David Falkner brings to life Jack Roosevelt Robinson the man, a flesh-and-blood crusader whose humanity, passion, doubts, and fears are too often overlooked in the history-book treatment of his accomplishments. Falkner shows the roots of Robinson's commitment to the cause of his race, the depth of his involvement in that cause, and the occasional missteps along the way that have clouded our understanding of who Robinson was.

Falkner recounts the important stories of Robinson's career: the meeting with Branch Rickey where Rickey demands that Robinson hold his temper for his first three years in the Dodgers organization; the near-boycott by the St. Louis Cardinals and other clubs, and the teammates who refused to shake his hand; the important friendship of Pee Wee Reese; the bold fury with which he played the game.

But Falkner also gives new and groundbreaking attention to Robinson's post-baseball life, his role - actual, not symbolic - in the civil rights movement, and his often-misunderstood efforts to build for his community a lasting piece of the action.