Jackie Robinson: A Biography
- 作者
- 出版社 Random House US
- 出版时间 1998年9月 第1版
- ISBN 9780345426550
- 定价 204.80
内容简介
TheextraordinarylifeofJackieRobinsonisilluminatedasneverbeforeinthisfull-scalebiographybyArnoldRampersad,whowaschosenbyJack'swidow,Rachel,totellherhusband'sstory,andwasgivenunprecedentedaccesstohisprivatepapers.Wearebroughtcloserthanwehaveeverbeentothegreatballplayer,amanofcourageandqualitywhobecameapivotalfigureintheareasofraceandcivilrights.BornintheruralSouth,thesonofasharecropper,RobinsonwasrearedinsouthernCalifornia.Weseehimblossomthereasastudent-athleteashestruggledagainstpovertyandracismtoupholdthebeliefsinstilledinhimbyhismother--faithinfamily,education,America,andGod.WefollowRobinsonthroughWorldWarII,when,inthefirstwaveofracialintegrationinthearmedforces,hewascommissionedasanofficer,thencourt-martialedafterrefusingtomovetothebackofabus.AfterheplaysintheNegroNationalLeague,wewatchtheopeningofanall-Americandramaas,latein1945,BranchRickeyoftheBrooklynDodgersrecognizedJackastherightplayertobreakbaseball'scolorbarrier--andthegamewasforeverchanged.Jack'snever-before-publishedlettersopenuphisrelationshipwithhisfamily,especiallyhiswife,Rachel,whomhemarriedjustashisperilousventureofintegratingbaseballbegan.HermemoriesareamajorresourceofthenarrativeaswelearnaboutthesevereharassmentRobinsonenduredfromteammatesandopponentsalike;aboutdeaththreatsandexclusion;aboutjoyandremarkablesuccess.Wewatchhiscourageousresponsetoabuse,firstasastoicendurer,thenasafighterwhoepitomizedcourageanddefiance.WeseehisgrowingfriendshipwithwhiteplayerslikePeeWeeReeseandtheblackteammateswhofollowedinhisfootsteps,andhisembracebyBrooklyn'sfans.Wefollowhisblazingcareer:1947,RookieoftheYear;1949,MostValuablePlayer;sixpennantsintenseasons,and1962,inductionintotheHallofFame.Butsportsweremerelyoneaspectofhislife.Weseehisbusinessventures,hisleadingroleinthecommunity,hisearlysupportofMartinLutherKingJr.hiscommitmenttothecivilrightsmovementatacrucialstageinitsevolution;hiscontroversialassociationswithEisenhower,Kennedy,Nixon,Humphrey,Goldwater,NelsonRockefeller,andMalcolmX.Rampersad'smagnificentbiographyleavesuswithanindelibleimageofaprincipledmanwhowaspassionateinhisloyaltiesandopinions:abaseballplayerwhocouldfocusacrowd'sattentionasnoonebeforeorsince;anactivistatthecrossroadsofhispeople'sstruggle;adedicatedfamilymanwhoselastyearswereplaguedbyillnessandtragedy,andwhodiedprematurelyatfifty-two.Hewasapathfinder,anAmericanhero,andhenowhasthebiographyhedeserves.FromtheHardcoveredition.,
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