The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
luke_beaty's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
rachelygr's review against another edition
5.0
Read this over the course of 2 days. I dare anyone to read this book and not be touched by the grief and strength of Joe Biden. This book reenforced for me the best qualities of Joe and why I am grateful he is our president. This book was better written than the other memoir, I suspect Joe wrote more of this himself as there was no ghost writer thanked in the acknowledgments. I appreciated him sharing such a personal story and it truly made an impression on me.
angelikareadsavariciously's review against another edition
4.0
Joe Biden may be the hardest working Vice President EVER. Never knew his life was fraught with so much sadness. I'm glad I saw a peak into the bromance that was Obama/Biden, but also a glimpse of the man who is now running for nomination.
julieanncordero's review against another edition
4.0
Absolutely heartbreaking to hear about a father losing a son. I enjoyed the stories of family and the importance it holds to Joe Biden.
gpettey19's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not sure when it happened, but somewhere along the way I had begun to look up to my own sons. They were good and honorable men who shared a belief in public service and had acted on it.
Though I dragged myself through the first half, I don't regret opening this memoir. I could trace my way through one of Biden's most difficult, consequential years and think back to what I was doing at the time, such as where I was when Dylann Roof murdered nine black worshippers at an AME church in Charleston, South Carolina or during the Ukrainian-Russia conflict, or the Supreme Court's landmark decision on same-sex marriage/rights.
Joe Biden has demonstrated incredible resilience in his lifetime and the Biden family bond appears to be rare and beautiful. I appreciated the shift in the second half of the book to Biden's thought process and emotions leading up to his decision not to run in 2016. All the more meaningful to have heard his memorable speech at Commencement in May 2016 about Beau and the value of family ("But most importantly, my family and our faith warned me against the temptation of rationalizing in the pursuit of ambition."). I have a great deal of respect for him.
Though I dragged myself through the first half, I don't regret opening this memoir. I could trace my way through one of Biden's most difficult, consequential years and think back to what I was doing at the time, such as where I was when Dylann Roof murdered nine black worshippers at an AME church in Charleston, South Carolina or during the Ukrainian-Russia conflict, or the Supreme Court's landmark decision on same-sex marriage/rights.
Joe Biden has demonstrated incredible resilience in his lifetime and the Biden family bond appears to be rare and beautiful. I appreciated the shift in the second half of the book to Biden's thought process and emotions leading up to his decision not to run in 2016. All the more meaningful to have heard his memorable speech at Commencement in May 2016 about Beau and the value of family ("But most importantly, my family and our faith warned me against the temptation of rationalizing in the pursuit of ambition."). I have a great deal of respect for him.
camsullivan's review against another edition
5.0
No parent should have to bury their child. I can’t fathom how Joe Biden has done that twice and still has the strength to move forward and fight to make our country a better place. I cried multiple times reading this deeply personal account of the final year of Beau Biden’s life. Anyone coping with grief or supporting someone who is would be well-served reading this.
ginaelizkirby's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book - and don’t get me wrong: there were MANY parts that moved me to tears. Beau’s story and the love that the Biden family has for each other was a heartfelt reading experience. I’m just not a fan of long paragraphs and long AF chapters, which this book is full of. That always weighs into my reviews. Great story, though, so definitely give it a chance! I wanted to finish this before Inauguration Day - and it left me even more excited for the upcoming Biden / Harris admin!
kriste's review against another edition
4.0
loved the family portions and skimmed the political stuff
darbymattinson's review against another edition
5.0
Joe wrote a captivating story on his trials through grief while managing the toughest jobs in office. I feel like I will really appreciate him more as a human in his upcoming term because of all the ways we can relate to one another. We’re all just trying to do our best and this was a good book to remind myself this.