Joe Biden

October 12, 2020
The Democratic presidential nominee is a soothing moderate who may become a Rooseveltian progressive, argues this probing but sympathetic biographical sketch. Journalist Osnos (Age of Ambition) draws on vivid reportage from his New Yorker profiles of Biden to paint him as an unprepossessing but effective politician who is good at connecting with voters and wrangling with congressional leaders and foreign potentates; dedicated to a “sobering case for moral decency, for reasonableness”; and “the man who between Americans and four more years of Trump,” which is what matters most to “a country in peril.” Osnos’s less-than-hard-hitting character study downplays Biden’s shaky performance during the early days of the Democratic primary campaign, interprets his gaffes and garrulousness as signs of passion and empathy, and styles his exaggerations and plagiarisms as “the excesses of a man who wanted every story to sing.” Osnos offers a shrewd analysis of Biden’s predicament as “the nominee of a party gradually marching left, which was desperate to win over moderates and Republicans who were terrified of that march to the left,” and quotes liberal pundits on how Biden could maneuver a Bernie Sandersesque progressive agenda through Congress. The result is a portrait of the candidate that’s smart and evocative, but not immune to wishful thinking. Agent: Jennifer Joel, ICM Partners.

October 15, 2020
A New Yorker staff writer profiles Joe Biden (b. 1942) as a historic election looms. In this brief biography, National Book Award winner Osnos profiles the man who has "arrived at his season of history" in America's most consequential presidential campaign in decades. The author clearly admires his subject, though he oddly begins his account of the man who would be the oldest president in U.S. history with the aneurysm Biden suffered in 1988. "Biden is seventy-seven years old," writes Osnos, "and he looks thinner than he did six years ago, but not markedly so. He has parted with youth grudgingly." The author takes us through several well-worn Biden themes: the tragic deaths of his first wife and daughter and son Beau; his stutter; controversial roles in the Clarence Thomas hearings and the 1994 crime bill; and tendency for candor and gaffes and being thoughtlessly affectionate toward women. Osnos also highlights some gems about which many readers would undoubtedly like to learn more--e.g., his early career as a public defender; "contempt for the corrupting glad-handing of Washington"; his hard work honing his oratory skills. Many readers will be intrigued by the author's portrayal of Biden's dynamics with Barack Obama. Biden insisted on being able to join whatever important meetings he chose to and, unlike many vice presidents, secured an office in the West Wing. The book concludes with Biden's plans for his presidency--not just policy, but also his commitment, after the horribly divisive Trump years, to "unify the nation" with "a language of healing." Mostly drawn from the author's New Yorker pieces, the text retains the feel of the originals, which occasionally detracts from the cohesion of the narrative. This book may age fast, but if you need a rapid and readable Biden briefing, it's for you. An early political obituary or insights into the 46th president of the United States?

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Starred review from October 15, 2020
First as Delaware's long-serving U.S. senator, then as Barack Obama's collegial vice president, and now as candidate for the presidency, Joe Biden has been a pillar of American politics for 40-plus years. Osnos, an acclaimed New Yorker staff writer, has followed Biden's trajectory for years, writing a series of profiles which he augments here with interviews with key people in the Biden universe. The result is a concise narrative that hits the highlights of Biden's public service career and lands lightly on private touchstones, such as the family tragedies that comprise a large part of his biography. Revisiting congressional battles, failed and successful legislative initiatives, and the genesis of policy epiphanies, Osnos takes care to present a balanced portrait, never shying away from unpopular positions or uncomfortable foibles. Lacking the molecular depth of a full-fledged biography, Osnos' finely honed depiction nevertheless devotes sufficient attention to the essential aspects of Biden's personal and political philosophies to offer a solid foundation for evaluating one of the most important figures in American governance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

November 20, 2020

Osnos (Age of Ambition), a staff writer for The New Yorker since 2008, offers a breezy account of Joe Biden's life and politics, culled from the author's magazine pieces covering the 2020 campaign and more than 100 interviews, including four with Biden. The book does not go into much depth about Biden's early life but includes insight into how tragedies--his first wife's and infant daughter's 1972 death in a car accident and his son Beau's 2015 death from brain cancer--instilled within Biden a sense of empathy that enables him to relate to those suffering adversities. More attention is devoted to Biden's political life: his moderate Senate record, which allowed him to forge compromises with Republicans, and his relationship with President Obama who involved Vice President Biden in important decisions, especially foreign policy issues. Osnos concludes with a potential look at a Biden presidency in a highly charged environment where bipartisanship is deemed a show of weakness. Biden would likely use executive orders to reinstate the United States in the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accord, and would make the COVID-19 pandemic his top priority. VERDICT This useful account will help readers understand Biden's mindset and suggests a blueprint for the next four years. For more in-depth, but pre--2020 campaign accounts, see Steven Levingston's Barack And Joe and Jules Witcover's Joe Biden.--Karl Helicher, formerly with Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA

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