“My happiness is not dependent on acquiring what I want and doing what I like. It is based on dealing with the cards dealt, appreciating what I need, and learning to like what I need to do.” — page 511
BRENNAN: The Record Stands is a riveting memoir that chronicles the extraordinary life of Robert E. Brennan — a man whose journey from the streets of Newark, New Jersey, to the heights of Wall Street and horse racing is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Born in 1944 into a family of nine children, Brennan’s story begins in humble circumstances, relying on city food pantries and hand-me-downs that forged a determination which propelled him to astounding heights.
This narrative transcends the typical “rags to riches and back again” arc. It explores a life lived on the edge — taking on challengers, defying the establishment, and rewriting the rules. From founding First Jersey Securities to reshaping the horse racing industry, Brennan’s career was marked by vision, innovation, and risk. His ventures employed over 10,000 people at their peak and transformed industries that resisted change.
Brennan’s memoir is rich with encounters with notable figures — including Presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Pope John Paul II — as well as friendships with Hall of Fame coaches Bill Parcells and Mike Krzyzewski. These relationships paint a portrait of a man who moved in circles of power while never forgetting his roots.
After chairing university boards, funding hospitals, and gaining national media attention, Brennan faced relentless pursuit by the Securities and Exchange Commission. His ensuing conviction and decade-long federal sentence provide the emotional core of the book — a study in perseverance, perspective, and peace in the face of loss.
“BRENNAN: The Record Stands” is not just a memoir. It’s modern American history — a story of ambition, controversy, redemption, and the unbreakable human will.
Foreword by "Coach K" Mike Krzyzewski
I first met Bob Brennan through a mutual friend, P.J. Carlesimo (the former head basketball coach of Bob’s alma mater, Seton Hall University), when P.J. and I were both serving as assistant coaches for the 1992 USA “Dream Team” at the Summer Olympics in Barcelona. I soon learned that his preferred business and pastime was Thoroughbred horse racing. Over the ensuing summers, he indoctrinated my wife, three daughters, and me into the Sport of Kings when he welcomed us as guests during our annual trips to his home in Saratoga Springs, New York. During those special times, I also learned that his favorite thing to do with the wealth he had earned was to share it with others.
Bob was the ultimate host—a role in which I loved to watch him shine—beaming with pride as he shared his home and the racetrack experience with a revolving door of friends from all over the world, all invited to share amazing food and joyful conversations with Bob and each other. My family and I were fortunate to experience the immense skills of the wonderful team he assembled and to enjoy the excitement of the track. During our evening conversations, we were mesmerized by some of Bob’s incredible stories of his full life.
My wife, Mickie, and I were fortunate to remain connected with Bob well after those carefree summers when he served his ten-year term in federal prison after fighting for decades with his government foes. From his prolific letters from prison, we first realized Bob’s immense talent for writing. Despite the dark tales they often told of “diesel therapy,” prisoner-on-prisoner assaults, and his time in solitary confinement, his stories leaped off the handwritten pages with the same enthusiasm and positive attitude with which he told them back in those Saratoga summers.
Bob has seen life from unimaginably diverse perspectives—from the height of wealth and success and from a place of having all his many well-earned luxuries—including the luxury of freedom—stripped away. In every circumstance, Bob has absorbed the experience completely. His awareness and presence in the moment have contributed to his gift for retelling the stories of his life in a way that enables a reader or listener to empathize fully with him. He is also unafraid to share honestly and vulnerably. After all he went through fending off his government and media critics, topped off by ten years in prison, he could have become bitter and vengeful. But that is not the man I have known and admired for three decades. Through it all, it is safe to say Bob is fundamentally the same compassionate, generous, hard-working (and hard-playing) man he was when we met a long time ago at the Barcelona Olympics.
And that is saying a lot.
I have learned through my many years of friendship with Bob Brennan that the generosity we experienced those several summers many years ago was rooted in a profound generosity of spirit. Even when Bob no longer had material things to share—he left prison without even a decent pair of sneakers—he still found a way to enrich the lives of his friends and family by sharing himself and his experience. My connection with Bob has been incredibly rewarding.
When you read this fascinating story of his life, you will also feel rewarded and enriched by the generosity of Bob’s spirit. I am truly honored to call him my friend.
— Mike Krzyzewski