Joe Biden A life of trial and redemption

After a meteoric start in politics in 1972, as one of the youngest elected senators in U.S. history, Biden survived personal tragedy (the death of his wife and daughter and, later, life-threatening brain aneurysms) to carve a career as the liberal senator from Delaware. His promising bid for the Democratic presidential candidacy in 1988 ended ignominiously with charges of plagiarism, and Biden settled into the Senate and a distinguished career in judiciary matters and foreign relations. Known for his charm, ambition, and occasional verbal gaffes, Biden attempted a comeback in the 2008 election but pulled back after defeat in Iowa. Instead, Biden's ambitions ended in selection as Barack Obama's running mate and vice president. Journalist Witcover draws on in-depth research and interviews for a portrait of Biden from his working-class youth in Scranton, Pennsylvania, through the ups and downs of his personal and political life, to the office that is a heartbeat from the president but not always politically respected. He explores the events that shaped Biden's life and his prospects in an administration challenged on every front.--Bush, Vanessa Copyright 2010 Booklist

Veteran political commentator Witcover (Very Strange Bedfellows: The Short and Unhappy Marriage of Nixon & Agnew) chronicles Vice President Joe Biden's growth as a political operative, his personal tragedies and political triumphs, his mistakes, and his disappointments. The biography stretches from his childhood, unlikely 1972 senatorial election, presidential campaigns, and work on the Senate Judiciary and Foreign Relations committees, through his first year as Vice President. The book relies heavily on excerpts from speeches, interviews, and books by Biden (notably, Promises To Keep: On Life and Politics), plus family members, friends, and political associates, as it traces Biden's efforts to redeem himself and refute the perception that he is glib, gaffe-prone, ambitious, hotheaded, long-winded, dishonest, and superficial. Witcover repeatedly acknowledges but excuses Biden's shortcomings as both failings as well as assets, presenting him as an independently minded person of integrity, honor, family devotion, and chutzpah; a champion of civil rights, women's issues, and law enforcement; a shrewd foreign affairs expert; and a dedicated, experienced, and vital participant in the Obama administration. Verdict This first Biden biography will appeal to political enthusiasts. Recommended for public and undergraduate collections. [See Prepub Exploded, 5/20/10.]-Margaret Kappanadze, Elmira Coll. Lib., NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.