Promises to Keep
Reason Book was Chosen:
In late September 2020, I decided to read one book by each of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates. I will then cover each candidate on an upcoming podcast episode before the election. My focus will be on their biographies and their major policy positions.My Thoughts
Joe Biden’s message is to “Get Up!” If you are down, get up. That message carries some gravitas after reading about his life. He has suffered deeply. He was mocked as a child for a stutter. He lost his wife and one-year-old daughter in a car accident in 1972 shortly after being elected as a Senator from Delaware. His two sons were also in the car and suffered multiple injuries. Later, Biden had two surgeries for aneurysms where they had to cut his head open and slightly lift his brain. In between those two surgeries, he had a blood clot in his lung. In 2015, he lost his eldest son Beau to cancer.
Biden has also experienced many joys. He was remarried to Jill Jacobs in 1977 and is still married to her. He has been one of the longest-serving members of the Senate and has been the Vice President. He has traveled the world, met with leaders both good and bad, and has been involved in some of the main historical events in US history over the past 50 years.
This book was a neat look at one man’s life amidst world history and personal history. It’s a story of experiencing tremendous pain and suffering and yet always getting back up.
