Promise me, Dad

More about the book

A deeply moving memoir about a pivotal year for both a family and a nation. In November 2014, thirteen members of the Biden family gathered on Nantucket for their traditional Thanksgiving, a cherished constant amid their hectic lives. This year felt different, as Joe and Jill Biden's eldest son, Beau, had been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor fifteen months earlier, leaving his survival uncertain. Beau's poignant request to his father was, "Promise me, Dad, that no matter what happens, you're going to be all right." Joe Biden made that promise. The memoir chronicles the following year, marked by extraordinary challenges in Biden's life and career. As Vice President, he traveled over a hundred thousand miles, addressing crises in Ukraine, Central America, and Iraq. Whenever he received urgent calls for help, he responded. Throughout the year, while Beau fought for his life and ultimately lost it, Biden balanced his duties to his country with his responsibilities to his family. The question of whether to run for the presidency in 2016 loomed large. The year was filled with both triumph and heartache, but even in the darkest moments, Biden drew strength from his deep family bonds, his faith, and his close friendship with President Barack Obama.