Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #919644 in Books
• Published on: 2007-07-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 365 pages

Customer Reviews

Worth a read, if only because he is a heartbeat from the US presidency
Primarily a biography, this book was published in 2007 as Joe Biden started his unsuccessful campaign to be elected president. It sets out to show us what sort of politician Joe Biden is, and to help us understand what sort of president he would make.

This book lacks the clarity and assuredness of the Barack Obama books (which I strongly recommend, see my reviews) but does give a picture of the man and his political life. Although the impression is that he had significant help in writing the book, it definitely feels like it is his voice coming through.

I liked the friendly, story-telling style. He deals directly and candidly with personal tragedy and political disasters. Ironically for a man trying to establish presidential credentials, the most important political stories he tells (Yugoslavia and Iraq) are both about being right, but failing to have the political skill to convince those making the policy decisions that they should change course.

This is not a feeble attempt to cash in on fame, or a patched together effort at self promotion. This is a serious book.

For anyone interested in the man who will have the 44th US president's ear, and could replace him if the worst were to happen, then this is a fascinating read.