Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Kings and Pawns:
Everyone has got an angle.
Quick synopsis:
The story of the public collision between Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson.
Fact for Non-History People:
Jackie Robinson was court-martialed in the Army for refusing a segregated bus seat.
Fact for History Nerds:
The Hollywood Blacklist officially barred around 325 writers, actors, and directors from working.
My Take on Kings and Pawns:
Ali vs. Frazier. Federer vs. Nadal. Jackie Robinson vs. Paul Robeson? I did not have that last one on my bingo card but then again, I didn’t know who Robeson was until I read Kings and Pawns by Howard Bryant.
Bryant tells the story of how the battle over communism set Jackie Robinson on a collision course with former athlete and stage actor Paul Robeson. The stakes were high as this was all happening right in front of the witch hunt that was the House Un-American Activities Committee. It’s not a place you wanted to be.
Bryant’s book is an easy read from a prose perspective, but a challenge for me from a content perspective. When I read my books, I want a full accounting whenever possible. I want characters fleshed out and dissected. It’s the history nerd in me. For instance, sainted Branch Rickey does not come off well in this book. He’s not a full villain, but Bryant does take some of the shine off his halo. He was progressive, but only in comparison to his contemporaries. (Before you think there is race involved in who looks good and bad, I would point out that Robinson himself takes quite a few hits in this and yes that pun is very intended.)
However, once I locked in on Bryant’s true thesis, I was able to understand that I wasn’t giving myself over to the narrative. Bryant is not telling the story of Robinson or Robeson. He is myth-busting and shining a light on the less than holy aspects of the entire story. Robinson was led along politically. Robeson wasn’t a full-on communist, but he certainly didn’t repudiate Stalin. Rickey did take on segregation, but not purely out of the kindness of his own colorblind heart.
Bryant also has an uncanny ability to know when to drop some sweet, sweet primary source quotes. There are a few times where I found myself saying, “Well, Howard, you are going to need to back that idea up!” only to have the author use a quote directly from Robinson, Robeson, Rickey, or another primary character.
To put a fine point on it, this is not a book about a sainted baseball legend. This is a challenging narrative about an overlooked and messy event in history. It’s a hell of a book.
(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by Mariner Books. All opinions are my own since my ego wouldn’t allow it any other way.)
Verdict:
Amazingly informative. Buy it here!
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