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Whether Branch Rickey was a good man is still up for debate. It is beyond question, however, that he was a man that influenced the course of American history. Rickey had the radical idea of signing the first African American man to play Major League Baseball, legendary hero Jackie Robinson. According to Breslin, Rickey was motivated by both altruism and money, but, regardless of his reason, he shook up the world of baseball and eventually the entire country. Branch Rickey by Jimmy Breslin is a short biography, focused mostly on this monumental time in Rickey’s life which became his greatest legacy. The story is covered more thoroughly in other works, but Breslin has the incredible ability to write like someone gathered in a bar telling tales over a few beers. If you’re interested in American history or baseball and want a brief glimpse into the story behind the story, this is that book.