Branch Rickey was the general manager who brought Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers, motivated by Christian ideals (and the realization that there was a lot of untapped black athletic talent). Jimmy Breslin was a tabloid columnist; his best stories (like the one about JFK's grave) are beautifully realized scenes full of rich dialogue that make you feel like you are in the moment.

Writing a biography, then, is not Breslin's milieu. That said, Rickey was a character worth writing (and reading) about and some of the scenes described really do pop off the page. Especially those with Robinson: scout Clyde Sukeforth negotiates Jim Crow laws just to get a meeting with Robinson and through his care, convinces Robinson that the organization knows what it's in for. The best scene in the book is Rickey's first meeting with Robinson where he asks the player how he'll react when waiters, bellhops, and baseball fans or opposing players attack him (as they inevitably do). Robinson is asked what he would do if another player punches him. "You want a ballplayer who won't fight back?" he asks. "I want a man strong enough not to fight back!" Robinson gives the answer Rickey is looking for: "I got two cheeks."

I like the format of this series. Short biographies require a little pre-knowledge and an understanding that you're not going to get the whole story. Very intrigued by the bio of Robert E. Lee by Roy Blount, Jr.