows us not only more about the ballplayer, but also the man. Those seasons are 1946 when Robinson integrates the Montreal Royals and the International League in his long season in the Minor League, 1949, the year he is named National League MVP, 1956, the final season of his career, and 1972, the year Robinson died. There is also a section called Afterlife, which tells what his widow, Rachel has been doing since his death and the impact Jackie Robinson has had on this country.

I really enjoyed this style of biography. I feel like I have a much better understanding of Robinson as a whole person, not just as a pioneering baseball player. I liked how we got glimpses into the bond between Robinson and his wife and their three kids.

Kennedy also does a fantastic job with imagery, it made me feel like I was right there at the ballpark watching him play. He also really made you feel the emotions that he and his family felt as they were on this journey of integrating baseball and the Civil Rights movement. It was cool to see how he had an impact on other people, including people who were kids at the time he was playing and the people who lived in Montreal in 1946.

I would recommend this to anyone who is a baseball fan or history buff. My appreciation to St. Martin's Press, author Kostya Kennedy, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jackie Robinson is a person who needs no introduction or explanation on what his place is in history, even for people who have no interest in baseball. There has been much written about him that covers just about everything he did in sports, for civil rights and every other aspect of his life. So it was with curiosity that I decided to read this book on Robinson by Kostoya Kennedy, wondering what more could be written about him without simply rehashing what others have written.

It turned out to be a wise choice – this book was outstanding in many aspects. The first of which is simply the idea for the subtitle. By writing about four different years in Robinson’s life span which would be considered the season of his career and post baseball life, Kennedy portrays Robinson and his wife Rachel, who is just as important a figure in this book as is Jackie, in a very different context than most other biographies do.

The best example of this would be the first season, Spring, which details the year 1946 when Robinson played for an otherwise all-white team, the Montreal Royals. It was the year before Robinson made his historic debut for the Dodgers and it was remembered fondly in the book by everyone Kennedy referenced. It has been well-documented that this was done to prepare Jackie for the rough treatment he would receive in the Major Leagues, and it isn’t right to say that his time in Montreal didn’t have its rough patches as well. But that doesn’t take away the excellent memories shared by Rachel with Kennedy about how they were treated, nor does it detract from the overall picture created about that year.

The other chapter in which Kennedy’s work shows its excellence is the last chapter, Winter, which is about Jackie’s failing health and Rachel’s strength in 1972 before he passed away that year. The chapter’s beginning was very powerful as it describes Jackie’s struggles to travel in order to attend the funeral of one of his beloved Dodger teammates, Gil Hodges. The help Jackie received from other teammates and even how Kennedy described the sudden death of Hodges sets up the reader for a very powerful conclusion to the book.

This type of writing, save for all pleasant memories and instead providing excellent narrative no matter what the emotions of the time may bring, is present in the other three seasons as well. Whether the reader is thrilled by the success on the field for Jackie in 1949 when he was the Most Valuable Player in the National League, stunned by the realization that his baseball career is over when he made the last out of the 1956 World Series (and his subsequent trade to the rival New York Giants, to whom he would not report) or saddened by reading about his health struggles in his last year of life, this is a book that should be read by all – not just baseball fans, but everyone who has any interest in Jackie Robinson the man.

I wish to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...

[WM D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

True the four seasons of Jackie Robinson was a good book. I really enjoyed the characters in the book. It explored the four seasons of the life of Jackie Robinson. It shows what a true hero he was in the baseball world. A must read for anyone who likes non fiction

[Don Gorman · Rating 2 out of 5]

(1 1/2). Yes, there are a few poignant moments in this book, especially towards the end. And there is no mistaking the impact of Jackie Robinson on American sport and society, but this is mostly a book for serious baseball nuts. I am old enough, and fortunate enough (growing up in New York City) to have seen Jackie play. The Dodgers were my team, I can still hear Red Barber in my head calling the games. But the book is a lot of rehash of games, and it gets pretty deadly boring at times. Kennedy is a good enough writer to save it before it ever totally falls down but it does come close to real Ambien land a few places. Good thing it is relatively short. Ok stuff, for the right reader.

[Drtaxsacto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jackie Robinson has been one of my heroes from when I was a very young kid. He was key to the victory of the Dodgers in the 1955 World Series; his relationship with Branch Rickey was interesting on a number of levels; his multiple accomplishments in Southern California (Even though he was a Bruin); his energy in working for broader goals - all impressed me then and now. So I looked to this book with interest. Kennedy does not tell a chronological story of Robinson's life. But he does does a wonderful job of highlighting both accomplishments and challenges during Robinson's life.

The book includes a couple of stories that I did not know - for example, Rickey's discussions with Red Barber before the selection and announcement of Robinson. I knew about Rickey's commitment to the process of integrating baseball - but his effort with Barber was very smart - I think he new how Red would come out but he wanted to give an exit if he was wrong. The description of his relationships with both Reese and Hodges was something that I knew about but which the author adds to.

What was most interesting to me was the last section which has the most detailed explanation of the real partnership which Robinson had with his wife, who just turned 100. Rachael was not just his wife. Although he died when she was 50 (he was 53) before he did she established an independent and yet supportive relationship. Her role in helping the Jackie Robinson scholarship foundation and her steely eyed focus on the important parts of the effort are inspiring.

[Ric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jackie Robinson is the most important baseball player of all time without a doubt, and reading this story set around four impactful seasons in his career was super interesting. I particularly liked the ending section where it was set around his return to the public eye in baseball so many years after his retirement. Any baseball fan or historian should read this one.

[Mark Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was excellent.

The level of research and the number of little details was fantastic. The author has won awards for best baseball book of the year for other books - I would think this will be a contender was well.

Usually I leave a more detailed review but I feel like describing the research and detail should be all you need to know.

For people that liked this book that are checking out the reviews, I also recommend Opening Day by Jonathan Eig. A good companion to this book.

[Fulmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good overview of some of the important periods in robinson's life. really enjoyed all the anecdotes of peoples childhoods, showed how impactful jackie was in a lot of ways. timeline was just a little confusing because it jumped around a lot, but overall lovely book about the man who changed baseball forever. also great info on rachel robinson.

[Lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fully cried over Rachel Robinson on a plane at 10am

[Don Kyser · Rating 5 out of 5]

While it’s true that the book focuses on four key years in Robinson’s life there is some deeper digging in several areas. My only quibble with the book is that I wish that one year had focused on a year prior to his signing with the Dodgers. College life, army life are touched but I think one section that went a little deeper in one of those eras may have made a deeper study on Jackie. Like I said though - small quibble - it’s still a fantastic book.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a baseball fan, I know woefully little about Jackie Robinson--really, just the basics--so was quite pleased to snag an ARC of this title. It's due to come out on April 12, a few days before the 75th anniversary of Robinson's debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers; great timing, and I recommend fans read this book as we wait for the lockout to end and baseball to begin.

This isn't a true biography; instead, Kennedy focuses on four years in Robinson's life: 1946 (his year in the minors in Montreal), 1949 (an MVP year for him), 1956 (his last year in the majors), and 1972 (the year of his death). He focuses 1949 and 1956 around specific games--the All-Star game and Game 6 of the World Series, respectively. His choices are interesting; he doesn't focus on Robinson breaking into the majors or the year the Dodgers won the World Series. It's a smart choice, because the stories of Jackie stoically enduring as he integrated the game and the stories of the Dodgers dynasty are ones that have been told already. Instead, we see his attitude and play progress through his career, and how his stoicism changes to include more pushing back and aggressiveness.

I appreciate how Kennedy really brings Robinson's playing style to life. I'll probably follow this up by watching the Ken Burns documentary to get video footage, but Kennedy manages to bring the reader into Ebbets Field. He sounds just so exciting to watch!

Kennedy takes a fairly high-level view of Robinson's life; we learn some about the day-to-day (his off-season job selling tvs!), but he focuses a lot on the game and a lot on his civil rights activities. Robinson in some ways is full of contradictions, which Kennedy doesn't shy away from--supportive of Martin Luther King, Jr., but also of the Vietnam War; proponent of civil rights but also a member of the Republican party...though seemingly not in 1968. He occasionally makes references to things like Robinson regretting, for instance, his testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee, but doesn't go into what the regret looked like. And there's a decent amount of saying what Jackie or his wife, Rachel, were thinking, without really saying how he knows that, one of my big pet peeves in nonfiction work.

Kennedy weaves in the point of view of various Dodger fans or people influenced by Jackie, which is sometimes powerful and sometimes seems to detract from the story. I also wish he did a bit less jumping around in time; understandably, given the framework of the book, but it was at times annoying. The epilogue also seemed to go on a bit; Kennedy truly wants to show the difference Robinson made in the world, which is laudable.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC (via NetGalley)! Publication date is April 12, 2022.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been 75 years since baseball star Jackie Robinson made his major league debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Today, the timing for this biography is accurate and precise. The book only focuses on 4 different years of Jackie Robinson’s life, but they are important years in his life.

This partial biography about the famous and complicated baseball player is interesting in three ways to me. First, the prevalent theme is about mid-century racism throughout North America. It’s also sometimes a love story about Rachel and Jackie Robinson. Thirdly, the book is a glimpse into how baseball has changed since the 1940’s and 1950’s. There are very few photos, and I would have loved to see more family and baseball pictures.

[Ama · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simply put, Jackie Robinson is my favorite athlete of all time. He is the reason I was a Dodger fan before I even understood the game of baseball. I've always admired how much he stood for, and the far reaching impact his courage and groundbreaking efforts gave to myself and for my favorite present day athletes.

Although the book started very slow, with a strong focus on a recount of his baseball career, the second half really picked up. I was aware of what he endured during his early playing days, but didn't know how vocal he became towards the end of his career and also his post-retirement separation from MLB due to their lack of hiring of Blacks for managerial roles. It was interesting to learn how baseball's most popular player practically disappeared from the game post retirement. I also was not aware of his distain for Malcolm X's solutions to the problems they both sought to fix. As always, I find it very intriguing to read about a time period where my people were suffering, but had different ideas of solutions.

"I received a great number of letters from Negroes all over the country. And I feel that because of what they did for me during my tough years in baseball, just because now that I have had a certain amount of success, and that I could live certainly on my reputation and perhaps do a lot better than I'm doing now, chat I would not only be letting my kids down, I would be letting a great number of people down who helped me tremendously."

Jackie Robinson is without a doubt one of the most respected athletes in all of LA. From him and his brother Mack's (University of Oregon Olympic sprinter) statues in Pasadena City Hall, to his other statues and honor at the Rose Bowl, he gets the respect he fought so hard for. A selfless player who knew his impact was far greater than his own person.

With opening day later this week, GO DODGERS!

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are like me, you know very little about Jackie Robinson. The author separated this work into seasons. Jackie Robinson went through a lot, and he accomplished a lot. A major accomplishment was breaking the color barrier in sports. His skills won people over. Mr. Robinson did so much more. I am going to let the reader discover Jackie's accomplishments for themselves. I highly recommend the book.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this 9 stars out of ten if I had the option, but I figured, let's give it all the stars. With volumes having been written about Robinson, it might seem like there are no new angles to cover, no new ways of looking at this inspiring story. But Kennedy chooses a unique path of telling the story through four key years in Robinson's life -- 1946, the year he played for the Montreal Royals as the first African-American in organized baseball in the 20th century, 1949, the year he won the MVP award, 1956, his last year as a Dodger before retiring, and 1972, the year of his death, followed by a fifth chapter epilogue focusing on the work of Robinson's wife Rachel and the Robinson Foundation in keeping his legacy alive by providing university scholarships to young adults. This format helps set the book apart from other Robinson bios.

1946 -- As a native Montrealer I was most looking forward to this chapter and on the whole it didn't disappoint. Often stories about Robinson skip over this pivotal year and Montreal's role in the story, and I was glad that Kennedy gave this portion of his career the attention it deserves. Kennedy works hard to provide the flavour of what life was like in Montreal at the time ... perhaps too hard. Only a native would notice, but there are four fairly obvious errors about Montreal that a quick editorial read by a Montrealer would have caught (including describing people in 1946 in a cafe across from Delorimier Downs eating "poutine", a popular Quebecois dish of fries, gravy and cheese curds ... a dish that wasn't invented until the early 196os.) Those minor points aside, giving this chapter of Robinson's life such full attention is one of the best parts of the book.

1949 & 1956 -- These chapters are also well done, giving vivid accounts of Brooklyn and Ebbets Field. Like most bios that focus on a year in a subject's life, sometimes the subject gets a bit lost in the description of the event, but Kennedy brings the focus back to Robinson quickly. There's not too much new here for anyone who has read a lot about Robinson, but the chapters do a very good job highlighting some of the challenges he faced, and some of the unique skills he brought to the baseball diamond.

1972 -- An excellent chapter that summarizes Robinson's post baseball career, especially his continuing work for civil rights. Particular attention is paid to his last public appearance at a baseball event at the 1972 World Series where he continued to push for baseball integration, calling for African-Americans to be hired as managers. (the first African-American manager was hired three years later)

Epilogue -- This was the chapter that made this book stand out in my opinion, in that it covered information that I haven't seen in most Robinson bios, highlighting the work of the Robinson foundation and the legacy of impact Jackie continues to have even 50 years after his death. A very powerful and inspiring chapter.

To me, the books by Arnold Rampersad and Jules Tygiel are still the gold standard of Robinson biographies, but this one is right up there on the list. An excellent book for both the Robinson fan, and for those looking to read their first book about this great ballplayer and inspiring person.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew who Jackie Robinson was, one the greatest baseball players of all time, who changed the face of baseball. What I didn't know about Jackie Robinson was how much he changed the world.

This book chronicles the life of Jackie Robinson in baseball, from his minor league days, through his major league days. It sheds light on the things he did after his retirement and how he was outspoken for the rights of the Black Americans, always striving to get their rights equaled to the White Americans. Jackie did this through his voice and presence, not through violence. He was outspoken to Malcom X (even though he greatly respected him) and friends with Martin Luther King Jr. This book shows how decades later he is still a loved individual.

The Dodgers signed another Black baseball player, Johnny Wright, to try to alleviate some of the publicity and hatred that Jackie received in his early days, but Johnny was soon sent to the minors. Branch Rickey tried to incorporate some black players to show how baseball is changing and to bring attention to the rest of America. Once Jackie retired, his health declined. He was battling diabetes, his eyesight was failing, he had a hard time moving. The Robinson Family was wracked with death and Rachel Robinson is a very strong woman who withstood not only the hatred thrown at her husband but the deaths of many family members. She has gone on to keep Jackie's name alive and set up the Jackie Robinson Foundation to honor students with scholarships, who might not be able to go on to college.

The one thing that I didn't like about the way the book was written is how it jumped around. Jackie would be up at bat, but something else would be brought up, how the kids in the Brooklyn neighbors would listen to the games on the radio or watch the games on TV at through the windows of the TV store. It always came back around, but it broke up the intensity of Jackie being at bat, or going into the slide, stealing home... The baseball depictions were very descriptive, and I could see it all in my mind while reading it. I definitely recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

[Nathan Snowden · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a read! I learned so much about Jackie Robinson that I didn’t know before by reading this book. This book highlights four distinct years of Robinson’s life one year that he lived in Montreal Canada, two years of his playing career with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the year of his death. It was amazing to learn that Canada didn’t have the outward racism of the United States. Jackie and Rachel were allowed to experience life “normally” and go out and shop and hang out in public places. Only to come to the United States and have to deal with issues of racism that denied them from enjoying basic pleasures of life. Another thing that I learned from the book was how outspoken he was against racism and racial issues in the United States especially when his playing career was over. It seems that the portrayals of Jackie especially in popular works like 42 always paint him as this docile, likable figure. However he was not afraid to ruffle feathers and to speak his mind, which led to him not always being like even amongst his own people. As he had public disagreements with the likes of Malcom X and Paul Robeson. Kostya Kennedy did a phenomenal job capturing the emotion of how Jackie was feeling as he was integrating baseball but also just trying to balance being a husband, father, advocate, and celebrity. This book is a must read if you’re a sports fan, Jackie fan, or baseball fan. So glad that his wife Rachel and Major League Baseball is carrying on his amazing legacy. Thank you Jack and thank you Kostya Kennedy for giving us this amazing book.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson is a magnificent and soaring account of the life, meaning, and impact of Jackie Robinson on the game of baseball, the United States, and world history at large. Told through the lenses of four different years in Robinson's life, 1946, 1949, 1956, and 1972, True is a vital and vibrant accounting of the significant events of those years in Robinson's life, while also showing how the ripples of those events stretched far beyond them to resonate even to this day.

I started reading this book on Rachel Robinson's 100th birthday, and her role and important is shown in all its glory in these pages. Her support and guidance of Robinson was essential to his success, and her advocacy in the 50 years since his death for civil rights is highlighted and celebrated in these pages as well.

If you have never read Kostya Kennedy's writing, I could not recommend him more. I'd read his excellent books on Pete Rose and Joe DiMaggio and loved them, but having Jackie Robinson as a subject allowed Kennedy to let his poet's flair for description truly shine. The game accounts and anecdotes in True are filled with a richness of detail and humanity that left me breathless at times to read. I could not recommend this book more.

[Rob Dunkelberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a lot of books but when asked to give an honest, impartial review I can say I seldom would ever say something was so outstanding as to tell other people to read it, or was deserving of a 5 out of 5.

THIS ONE DOES!

Not your typical biography; it selects 4 of the most pivotal years in his career and expounds upon his accomplishments in those moments with all of the other external issues affecting Jackie, his family, baseball, society, politics, etc.

So well worth your time. You don’t have to be a baseball fan to understand who he was and what he meant to the 20th century.

[Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced, well written, enjoyable biography of the legendary American athlete, baseball star, civil rights activist and social change agent Robinson. The book looks at his life as he breaks into baseball in the mid-1940’s (after sports stardom at UCLA and serving as an Army officer during World War II); as an outstanding star baseball player for the Brooklyn Dodgers; late in his career as an aging star in in 1956; and the final year of his all-too-short life in 1972. Loved this book; read it twice!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does a wonderful job discussing the impact of Jackie Robinson’s career. It also spends a fair amount of time describing specific baseball games and plays - sometimes this illuminated something about Jackie’s character, personality, or relationships. Other times, it just illustrated how terrific a baseball player he was, which I already knew and therefore wanted to move on. Overall a very substantive book that very occasionally lapses into fanboy game descriptions.

[Linda Staudenmeir · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading about Jackie Robinson’s inspirational life and his wife Rachel. He was truly a man who moved mountains in our world. It was an honor to learn about him and Rachel.

[Patti Behnke · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT!!

[Brian Rothbart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a number of baseball biographies and a number of biographies on Jackie Robinson, including his own autobiography. I really liked the way Kostya Kennedy approached this book and Robinson's life. Kennedy focuses on four "transformative" years of Robinson's career and doing so we get a richer, fuller, more informative picture of Robinson. I didn't think there was a lot more I could learn, but I was wrong. If you are a fan of baseball, biographies, even social justice, etc. I highly recommend this book.

[Jim Kownacki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never realized how truly groundbreaking his playing in MLB was, saddened at what he endured.

[Kusaimamekirai · Rating 5 out of 5]

A LIFE IS NOT IMPORTANT EXCEPT IN THE IMPACT IT HAS ON OTHER LIVES
-Inscription on Jackie Robinson's tombstone


I have a lot of admiration for Jackie Robinson. His role as the first black man to play major league baseball in an era of extreme social and racial upheaval, in and of itself warrants a great deal of respect. There are very few people who would be able to persevere in the face of not only some of the filthiest and degrading verbal abuse one can imagine, but also the constant threats to the well being of yourself and your loved ones. Robinson handled all of this with a grace and resolve that was exceedingly rare for anyone in his position.

When I first heard about this new biography of him I was a little skeptical due to its small size and unusual narrative format. The author breaks up Robinson’s life and career into four seasons.
The first, ‘Spring 1946’, about his year playing minor league baseball in Montreal, Canada and later his early years with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The second, ‘Summer, 1949’ about becoming a household name not only in baseball but around the world.
The third, ‘Autumn 1956’ toward the end of his career as Robinson’s body begins to betray him and he begins the transition to a life after baseball and a spokesman for Civil Rights.
The fourth, ‘Winter 1972’ about the later years of his when his health began to fail him and his resolve in the face of numerous personal tragedies.

While the nature of this format seemingly would necessarily omit a lot of biographical information (there is almost nothing about Robinson’s childhood for example and only a short passage on his testimony before the House Un-American Committee) I never felt like I was missing anything. Perhaps because while the story does revolve around Robinson, it’s more a story of America during his lifetime. Such as the long road trips where his teammates would stay and eat in the finest hotels while he was forced to stay with whatever black family or hotel was willing to put him up. The invective he received from the away fans and the death threats.

And yet, there is something also incredibly hopeful about the arc of Robinson’s life and career as well. For all the hate he received, it is fair to say that the number of lives he touched and the people he inspired vastly outnumbers it. The book is full of stories from prominent people, white people, who grew up idolizing and wanting to be Jackie Robinson. Many of them would remember him as they built careers in the civil rights and other justice movements across the country. Many of them are quite explicit that if there was no Jackie Robinson, it’s unlikely their lives would’ve taken them where they did. When they read a newspaper story as a child about their idol not being able to stay at the same hotel as his teammates it was an injustice even as a child they couldn’t understand or forgive. It was as if they themselves were being denied admission to those places.
This perhaps is Robinson’s most lasting legacy. Not simply changing baseball, which he undoubtedly and profoundly did, but also Americans image of what it means to be American, black or white.

[Kbullock · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is knowledgeable and eloquent about baseball, and the book is at its best when he sticks to that subject. The book is not at its best when the author digresses into the white privilege of union glaziers and launches an unprovoked attack on poor Aunt Jemima. The "four seasons" approach, ostensibly focusing on four critical years of Robinson's life, does not always work. Part 3 (1956) is difficult to follow, because the narrative jumps back and forth to other years, and it isn't always clear which season we're reading about. The author's excessive use of footnotes (mainly to dump his research notebook) is distracting. I recommend ignoring them. Like many nonfiction books published in recent years, this one needed a more assertive editor.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

A BOOK FOR ALL

So much information in this book as it details the life of Jackie Robinson both on and off the athletic fields from high school to his becoming the first Black player for the National Baseball League. I loved the way Kostya Kennedy demonstrated the influence Jackie’s wife, Rachel, had throughout the life of the ballplayer but for the remained of her life. Truly an inspirational read.