The Jackie Robinson Reader: Perspectives on an American Hero [Hardcover]

Jules Tygiel (Author), Malcolm X (Author), Maury Allen (Author), Jackie Robinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1997

Published to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of Robinson's historic debut in major league baseball, this provocative collection of writings comes from Robinson himself, as well as from contributions by Red Barber, Roger Kahn, Malcolm X, and others.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Jackie Robinson biographer Jules Tygiel has compiled a powerful batting order of prominent writers and those who knew Robinson first-hand--including Roger Kahn, Red Barber, black sportswriter Wendell Smith, Robinson's Olympic-medalist brother Mack, even Malcolm X and Jackie Robinson himself. Their perspectives help pierce the shadow cast by the legend and shed real light on the man. Barber's poignant recollection of his personal battle with racism still rings loudly a half century later, and Harold Parrott's "The Betrayal of Robinson" is an unforgettably harrowing account of the animosity directed toward Robinson that first season.

From Library Journal

This anthology must be made available as a valuable documenatry source in any library that collects in the areas of sports history or race relations. Selections include editor Tygiel's own piece on the court-martial of Robinson for refusing to move to the back of an officially desegregated bus. There are several accounts of the historic decision by Branch Rickey to bring Robinson into major league baseball, including one by Red Barber, a Southerner who had never questioned segregation before Rickey told him what was going to happen and who had to question his upbringing and his religion to determine the right thing to do. The document by the Major League Steering Committee attempting to justify the exclusion of "Negro" players from the league as being, somehow, not the result of discrimination is an amazing piece of obfuscation and deception. Of particular political interest are the accounts of Robinson's testimony against Paul Robeson before the House Un-American Activities Committee and the exchange of letters between Robinson and Malcolm X. Highly recommended.?Marylaine Block, St. Ambrose Univ. Lib., Davenport, Iowa
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult; 1ST edition (March 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525940960
• ISBN-13: 978-0525940968
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #313,603 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #22 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( R ) > Robinson, Jackie
  • #31 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( M ) > Malcolm X

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Jackie Robinson, February 22, 2001

By 

"bryce1086" (Albuquerque, New Mexico USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Jackie Robinson Reader: Perspectives on an American Hero (Paperback)

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.