The Author (Joe Biden)

Joe Biden is an American politician, perhaps most notable for having served as Vice President (under former President Barack Obama), but also notable for having served as senator for the state of Delaware for more than 35 years. The book’s narrative focus is on a period of almost a year within his eight year term as Vice President, but also contains references to events and experiences both within that term and within his term as a senator.

All that said, the author’s private life is more of a focus of the narrative here than his busy, well-known public life. In fact, consideration of ways in which the two intertwine is one of the book’s primary thematic focuses. More specifically, the author’s narrative is anchored by what the author experienced during the struggles of his oldest son Beau with a particularly malignant...