Joe DiMaggio The Hero's Life

Joe DiMaggio was, at every turn, one man we could look at who made us feel good.In the hard-knuckled thirties, he was the immigrant boy who made it big -- and spurred the New York Yankees to a new era of dynasty. He was Broadway Joe, the icon of elegance, the man who wooed and won Marilyn Monroe -- the most beautiful girl America could dream up.Joe DiMaggio was a mirror of our best self. And he was also the loneliest hero we ever had.In this groundbreaking biography, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Richard Ben Cramer presents a shocking portrait of a complicated, enigmatic life. The story that DiMaggio never wanted told, tells of his grace -- and greed; his dignity, pride -- and hidden shame. It is a story that sweeps through the twentieth century, bringing to light not just America's national game, but the birth (and the price) of modern national celebrity.

Richard Ben Cramer is the author of the bestselling What It Takes: The Way to the White House. He has written for Rolling Stone, The New York Times Magazine, Time, and Newsweek. In 1979, he won a Pulitzer Prize for his dispatches from the Middle East. He lives on Maryland's eastern shore with his wife and daughter.