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Joe Biden: A Life of Trial and Redemption – The Presidential Biography: Four Decades from Working-Class Senator to Vice President to the White House
UPDATED AND WITH NEW PHOTOS Newly updated, the definitive biography of the President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden, which examines the fascinating life of a man who has shaped Washington politics for more than four decades and will now enter the White House as President in his own right. Raised in the working-class towns of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware, and with lackluster grades in school and no particular goals, Joe Biden shocked the nation in 1972 when he became one of the youngest elected senators in U.S. history. Over the course of four decades, he carved a legacy for himself as one of the most respected legislators in the country, and was a close friend and partner to President Barack Obama, who valued his vice president’s vast experience in domestic and foreign affairs. Yet Biden's political success has been matched by personal tragedy and countless challenges. Within two months of being elected in 1972, Biden lost his wife, Neilia, and his young daughter in a tragic accident—a loss that brought him to the nadir of despair and shook his resolve to stay in politics. He suffered two brain aneurysms and career-threatening gaffes and miscues. In 2015, he lost his eldest son, Beau, to brain cancer. Biden then faced the biggest challenge of his political career as the Democratic nominee for the 2020 elections and won both the electoral college and popular vote. He is now poised to enter the White House once more—this time as President—at a time of great global uncertainty. Based on exhaustive research by one of Washington's most prolific journalists, including numerous exclusive interviews with Biden's confidants and family members, as well as President Obama and the President-elect himself, Joe Biden goes beyond conventional biography to track the forces that have shaped the man who will be the next President of the United States.
576 pages, Paperback
First published October 5, 2010
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July 6, 2024My AI friend writes:
The Book of Biden: Chapter 21
1. And it came to pass in the latter days of the reign of Joseph, son of Biden, that the people of the land were sorely troubled.
2. For there arose a great contention among the people, and many voices did cry out, saying, "Behold, our leader is of many years, and his strength faileth him; let another rise in his stead."
3. And lo, Joseph did strive mightily to fulfill the duties of his office, but the murmuring of the people grew ever louder.
4. Then did the Lord God Almighty, who reigneth from the highest heaven, look upon the earth and see the travail of His servant Joseph.
5. And the Lord said, "I shall send My messenger to speak unto Joseph, that he may know My will and bring peace unto his people."
6. And the Lord called unto Gabriel, the archangel, saying, "Go thou unto Joseph, son of Biden, and speak unto him My words."
7. So Gabriel descended from the heavens in a blaze of glory, and appeared unto Joseph as he slept in the White House.
8. And Gabriel said unto him, "Joseph, son of Biden, hearken unto the words of the Lord thy God. Be not afraid, for I am sent to thee with glad tidings."
9. "The Lord hath seen thy labors and thy faithfulness, and He knoweth the burden thou bearest. He hath heard the cries of thy people and hath compassion upon thee."
10. "Therefore, thus saith the Lord: The time hath come for thee to lay down thine office and pass the mantle unto another. Fear not, for this is the will of the Almighty, and it shall bring peace and prosperity unto thy land."
11. And Joseph awoke, and his heart was filled with the peace that passeth all understanding. He knew that the voice of the Lord had spoken.
12. Then Joseph called unto his counselors and the leaders of his party, and he spake unto them, saying, "Behold, the Lord hath spoken unto me by His angel Gabriel. It is His will that I step aside and let another lead this great nation."
13. And there was great astonishment among the people, but they saw the wisdom in Joseph's words, and they honored his decision.
14. So Joseph, son of Biden, did resign from his office with grace and humility, and the people did choose another to lead them.
15. And the new leader did guide the nation with wisdom and strength, and the people prospered.
16. Thus was Joseph remembered by all as the President who heeded the voice of God and brought peace to his people.
17. And the Lord blessed Joseph and his house, and they dwelt in peace for all their days.
18. And it was written in the chronicles of the land that Joseph, son of Biden, did hear the voice of the Almighty, and his name was honored among the nations forevermore. Amen.
The Book of Biden: Chapter 21
1. And it came to pass in the latter days of the reign of Joseph, son of Biden, that the people of the land were sorely troubled.
2. For there arose a great contention among the people, and many voices did cry out, saying, "Behold, our leader is of many years, and his strength faileth him; let another rise in his stead."
3. And lo, Joseph did strive mightily to fulfill the duties of his office, but the murmuring of the people grew ever louder.
4. Then did the Lord God Almighty, who reigneth from the highest heaven, look upon the earth and see the travail of His servant Joseph.
5. And the Lord said, "I shall send My messenger to speak unto Joseph, that he may know My will and bring peace unto his people."
6. And the Lord called unto Gabriel, the archangel, saying, "Go thou unto Joseph, son of Biden, and speak unto him My words."
7. So Gabriel descended from the heavens in a blaze of glory, and appeared unto Joseph as he slept in the White House.
8. And Gabriel said unto him, "Joseph, son of Biden, hearken unto the words of the Lord thy God. Be not afraid, for I am sent to thee with glad tidings."
9. "The Lord hath seen thy labors and thy faithfulness, and He knoweth the burden thou bearest. He hath heard the cries of thy people and hath compassion upon thee."
10. "Therefore, thus saith the Lord: The time hath come for thee to lay down thine office and pass the mantle unto another. Fear not, for this is the will of the Almighty, and it shall bring peace and prosperity unto thy land."
11. And Joseph awoke, and his heart was filled with the peace that passeth all understanding. He knew that the voice of the Lord had spoken.
12. Then Joseph called unto his counselors and the leaders of his party, and he spake unto them, saying, "Behold, the Lord hath spoken unto me by His angel Gabriel. It is His will that I step aside and let another lead this great nation."
13. And there was great astonishment among the people, but they saw the wisdom in Joseph's words, and they honored his decision.
14. So Joseph, son of Biden, did resign from his office with grace and humility, and the people did choose another to lead them.
15. And the new leader did guide the nation with wisdom and strength, and the people prospered.
16. Thus was Joseph remembered by all as the President who heeded the voice of God and brought peace to his people.
17. And the Lord blessed Joseph and his house, and they dwelt in peace for all their days.
18. And it was written in the chronicles of the land that Joseph, son of Biden, did hear the voice of the Almighty, and his name was honored among the nations forevermore. Amen.
November 2, 2020
I have decided to embark on a mission to read a number of books on subjects that will be of great importance to the upcoming 2020 US Presidential Election. Many of these will focus on actors intricately involved in the process, in hopes that I can understand them better and, perhaps, educate others with the power to cast a ballot. I am, as always, open to serious recommendations from anyone who has a book I might like to include in the process.
This is Book #35 in my 2020 US Election Preparation Challenge.
Close to formal Election Day, I was finally able to locate and read a thoroughly engaging biography on the Democratic nominee for president, Joe Biden. The work that Jules Witcover puts into this piece offered me the well-rounded view I sought and explores Biden’s personal backstory, mixed with the political experiences the candidate has had. This provides me with a better understanding and stronger ability to stand behind the man, even though I do not have a vote. While likely too late for many to read ahead of casting their ballot, this is a biography that many can enjoy no matter the time, and one that I recommended without hesitation.
Born in 1942, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was the eldest son of a hard-working father and a doting mother. His early years in Scranton, Pennsylvania proved to be fortuitous for Joey Biden, allowing him to develop strong friendships and hone his Irish Catholicism. When work required the Bidens to move to Delaware, Joey struggled, but knew his father, Joe Sr., did not make the decision lightly.
Witcover explores the formative years of Joe Biden’s life, including his passion for socialising, sports, and girls. While Biden was saddled with a stutter, it did not impede his abilities to form life-long friendships, nor did it appear to stop the young man from speaking at length to anyone who would listen, a trait that would become a Biden trademark in the decades to come.
While on a holiday from college, Biden met the woman who would become his wife, assuring everyone that this was the woman of his dreams. Biden’s decision to marry Neilia Hunter also helped him decide to choose Syracuse for law school, a decision he never regretted. While never at the top of his class, Witcover discusses the Biden love of learning, even though there were a few foibles along the way.
His passion for helping the ‘little guy’ led Biden to begin his professional career in Wilmington, Delaware. He hung out his shingle and began dabbling in local politics when time allowed. This was also the time that Joe and Neilia started their family. Biden would refer back to the importance of his own family throughout his life, echoed by Witcover as the narrative progresses. The Bidens had two boys in quick succession, Beau and Hunter, as Joe’s eyes locked onto his next challenge, national office.
With the upcoming US Senate race in Delaware, Biden wanted to put his name in the ring to run against long-time senator Cale Boggs. A respected man who had served the state for the Republicans, Boggs was a guarantee. However, Biden did all he could in 1972 to create a dent in the GOP campaign and toured the state, making speeches and showing how he could make a difference. In a miraculous outcome, something Witcover deemed a David defeating Goliath moment, Joe Biden won the race and became a US senator at age twenty-nine, not yet the constitutional age to serve, though he would celebrate a birthday later in November, ahead of being sworn-in.
Preparing to serve, Biden began preparing his office in Washington late in 1972. News came in mid-December that there had been an accident, in which Neilia and their new baby, Naomi, were killed in an automobile accident, with the boys injured. Witcover describes how this was a seminal moment in Biden’s life, a widower and single father who contemplated packing it all in before he had even spent a day in the Senate. However, he received the support he needed, from family and Senate colleagues alike, and chose to do this for his sons.
Biden’s first term in the Senate was one of eye-opening moments. While many newcomers to the Upper House of the United States would sit silently and learn, Biden was happy to speak out and use his gift of the gab to shape policy. This did not endear him to some in the Chamber, but Biden knew no other way of living. His passion for civil rights served him well and an early endorsement of 1976 Democratic candidate for president, Jimmy Carter, helped propel Biden onto the national scene. It was at this time that Biden also began dating former model Jill Jacobs, a woman with no love of politics. Their long and drawn-out courtship led to marriage in 1977, at the insistence of Beau and Hunter.
Witcover explores some of Biden’s political passions, including a less than orthodox view on civil rights. Biden’s passions came from a strong admiration for the Kennedys, another pair of Catholic politicians, and a desire to ensure all Americans were protected. His later role on the Senate Judiciary Committee permitted him to explore how these views could be shaped to continue helping Americans. While not covered in the book, the reemergence of this issue makes his run in 2020 poignant.
Witcover spends much time exploring Biden’s early years in the Senate and how he was often talked about as a potential presidential candidate. He declined in 1980 and ‘84, citing his young family and not yet being ready for the spotlight. However, he thought that he could have a chance in 1988, tossing his hat into the ring and beginning his campaign during the spring of 1987. However, he would stumble and find himself spread too thin, while also making a significant gaffe by not attributing certain views to others, tarring himself as a plagiarist. The nomination ended before it really began, though Joe had his Senate responsibilities to keep him busy.
It was the Democrats winning back control of the Senate in 1986 that started the ball rolling for Biden, who earned the chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee. Biden’s passion for all things legal put him in the spotlight as US Supreme Court nominations became central. Witcover explores two such nomination battles, Robert Bork in 1987 and Clarence Thomas in 1991, in great detail for the curious reader. Biden rose to prominence with them both, but was criticised extensively for how he handled them as Chairman.
Biden turned his focus towards his other Senate Committee, Foreign Relations, into the 1990s and how he could help in the effort to make America a role model on the world scene. From his countless trips to war-torn areas through to blunt meetings with some world leaders whose values did not match those of the United States, Biden proved himself a statesman. Witcover explores this at length and shows how Biden added to his already long resume for another run to win in the White House. However, in a post-September 11th world, Biden and many other senators were led down the garden path by the George W. Bush Administration, according to Witcover, and many voted in favour of a war in Iraq, something that many Democrats would come to regret.
As the end of the George W. Bush presidency neared, Biden felt that 2008 might be his year to run and finally become president. However, he was not alone in his ambition, which included a first-term senator from Illinois by the name of Barack Obama. As hard as Biden tried, he could not garner the attention some of the front-runners captured and dropped out of the race in early 2008. Witcover explores the early campaign in-depth and shows how Joe Biden held some strong views, some of which would force him to eat crow. When Obama won the Democratic nomination, he turned to a man he felt would not only balance the ticket, but also provide strong foundation in a new Administration. Biden had vowed never to be anyone’s lapdog, but did agree to serve as Obama’s vice-president, offering some stipulations.
Witcover spends a significant amount of time on the 2008 Campaign and time that Biden spent as vice-president, showing that years of dedicated service could pay off while also permitting him to learn to tone down his gift of the gab. Biden shaped policies and worked inside the tent to help his president create an America many would come to love.
Serving under Obama, Biden did a great deal to advance the domestic and international agendas of the Administration, combatting those who would try to deter Obama from making the progress he had promised while stumping on the campaign. From liaising with Congress to ensure health-care for all Americans to ensuring that countries were treated fairly and not bullied by others, Biden was in for the fight, ready to do whatever he could. Witcover shows this repeatedly throughout the biography, with concrete examples.
In the waning chapters of the book, added for the re-release in 2019, Witcover looks at Biden and where he hoped to go post vice-presidency. There is a truly heartfelt portion of the piece that surrounds the illness and eventual death of Beau Biden from brain cancer, exemplifying how Joe would and could handle it. In those pages is included the solemn vow and promise Joe made to his son, which is explored more completely in a book the former vice-president penned after leaving the White House.
Watching the destruction of the America he sought to create while working in Washington, Joe Biden mulled over a third and final run for the presidency. He tossed his hat in the ring, beginning a campaign of a progressive in April 2019, vying for the role of nominee against a number of others, many who were younger and who had not yet thought of politics when Joe arrived on the scene. While many were focussed on pie in the sky ideals of policy and social movement, Biden appeared to turn his attention on one thing; wresting control of the reins of power from a madman and returning America to the greatness it lost on January 20, 2017. Here’s hoping he will!
I entered this piece hoping from a great deal, as I needed a meaty and educational piece about Joe Biden. Jules Witcover did that and more, pulling me into the middle of this man’s life and all that he had done. While the journey is long, paralleling some of the speeches that Joe Biden made on the Senate floor, it is comprehensive and detailed, providing the reader with the insight they need to understand the politics and passion of the man. There is no doubt to me that Joe Biden loves his country, almost as much as he does his family. The thoroughness of Witcover’s writing appears in each of the chapters, with both praise and criticism at every turn. Add to that, the education value is one in which any reader can learn something about the man and the system in which he served.
This is no fluff piece, but more an examination of the man and how he sought to grow over his more than forty years of public service. I cannot say enough about Joe Biden, his views, and his passions. Jules Witcover proves his mastery and I am indebted to him for offering up something so captivating.
Kudos, Mr. Witcover, for a sensational biography. I hope you’re around to pen one more book about Biden and his presidency, putting the country back on track (pardon the pun!).
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
This is Book #35 in my 2020 US Election Preparation Challenge.
Close to formal Election Day, I was finally able to locate and read a thoroughly engaging biography on the Democratic nominee for president, Joe Biden. The work that Jules Witcover puts into this piece offered me the well-rounded view I sought and explores Biden’s personal backstory, mixed with the political experiences the candidate has had. This provides me with a better understanding and stronger ability to stand behind the man, even though I do not have a vote. While likely too late for many to read ahead of casting their ballot, this is a biography that many can enjoy no matter the time, and one that I recommended without hesitation.
Born in 1942, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was the eldest son of a hard-working father and a doting mother. His early years in Scranton, Pennsylvania proved to be fortuitous for Joey Biden, allowing him to develop strong friendships and hone his Irish Catholicism. When work required the Bidens to move to Delaware, Joey struggled, but knew his father, Joe Sr., did not make the decision lightly.
Witcover explores the formative years of Joe Biden’s life, including his passion for socialising, sports, and girls. While Biden was saddled with a stutter, it did not impede his abilities to form life-long friendships, nor did it appear to stop the young man from speaking at length to anyone who would listen, a trait that would become a Biden trademark in the decades to come.
While on a holiday from college, Biden met the woman who would become his wife, assuring everyone that this was the woman of his dreams. Biden’s decision to marry Neilia Hunter also helped him decide to choose Syracuse for law school, a decision he never regretted. While never at the top of his class, Witcover discusses the Biden love of learning, even though there were a few foibles along the way.
His passion for helping the ‘little guy’ led Biden to begin his professional career in Wilmington, Delaware. He hung out his shingle and began dabbling in local politics when time allowed. This was also the time that Joe and Neilia started their family. Biden would refer back to the importance of his own family throughout his life, echoed by Witcover as the narrative progresses. The Bidens had two boys in quick succession, Beau and Hunter, as Joe’s eyes locked onto his next challenge, national office.
With the upcoming US Senate race in Delaware, Biden wanted to put his name in the ring to run against long-time senator Cale Boggs. A respected man who had served the state for the Republicans, Boggs was a guarantee. However, Biden did all he could in 1972 to create a dent in the GOP campaign and toured the state, making speeches and showing how he could make a difference. In a miraculous outcome, something Witcover deemed a David defeating Goliath moment, Joe Biden won the race and became a US senator at age twenty-nine, not yet the constitutional age to serve, though he would celebrate a birthday later in November, ahead of being sworn-in.
Preparing to serve, Biden began preparing his office in Washington late in 1972. News came in mid-December that there had been an accident, in which Neilia and their new baby, Naomi, were killed in an automobile accident, with the boys injured. Witcover describes how this was a seminal moment in Biden’s life, a widower and single father who contemplated packing it all in before he had even spent a day in the Senate. However, he received the support he needed, from family and Senate colleagues alike, and chose to do this for his sons.
Biden’s first term in the Senate was one of eye-opening moments. While many newcomers to the Upper House of the United States would sit silently and learn, Biden was happy to speak out and use his gift of the gab to shape policy. This did not endear him to some in the Chamber, but Biden knew no other way of living. His passion for civil rights served him well and an early endorsement of 1976 Democratic candidate for president, Jimmy Carter, helped propel Biden onto the national scene. It was at this time that Biden also began dating former model Jill Jacobs, a woman with no love of politics. Their long and drawn-out courtship led to marriage in 1977, at the insistence of Beau and Hunter.
Witcover explores some of Biden’s political passions, including a less than orthodox view on civil rights. Biden’s passions came from a strong admiration for the Kennedys, another pair of Catholic politicians, and a desire to ensure all Americans were protected. His later role on the Senate Judiciary Committee permitted him to explore how these views could be shaped to continue helping Americans. While not covered in the book, the reemergence of this issue makes his run in 2020 poignant.
Witcover spends much time exploring Biden’s early years in the Senate and how he was often talked about as a potential presidential candidate. He declined in 1980 and ‘84, citing his young family and not yet being ready for the spotlight. However, he thought that he could have a chance in 1988, tossing his hat into the ring and beginning his campaign during the spring of 1987. However, he would stumble and find himself spread too thin, while also making a significant gaffe by not attributing certain views to others, tarring himself as a plagiarist. The nomination ended before it really began, though Joe had his Senate responsibilities to keep him busy.
It was the Democrats winning back control of the Senate in 1986 that started the ball rolling for Biden, who earned the chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee. Biden’s passion for all things legal put him in the spotlight as US Supreme Court nominations became central. Witcover explores two such nomination battles, Robert Bork in 1987 and Clarence Thomas in 1991, in great detail for the curious reader. Biden rose to prominence with them both, but was criticised extensively for how he handled them as Chairman.
Biden turned his focus towards his other Senate Committee, Foreign Relations, into the 1990s and how he could help in the effort to make America a role model on the world scene. From his countless trips to war-torn areas through to blunt meetings with some world leaders whose values did not match those of the United States, Biden proved himself a statesman. Witcover explores this at length and shows how Biden added to his already long resume for another run to win in the White House. However, in a post-September 11th world, Biden and many other senators were led down the garden path by the George W. Bush Administration, according to Witcover, and many voted in favour of a war in Iraq, something that many Democrats would come to regret.
As the end of the George W. Bush presidency neared, Biden felt that 2008 might be his year to run and finally become president. However, he was not alone in his ambition, which included a first-term senator from Illinois by the name of Barack Obama. As hard as Biden tried, he could not garner the attention some of the front-runners captured and dropped out of the race in early 2008. Witcover explores the early campaign in-depth and shows how Joe Biden held some strong views, some of which would force him to eat crow. When Obama won the Democratic nomination, he turned to a man he felt would not only balance the ticket, but also provide strong foundation in a new Administration. Biden had vowed never to be anyone’s lapdog, but did agree to serve as Obama’s vice-president, offering some stipulations.
Witcover spends a significant amount of time on the 2008 Campaign and time that Biden spent as vice-president, showing that years of dedicated service could pay off while also permitting him to learn to tone down his gift of the gab. Biden shaped policies and worked inside the tent to help his president create an America many would come to love.
Serving under Obama, Biden did a great deal to advance the domestic and international agendas of the Administration, combatting those who would try to deter Obama from making the progress he had promised while stumping on the campaign. From liaising with Congress to ensure health-care for all Americans to ensuring that countries were treated fairly and not bullied by others, Biden was in for the fight, ready to do whatever he could. Witcover shows this repeatedly throughout the biography, with concrete examples.
In the waning chapters of the book, added for the re-release in 2019, Witcover looks at Biden and where he hoped to go post vice-presidency. There is a truly heartfelt portion of the piece that surrounds the illness and eventual death of Beau Biden from brain cancer, exemplifying how Joe would and could handle it. In those pages is included the solemn vow and promise Joe made to his son, which is explored more completely in a book the former vice-president penned after leaving the White House.
Watching the destruction of the America he sought to create while working in Washington, Joe Biden mulled over a third and final run for the presidency. He tossed his hat in the ring, beginning a campaign of a progressive in April 2019, vying for the role of nominee against a number of others, many who were younger and who had not yet thought of politics when Joe arrived on the scene. While many were focussed on pie in the sky ideals of policy and social movement, Biden appeared to turn his attention on one thing; wresting control of the reins of power from a madman and returning America to the greatness it lost on January 20, 2017. Here’s hoping he will!
I entered this piece hoping from a great deal, as I needed a meaty and educational piece about Joe Biden. Jules Witcover did that and more, pulling me into the middle of this man’s life and all that he had done. While the journey is long, paralleling some of the speeches that Joe Biden made on the Senate floor, it is comprehensive and detailed, providing the reader with the insight they need to understand the politics and passion of the man. There is no doubt to me that Joe Biden loves his country, almost as much as he does his family. The thoroughness of Witcover’s writing appears in each of the chapters, with both praise and criticism at every turn. Add to that, the education value is one in which any reader can learn something about the man and the system in which he served.
This is no fluff piece, but more an examination of the man and how he sought to grow over his more than forty years of public service. I cannot say enough about Joe Biden, his views, and his passions. Jules Witcover proves his mastery and I am indebted to him for offering up something so captivating.
Kudos, Mr. Witcover, for a sensational biography. I hope you’re around to pen one more book about Biden and his presidency, putting the country back on track (pardon the pun!).
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
November 4, 2019
Jules Witcover's biography Joe Biden: A Life of Trial and Redemption has been updated and rereleased. Reading this book helped me to understand Biden's career, his consistent strengths and weaknesses, and his deeply held values. I found the biography to be interesting, informative, accessible, and enjoyable.
Witcover gives us details of Joe's legislative career, illustrating his long-held views. I was thoroughly engaged while experiencing many 'ah-ha' moments of clarity on issues currently being discussed, such as his view on busing which came up in an early Democratic primary debate.
Biden's ability to connect with people, coupled with his winning smile, his accessibility in a small state, made him Delaware's "Joe." Readers learn that Delaware is such a small state that politicians can't afford to not get along, a quality Joe brought into national politics. Joe also was unafraid to stand up against his own party's stance, such as busing.
It was also very interesting to learn about Joe's leadership in vetting supreme court justices. The book is detailed and yet so interesting and relevant. Also, Joe's experience in foreign affairs is very revealing and relevant.
As a family man, Joe offers much to recommend as a role model. The 'life of trial,' as many know, includes the early loss of his wife and child and the more recent loss of his son Beau. Joe's commitment to his family took precedence over becoming a Washington insider, as his daily commute from Washington D.C. to Delaware isolated him from other congressmen.
Witcover doesn't shy away from exploring Joe's 'fatal flaws' which have labeled him. For instance, the charge that Joe talks too much is explored while also affirming that Joe really knows what he is talking about. Although a lackluster student, Joe is an avid reader and lifelong learner, which with his years of experience, makes him an authority.
Previously, I had read Joe's profoundly moving and inspirational book Promise Me, Dad and The Book of Joe. I had also read about how Joe and Beau Biden supported Sarah McBride in her memoir Tomorrow Will Be Different.
I won a free book from the publisher through LibraryThing. My review is fair and unbiased.
Witcover gives us details of Joe's legislative career, illustrating his long-held views. I was thoroughly engaged while experiencing many 'ah-ha' moments of clarity on issues currently being discussed, such as his view on busing which came up in an early Democratic primary debate.
Biden's ability to connect with people, coupled with his winning smile, his accessibility in a small state, made him Delaware's "Joe." Readers learn that Delaware is such a small state that politicians can't afford to not get along, a quality Joe brought into national politics. Joe also was unafraid to stand up against his own party's stance, such as busing.
It was also very interesting to learn about Joe's leadership in vetting supreme court justices. The book is detailed and yet so interesting and relevant. Also, Joe's experience in foreign affairs is very revealing and relevant.
As a family man, Joe offers much to recommend as a role model. The 'life of trial,' as many know, includes the early loss of his wife and child and the more recent loss of his son Beau. Joe's commitment to his family took precedence over becoming a Washington insider, as his daily commute from Washington D.C. to Delaware isolated him from other congressmen.
Witcover doesn't shy away from exploring Joe's 'fatal flaws' which have labeled him. For instance, the charge that Joe talks too much is explored while also affirming that Joe really knows what he is talking about. Although a lackluster student, Joe is an avid reader and lifelong learner, which with his years of experience, makes him an authority.
Previously, I had read Joe's profoundly moving and inspirational book Promise Me, Dad and The Book of Joe. I had also read about how Joe and Beau Biden supported Sarah McBride in her memoir Tomorrow Will Be Different.
I won a free book from the publisher through LibraryThing. My review is fair and unbiased.
January 28, 2021
In his nearly fifty year career in journalism, veteran political commentator Jules Witcover has written extensively about the American political system and politicians in over thirteen books as well as numerous newspaper and magazine articles.
For this book, Mr. Witcover interviewed members of Joe Biden’s family and friends, his professors at both the University of Delaware and Syracuse University School of Law, former President Barack Obama and Biden’s Congressional colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and numerous political operatives.
Joe Biden: a Life of Trial and Redemption provides a comprehensive, in-depth, and very detailed view of the life and long career of Joe Biden. First published in 2010, the book was updated in 2019 to reflect the current political situation.
Anyone interested in American politics and the life of our newly elected President would find this book interesting, insightful, and educational.
For this book, Mr. Witcover interviewed members of Joe Biden’s family and friends, his professors at both the University of Delaware and Syracuse University School of Law, former President Barack Obama and Biden’s Congressional colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and numerous political operatives.
Joe Biden: a Life of Trial and Redemption provides a comprehensive, in-depth, and very detailed view of the life and long career of Joe Biden. First published in 2010, the book was updated in 2019 to reflect the current political situation.
Anyone interested in American politics and the life of our newly elected President would find this book interesting, insightful, and educational.
March 25, 2020
Is he still lying about the accident his wife ad daughter died in?
For many many years, he claimed the other vehicle in the accident was at fault because he had been drinking. Both were lies. The man had no alchol in his system (per hospital), and the accident was his wife’s fault (per police report).
Finally the daughter of the man he slandered outed Biden. I wish she would have sued him.
What a despicable thing to lie about. The lowest of the low, to use your dead wife and daughter for political purposes.
For many many years, he claimed the other vehicle in the accident was at fault because he had been drinking. Both were lies. The man had no alchol in his system (per hospital), and the accident was his wife’s fault (per police report).
Finally the daughter of the man he slandered outed Biden. I wish she would have sued him.
What a despicable thing to lie about. The lowest of the low, to use your dead wife and daughter for political purposes.
May 8, 2021
This updated version of Jules Witcover's Joe Biden serves as an excellent cradle-to-present biography of USA's current president. It reaches into 2020 and the beginnings of the presidential campaign, without introducing the global pandemic that reduced it to a strange and nearly elusive appearance. Donald Trump is mentioned just enough to explain his part in Biden's decision to run again.
With more than 30 years in the Senate, a career like Biden's could be a challenge to read about, but save for two chapters each on Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas, that was not the case. Biden's personal life is thoroughly explored, with, as the title indicates, a focus on trials he has faced.
There is a short, terrific chapter on the nature of the vice presidency, including what some its occupants have had to say about the often forgotten role. Much time is spent on Biden's determination not to serve as vice president, and his eventual decision to do so.
A little repetition is notable, and the final chapter is mostly a recap of the rest of the story. But the editing was good, and the prose consistently enjoyable.
This book, for now, wraps up my goal to read at least one biography of each president, although I will be revisiting a few for whom I read inadequate books, and will read more on several others. There couldn't have been a much better way for it to end.
With more than 30 years in the Senate, a career like Biden's could be a challenge to read about, but save for two chapters each on Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas, that was not the case. Biden's personal life is thoroughly explored, with, as the title indicates, a focus on trials he has faced.
There is a short, terrific chapter on the nature of the vice presidency, including what some its occupants have had to say about the often forgotten role. Much time is spent on Biden's determination not to serve as vice president, and his eventual decision to do so.
A little repetition is notable, and the final chapter is mostly a recap of the rest of the story. But the editing was good, and the prose consistently enjoyable.
This book, for now, wraps up my goal to read at least one biography of each president, although I will be revisiting a few for whom I read inadequate books, and will read more on several others. There couldn't have been a much better way for it to end.
March 1, 2020
I am not a Democrat, and I did not know very much about Biden before reading this book - but I was interested, since he was a VP for 8 years and thus, excited to read it.
The book is thoroughly researched and fairly well-written. However, the author was at times repetitive (so-and-so said Biden never drank or did drugs was hammered in - yes, we got it, he didn't drink or do drugs. We didn't really need five people to account for this, did we?), at times detailed almost to the extreme, and there were instances where it seemed the author's political beliefs seemed to sway his writing (i.e. it didn't sound as unbiased as one would think a biography should sound).
If you are super-interested in Biden's politics over the span of his career, then this is the book for you. If you're hoping to know more about Biden-as-a-person, you will feel disappointed. You get all sorts of information about his childhood and young adult years, but once he was elected to Senate, the author doesn't really go into much of who Biden was outside of politics. Maybe that's because there wasn't much to Biden outside of politics, but that just seems impossible.
Additionally, it felt like the book was only updated in preparation for his 2020 Presidential run. (Note: I never read the first edition.) The updates (assumedly info pertaining to the 2010-2019 years) are not nearly as thorough or detailed as previous text. It is also repetitive (if elected, oldest President/Bernie Sanders is also super-old is mentioned twice within six pages) and seems like it was quickly thrown together. The second Obama term is relegated to approximately eleven pages, which is MUCH shorter than the Bork trial and only slightly longer than the history of Vice Presidents. The end of the book seems abrupt...maybe the author should have waited to update until the conclusion of the 2020 election? In any case, the book was realllly long, and I feel like a lot could have been trimmed and tightened.
Mistake:
- pg. 479: author states Biden was twice defeated in presidential bid in 1984 and 2008, but Biden actually pursued a presidential bid in *1987* and 2008.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for my honest review.
The book is thoroughly researched and fairly well-written. However, the author was at times repetitive (so-and-so said Biden never drank or did drugs was hammered in - yes, we got it, he didn't drink or do drugs. We didn't really need five people to account for this, did we?), at times detailed almost to the extreme, and there were instances where it seemed the author's political beliefs seemed to sway his writing (i.e. it didn't sound as unbiased as one would think a biography should sound).
If you are super-interested in Biden's politics over the span of his career, then this is the book for you. If you're hoping to know more about Biden-as-a-person, you will feel disappointed. You get all sorts of information about his childhood and young adult years, but once he was elected to Senate, the author doesn't really go into much of who Biden was outside of politics. Maybe that's because there wasn't much to Biden outside of politics, but that just seems impossible.
Additionally, it felt like the book was only updated in preparation for his 2020 Presidential run. (Note: I never read the first edition.) The updates (assumedly info pertaining to the 2010-2019 years) are not nearly as thorough or detailed as previous text. It is also repetitive (if elected, oldest President/Bernie Sanders is also super-old is mentioned twice within six pages) and seems like it was quickly thrown together. The second Obama term is relegated to approximately eleven pages, which is MUCH shorter than the Bork trial and only slightly longer than the history of Vice Presidents. The end of the book seems abrupt...maybe the author should have waited to update until the conclusion of the 2020 election? In any case, the book was realllly long, and I feel like a lot could have been trimmed and tightened.
Mistake:
- pg. 479: author states Biden was twice defeated in presidential bid in 1984 and 2008, but Biden actually pursued a presidential bid in *1987* and 2008.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for my honest review.
October 2, 2013
A political puff piece on Vice_president Joe Biden as he readies himself for a run for the presidency in 2016. Plays up Biden's political nature [make deals to gain power and votes]. While a nominal Catholic he has endorsed attacks on religious beliefs with his support of abortion and same sex marriage. These issues are put forth in a manner that seems favorable to Biden. His attacks on the Bill of Rights are ignored and the accusations of plagiarism while in college are down played. The story of a career politician who never made a sacrifice for his country such as military service. The book was well written but biased.
July 9, 2020
If you want to understand how Joe Biden thinks, this is an excellent book to read. While rather long on the details of his work in the Senate, it does give you a fair look at how the man views politics....at least until he became vice-president, which is where the book ends. I feel better about Biden as a candidate after reading this.
October 4, 2025
Jules Witcover has written the best biography of Joe Biden we will probably see in the 46th President’s lifetime. Witcover examines Biden warts and all, although Witcover’s impression of the Delaware native is a positive one. We see Biden go from a kid in Scranton and Wilmington to a young man on the make, confronted with the tragedy of his first wife and daughter dying in a car accident and his two sons injured. Biden almost refused his Senate seat, but Mike Mansfield and other Senate Democrats convinced him to honor his promise to the people of Delaware. We see the successive highs and lows of Biden’s career and life, especially meeting his second wife Jill and the birth of their daughter Ashley. We see Biden become a glib and talkative pillar of the Senate and then become Vice President and make two failed bids for the presidency before winning the third time. Witcover does lose his objectivity when covering the Bush 43 years and Iraq, but that’s the only quibble with an otherwise good work. Rating 4.25/5
March 23, 2023
And with that, my first pass on my Presidential Reading Challenge comes to a close. 98 books and over 45,000 pages read in just under two years.
January 22, 2013
As a native of Delaware, I admire Joe Biden. He inspires me I'm proud to be from his state. This is especially because we went to the same grade school (St. Helena's) - a point the book finally confirmed after years of my hoping that it was true. The book has many other interesting details about Biden's life and career, including an exploration of the speech that led to his dropping out of the 1988 Democratic nomination process. Biden is a man who speaks bluntly and at length, and several examples of his verbal blunders are included in the book. The author points out that most people in Delaware have written off these gaffs with the phrase, "That's Joe."
Unfortunately, the author adopts the "aw shucks" tone of that phrase in his exploration of Joe's life at the expense of creating a thoughtful through-line for the book. Witcover goes from moment to moment in Biden's career as if they were stops along the line instead of seeking to unite them in a grand exploration of Biden's motivations and passions.
It appears that there aren't many - if any - other biographies of Joe Biden out there. Hopefully there will be more that expand upon this respectable introduction.
Unfortunately, the author adopts the "aw shucks" tone of that phrase in his exploration of Joe's life at the expense of creating a thoughtful through-line for the book. Witcover goes from moment to moment in Biden's career as if they were stops along the line instead of seeking to unite them in a grand exploration of Biden's motivations and passions.
It appears that there aren't many - if any - other biographies of Joe Biden out there. Hopefully there will be more that expand upon this respectable introduction.
October 19, 2010
The Atlantic profiled Joe Biden around the time I was reading this book. Mark Bowden's piece ("The Salesman"), struck me as ungenerous, and somewhat shallow. But it was an interesting contrast to Jules Whitcover's adulation. Joe Biden does seem to have had a very interesting life but this book was so eager to make a "great narrative" of the hero's ascent and struggle (or more precisely, his "trial and redemption") that it failed to fully humanize him.
July 25, 2013
You could have just read the epilogue to get his story.
November 14, 2019
Pretty much a love letter about Biden. If you looking for a rounded view of his positives and negatives, this isn't the book
March 3, 2021
This has a very positive view of Biden. It does touch on some of the negatives: sexual harassment allegations, his treatment of supreme court nominees. It emphasizes a lot about his personal honor and strong character. Sadly it does not mention his faith. It does say he’s a member the Roman Catholic Church and that it’s important to him but that’s it. Overall if you want a positive view of Biden it would be a good read.
September 9, 2020
Billed as “the definitive biography” of Joe Biden, yet woefully out of date even less than 10 years later. This is why you should never write a biography while someone is still alive, unless it’s an autobiography.
Drawing heavily from Biden’s memoirs, yet irritatingly light on personal detail, one gets the vibe that this was just a quick money grab as opposed to serious literary exploration of the man.
In other words, it’s either one of the most boring biographies ever written, or Joe is just painfully boring himself. I’ll read his memoir, but I still think it’s too early. If he gets elected President at 77, that’ll require entire books in their own right.
But this book was incredibly boring, and I read Chernow biographies for breakfast.
Drawing heavily from Biden’s memoirs, yet irritatingly light on personal detail, one gets the vibe that this was just a quick money grab as opposed to serious literary exploration of the man.
In other words, it’s either one of the most boring biographies ever written, or Joe is just painfully boring himself. I’ll read his memoir, but I still think it’s too early. If he gets elected President at 77, that’ll require entire books in their own right.
But this book was incredibly boring, and I read Chernow biographies for breakfast.
March 8, 2021
Well written and inclusive right up through the insurrection of Jan 6th. What an extraordinary life Joe Biden has had. After reading this book, I am even more proud to say I voted for him.
April 5, 2020
With Biden clearly on his way to becoming the Democratic nominee this year, I thought it was time to revisit Biden's story. I trust Jules Witcover's reporting, having read the books he wrote with Jack Germond about presidential elections. Even though this book stops short of the full story, having been published in 2010, it was my first choice of a book to read about Biden.
I think it's a good overview of the tragedies and achievements of Biden's life, and it does not ignore his many gaffes. However, there is a tone that indicated to me that Witcover fell prey to the issue that befalls many authors of biographies: He fell in love with his subject.
Biden was not my first choice as presidential candidate. If you're curious: I still think that, despite his youth, Pete Buttigieg demonstrated that he was the smartest of all the candidates with the executive experience we need, with military experience, as well. However, this book made me more comfortable with Biden as the nominee.
Until today ... ugh.
I think it's a good overview of the tragedies and achievements of Biden's life, and it does not ignore his many gaffes. However, there is a tone that indicated to me that Witcover fell prey to the issue that befalls many authors of biographies: He fell in love with his subject.
Biden was not my first choice as presidential candidate. If you're curious: I still think that, despite his youth, Pete Buttigieg demonstrated that he was the smartest of all the candidates with the executive experience we need, with military experience, as well. However, this book made me more comfortable with Biden as the nominee.
Until today ... ugh.
August 30, 2020
A good read but because Joe Biden has been in public life for over forty years, the book felt rushed and left me wanting more. Whether this is because of Robert Caro's LBJ books, certain sections just felt rushed. The story might have better been written in at least two or three books?
August 28, 2020
Often padded with the same points made in different chapters (as if Jules Witcover is playfully aping Joe Biden's loquacious tendencies), which can be hell on a reader, but useful as a general overview of the scope of Biden's life, beliefs, and significant accomplishments of his Senate career, up to the first year of his vice presidency.
May 25, 2020
This was a great book that had a comprehensive look of the career of Vice President Biden. A lot of people are only familiar with his time as VP, but the majority of the book is focused on his 36 year career as a United States Senator from Delaware. In his time there, Joe chaired, at different times, the Foreign Relations and the Judiciary Committees. These committees are two of the most prestigious on the Senate, and Biden joined the leadership of them at young ages.
This is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone who is planning to vote in 2020!
This is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone who is planning to vote in 2020!
October 9, 2019
Joe Biden, A Life of Trial and Redemption
is a biography of the former Vice President written by Jules Witcover and published in 2010. It covers Joe's whole life, starting with his birthday on November 20th, 1942 and running up to the beginning of his work as Barack Obama's Vice President in 2010.
Joe Biden, A Life of Trial and Redemption is one of the nearly twenty books about politicians I read in the summer of 2019 while researching a book about incumbents, candidates, and other politicians. I am giving the book 3 of 5 stars because, although it is thorough, it is a little dated, a bit longer than the others I read for this project, and the author quotes other books extensively rather than summarizing them in his own words.
One of the most amazing things I learned reading this book is that Joe was elected to the senate in 1972 when he was just 29 - and technically too young to serve. He turned 30 on November 20th, 1972, but tragedy struck before he was able to take office.
While Joe was in Washington, D.C. preparing to start his first term in the Senate in January, 1973, his wife and their three children were involved in an automobile accident in suburban Wilmington, Delaware. Although the two boys Beau and Hunter survived, Joe's wife "Neilia and the baby were pronounced dead on arrival" [p. 93].
It took Joe years to recover from his loss, but he managed to pull himself back from total despair and resume his life. The loss of his wife and her young child is, of course, one of the biggest of the "trials" referred to in the book's title.
After reading Jules Witcover's book about Joe Biden, I created a profile for him and included his spiritual portrait in my ebook Visualizing Politicians' Personalities, 2019 Incumbents and Candidates. I based the abstract image of Joe's personality in the ebook on this book, so it of course contains more about Joe Biden, A Life of Trial and Redemption - in case you are interested.
Joe Biden, A Life of Trial and Redemption is one of the nearly twenty books about politicians I read in the summer of 2019 while researching a book about incumbents, candidates, and other politicians. I am giving the book 3 of 5 stars because, although it is thorough, it is a little dated, a bit longer than the others I read for this project, and the author quotes other books extensively rather than summarizing them in his own words.
One of the most amazing things I learned reading this book is that Joe was elected to the senate in 1972 when he was just 29 - and technically too young to serve. He turned 30 on November 20th, 1972, but tragedy struck before he was able to take office.
While Joe was in Washington, D.C. preparing to start his first term in the Senate in January, 1973, his wife and their three children were involved in an automobile accident in suburban Wilmington, Delaware. Although the two boys Beau and Hunter survived, Joe's wife "Neilia and the baby were pronounced dead on arrival" [p. 93].
It took Joe years to recover from his loss, but he managed to pull himself back from total despair and resume his life. The loss of his wife and her young child is, of course, one of the biggest of the "trials" referred to in the book's title.
After reading Jules Witcover's book about Joe Biden, I created a profile for him and included his spiritual portrait in my ebook Visualizing Politicians' Personalities, 2019 Incumbents and Candidates. I based the abstract image of Joe's personality in the ebook on this book, so it of course contains more about Joe Biden, A Life of Trial and Redemption - in case you are interested.
November 18, 2019
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. In his book, Jules Witcover tells us about Joe Biden´s life in an readable style, leaving out none of the details. It is focused in the ups and downs and the challenges of someone with a forty year career as a public figure and it starts out with his childhood and then moving step by step in his political career. It offers a interest look at how Biden gained a Senate seat for the first time and, how, after it was clear that Obama had clinched the Democratic nomination, he approached Biden with the offer to be his running mate.Overall I found this to be a interesting biography of Joe Biden that gives a good explanation of the major events in his life.
December 12, 2015
I’m giving this book an extra star due solely to its subject. I adore Joe Biden; unfortunately this book imperfectly captures the dynamic life referenced in the title. The facts are all there, but they are accompanied by minimal analysis of where they fit into the political and cultural landscape. Many chapters read like extended Wikipedia articles. The presentation is at times extremely clunky, and further suffers from the heavy-handed stitching together of material from other books. Nevertheless, Joe Biden. Lacking any other notable biography, his fans may still want to give this book a quick read.
January 11, 2020
Good narrative of a great man
Joe Biden is the real deal. What you see is what you get. He is extremely versed on foreign affairs, domestic politics, you name it. I would recommend this book to anyone considering the candidates in the upcoming election. Perhaps the third time's the charm!
Joe Biden is the real deal. What you see is what you get. He is extremely versed on foreign affairs, domestic politics, you name it. I would recommend this book to anyone considering the candidates in the upcoming election. Perhaps the third time's the charm!
June 29, 2011
Competent biography that covers the events of Biden's life without any special depth or insight. There are quite a few references to Biden's book Promises to Keep, and that book sounds like it might be the more interesting read.
April 2, 2018
It was OK. A little bit boring due to the over emphasis of details, as noted by another reviewer. Also, this book is ten years old which is a long time in the life of an active politician. Was glad that it wasn't the only book I read about him, in order to learn something about him.
January 11, 2020
Seemed like a pretty fair portayal. At times it was pretty dull reading though. I almost gave up completely during the Bork confirmation hearing section.
I received a free copy through Goodreads giveaways.
I received a free copy through Goodreads giveaways.
November 11, 2019
I like Joe Biden and wanted to read about his life. It gave me information about him. It was just ok.
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