New ‘Charlie Hustle’ book is unfliching look at Pete Rose | Books [Video]

To kids growing up in Cincinnati in the 1970s and ‘80s, Pete Rose loomed even larger than Drew Brees did for young New Orleanians decades later.

Keith O’Brien was one of those kids. Like Rose, he hailed from the working-class west side of Cincinnati. As a journalist, O’Brien honed his chops at The Times-Picayune in the early 2000s. He’s subsequently contributed to The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Politico and National Public Radio. Now living in New Hampshire, he’s also a best-selling author. 

He returned to his Cincinnati roots for his new book, published this week. “Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball” (Penguin Random House) is an unflinching account of one of the greatest players to ever round the bases, a player who is also an infamous and polarizing figure.