The Bidens, Ben Schreckinger
The Bidens, Ben Schreckinger
8 Rating(s)
List: $27.99 | Sale: $19.59
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The Bidens
Inside the First Family's Fifty-Year Rise to Power

Author: Ben Schreckinger

Narrator: Aaron Abano

Unabridged: 9 hr 9 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Twelve

Published: 09/21/2021


Synopsis

A deeply reported exploration of Joe Biden as told through his extended family. Coming off of the 2020 election, THE BIDENS tells the Biden Family story in full, from the secrets lurking in the deep recesses of Joe's family tree to his son Hunter's foreign deal-making spree—and the Trump gang's ham-handed efforts to exploit it.

​On November 3, Americans did not just elect Joe Biden: They got a package deal. The tight-knit Biden family—siblings, children, in-laws, and beyond—is coming right along with him. They are sure to play a defining role in his presidency, just as they have in every other one of his endeavors.
Inside, you’ll find these and other stories and revelations about the Biden family, including:Joe’s childhood, the stunning 1972 Senate upset engineered by his sister Valerie, and the car accident that took the lives of his first wife and infant daughter soon afterJoe’s early years in the Senate and his role in the creation of the cozy “Delaware Way” of conducting politicsThe Biden brothers’ business escapades, including the ’70s rock club rivalry that pitted Jim Biden against Jill’s first husband and ended in a banking scandalThe Delaware lawman who oversaw an FBI investigation into Joe’s 2007 campaign fundraising and now has Hunter in his sightsHunter’s surprisingly close friendship with his Fox News antagonist, Tucker CarlsonWhat Steve Bannon really hoped to accomplish by giving the contents of “the Laptop from Hell” to the New York PostNew evidence that sheds light on the authenticity of Hunter’s alleged computer filesLike the Kennedys before them, the Bidens are a tight-knit, idealistic Irish Catholic clan with good looks, dynastic ambitions, and serious personal problems.

As THE BIDENS reveals, the best way to understand Joe Biden—his values, fears, and motives—is to understand his family: Their Irish (and not-so-Irish) roots, their place in the Delaware pecking order, their dodgy business deals, and their personal struggles and triumphs alike.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Brad on November 02, 2021

If I am going to spend my time reading a book about modern politics these days, its too much to hope that both the left and the right endorse it. Instead, I usually look for books that both sides dislike, and that's at least a good marker of a book that is fair. The negative reviews about this book......more

Goodreads review by Joanne on March 23, 2022

Riveting! Not salacious, but instead, a straightforward & unbiased reporting of the life of the Biden clan. Both sides of the political aisle will find plenty to squirm about. Despite it not being a fictional Thornbirdian family saga, you’ll still find lots of strong and sprawling Irish family ties,......more

Goodreads review by Cheryl on October 19, 2021

I had a hard time with this book. Sometimes I felt like it was more of a "hit job" on the Bidens then a book exploring how the Biden family operated. It was very confusing in keeping track of all the companies that Jim, Frank(the Joe's brothers)and Joe's son, Hunter, were involved with and how they......more

Goodreads review by Pete on March 27, 2022

The Bidens : Inside the First Family’s Fifty Years of Tragedy, Scandal and Triumph (2021) by Ben Schreckinger is an in depth look at Joe Biden and his family over the past 50 years. Biden comes from Delaware, one of ten states with less than a million people each of which elect two Senators to the US......more

Goodreads review by Joan on November 29, 2021

While it's not a secret that the Biden family has taken advantage of Joe's political clout for financial benefits, this book provided additional insight of the extent of their deceit from the American public.......more


Quotes

"Ben is one of the most savvy political observers and most entertaining writers of his generation—the Hunter S. Thompson of the Trump era. His reporting is second-to-none and his writing sparkles with insights about the most important figures of our time."—Garrett M. Graff, New York Times bestselling author of THE ONLY PLANE IN THE SKY

"Ben Schreckinger takes us deep into the Biden family story, separating myth from reality and showcasing a clan that's rightly been called 'the middle-class Kennedys.' A must-read for those interested in the intersection between politics and personal history."—Peter S. Canellos, author of THE GREAT DISSENTER: The Story of John Marshall Harlan, America's Judicial Hero

"No journalist has spent more time in recent years studying and scrutinizing the Biden family than Ben Schreckinger. This book provides a singular look into the life of a president—and how it was shaped by the tragedies, scandals, and triumphs of his loyal Irish clan."—Tim Alberta, bestselling author of AMERICAN CARNAGE

"Perhaps our youngest political reporter, also one of our most talented."—Susan Glasser, co-author of THE MAN WHO RAN WASHINGTON