by Evan Osnos
First published 2021
Award-winning journalist Evan Osnos presents an intimate portrait of America's 46th president through years of interviews and reporting. Born in 1942, Biden became the youngest senator ever elected at age 29, only to take his oath after losing his first wife and daughter in a car crash weeks earlier. Osnos draws on conversations with Biden himself, including a summer 2020 interview, plus insights from close associates like Barack Obama. The biography follows Biden's journey from a car dealer's son in Delaware through the highs and lows of his Senate career to his role as vice president. Osnos argues that Biden's personal tragedies and unexpected turns position him uniquely to heal a divided nation after the Trump years. The book captures how Biden's career reflects broader changes in American political culture over five decades, suggesting his experiences with loss and resilience may enable him to unite the country and launch a new political era.
Genres: biography, american, political-science, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-journey, political-career
Setting: Delaware, United States
Period: 1942-present
192 pages · Paperback · Bloomsbury Publishing