When Charles Krauthammer died on June 21, 2018, the country lost a true master of his craft. For more than three decades as a columnist for the Washington Post, Krauthammer always delivered the best, managing in fewer than 800 words to craft a story that was always interesting no matter the topic.

Whether it was politics, sports, religion, or even chess, Krauthammer had a gift for maintaining simplicity with his writing that, while light on polemic, was heavy on argumentation, forcing readers to think about what he was saying. His audience always knew where Krauthammer stood. During a 2013 interview, he said, “You’re betraying your whole life if you don’t say what you think — and you don’t say it honestly and bluntly.”