What It Takes

Richard Ben Cramer was born in Rochester, New York on June 12, 1950. He received a bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins University and studied at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. He worked at The Baltimore Sun before joining The Philadelphia Inquirer in the 1970s. He was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1979 for his coverage of the Middle East as a correspondent. He later wrote for Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone and Esquire.

His first book, What It Takes: The Way to the White House, was published in 1992 and examined the 1988 presidential campaign. His other works include DiMaggio: The Hero's Life, What Do You Think of Ted Williams Now?, and How Israel Lost: The Four Questions. He died from complications of lung cancer on January 7, 2013 at the age of 62. At his death he was working on a book about Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees.

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