Kostya Kennedy - True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson

ABOUT TRUE: THE FOUR SEASONS OF JACKIE ROBINSON<br /><br />The year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the passing of baseball legend Jackie Robinson. It also marks the 75th anniversary of one of the most significant moments of the 20th century - Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in major league baseball. Rightfully, much has been written about Jackie Robinson. To commemorate these two significant anniversaries, acclaimed author Kostya Kennedy has written the most interesting and unique biography of Jackie to date in his new book, TRUE: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson (St. Martin's Press, on sale April 12, 2022, $29.99).<br /><br />Whereas all-time greats like Ted Williams, Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio captured the eye of fans everywhere, Jackie Robinson became the epitome of a new America. It was not just that he opened doors for black Americans to play major league baseball. Rather, his reach extended to black Americans being able to participate in other sports. And more importantly, beyond the fields of play he helped open doors and shine a light on black people in non-athletic professions. With each accomplishment on the baseball diamond - and, indeed, for years after his career ended - he became an important national figure who spoke and wrote eloquently about racial injustice and inequality.<br /><br />What makes this book unique? Instead of day-to-day accounts of Jackie's first year breaking the color line, or a recap of his legendary career, TRUE examines Robinson's impact on sport and society from the lens of four non-consecutive transformative years of his life:<br /><br />1946 - his first year playing in the minor leagues with the Montreal Royals<br /><br />1949 - the year he won the Most Valuable Player Award in his third season with the Brooklyn Dodgers<br /><br />1956 - his final season in major league baseball, when he played valiantly despite his physical struggle with diabetes<br /><br />1972 - the year of his untimely passing<br /><br />Through vivid prose and interviews with Robinson