--- title: Joe Biden Writing Book on Year His Son Beau Died description: Joe Biden has signed a deal with Flatiron Books to write a memoir centered on his life as vice president during the year his son Beau died. canonical: https://time.com/4727152/joe-biden-book-son-beau-death/ author: Megan McCluskey article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-04-05T18:38:16.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-08T08:27:13.688Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: Joe Biden Is Writing a Book About the Year His Son Beau Died og:description: The former vice president will write about his challenges in 2015 og:url: https://time.com/4727152/joe-biden-book-son-beau-death/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltee06045dfaad1ede/6988c181fb4eac0fd889164f/joe-biden-book.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 594 og:image:height: 334 og:image:alt: Joe Biden book og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Joe Biden Is Writing a Book About the Year His Son Beau Died twitter:description: The former vice president will write about his challenges in 2015 twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltee06045dfaad1ede/6988c181fb4eac0fd889164f/joe-biden-book.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 01:29 video:published: 2017-01-12 section: politics topics: Presidential Medal of Freedom, highest civilian honor, award ceremony, medal with distinction, final presidential act, Joseph Biden, Pope John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, Colin Powell, presidential honors genre: ceremony, speech tones: formal, celebratory, warm, ceremonial emotions: pride (high), appreciation (medium), joy (medium) sentiment: positive audience: general news viewers, politics followers, U.S. history enthusiasts people: Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., Pope John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, Colin Powell products: Presidential Medal of Freedom transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Joe Biden Is Writing a Book About the Year His Son Beau Died > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with Ally. Ally is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: July 2026. ## Ally: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Ally is a digital financial services company offering online-only banking, including checking and savings accounts, through Ally.com and its mobile apps. Launched in 2009 as an original disruptor in financial services, Ally was built to challenge outdated banking norms with a simpler, more convenient way to bank. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. ## Video: President Obama Gives Joe Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedom [Watch (HLS stream): President Obama Gives Joe Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedom](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/4Pu87r8z.m3u8) (1:29)  _Published 2017-01-12. Biden wiped away tears and shared a laugh with Obama_ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video presents a ceremony in which the speaker, as President for the final time, awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The speaker explains that this award carries an additional level of veneration, called 'with distinction,' which had been given to only three others before. The medal is then awarded to Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., whom the speaker calls his brother. The recipient responds briefly with thanks, and applause is heard throughout. ## Key points - The Presidential Medal of Freedom is described as the nation's highest civilian honor, awarded by the speaker for the final time as President. (00:00) - The speaker says this is the first and only time in his presidency he will bestow the medal with an additional level of veneration. (00:22) - The speaker says his three most recent successors reserved the additional level of veneration for only three others. (00:25) - The three previous recipients of the medal with distinction are named as Pope John Paul II, President Ronald Reagan and General Colin Powell. (00:29) - The speaker announces he is proud to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction. (00:37) - The recipient is named as Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., whom the speaker calls 'my brother.' (00:39) - The audience responds with applause at the opening announcement and again after the recipient is named. (00:08) - The recipient replies to the speaker with a brief expression of appreciation. (00:47) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:22] Announcing the nation's highest civilian honor. The speaker announces he is awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom for the final time as President. - [00:22 to 00:37] An additional level of veneration. The speaker explains the distinction level and names the three prior recipients. - [00:37 to 01:29] Awarding the medal to Joseph Biden. The speaker names Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. as recipient, followed by applause and a brief thank-you. ## Key quotes - [00:00] Speaker: "For the final time as President, I am pleased to award our nation's highest civilian honor." - [00:22] Speaker: "For the first and only time in my presidency I will bestow this medal with an additional level of veneration." - [00:29] Speaker: "An honor my three most recent successors reserved for only three others Pope John Paul II, President Ronald Reagan and General Colin Powell." - [00:39] Speaker: "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction to my brother, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr." ## Questions this video answers - What is the highest civilian honor in the United States? [00:00] - What makes this Presidential Medal of Freedom award different from others given during the presidency? [00:22] - Who else has received the medal with distinction? [00:29] - Who is receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction in this ceremony? [00:39] - How does the recipient respond to the award? [00:47]  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Apr 5, 2017 6:38 PM UTC Biden wiped away tears and shared a laugh with Obama  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Apr 5, 2017 6:38 PM UTC [Joe Biden](http://time.com/4720377/joe-biden-donald-trump-advice-twitter/) has signed a deal with Flatiron Books to write a [memoir](http://time.com/4712519/rachel-dolezal-memoir-book-black/) about the year his son [Beau died](http://time.com/4079655/joe-biden-2016-presidential-race/). The publisher told [The Associated Press](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US%5FBOOKS%5FBIDENS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT) Wednesday that the currently untitled project will center on the challenges the former vice president faced both professionally and personally in 2015 as he experienced the loss of his oldest child to brain cancer at 46\. Biden also lost his first wife and their one-year-old daughter in a car accident in 1972, which Beau and his younger brother Hunter survived. “The Vice President’s Book promises to give us all a deeper understanding of recent political history, but it will clearly also be a book about the values that have given the Vice President strength in both good times and bad,” Flatiron Books President Bob Miller said in a [statement](http://ew.com/books/2017/04/05/vice-president-joe-biden-book-deal/). Biden will also release a second book with Flatiron, the details of which have not yet been made public. ## Transcript [00:00] For the final time as President, I [00:03] am pleased to award our nation's highest civilian [00:05] honor. The Presidential Medal of Freedom [00:08] [ APPLAUSE ] [00:11] For [00:14] the [00:17] first [00:19] and [00:22] only time in my presidency I will bestow this medal with [00:25] an additional level of veneration. An honor my [00:29] three most recent successors reserved for only three [00:32] others Pope John Paul II, President Ronald Reagan and [00:37] General Colin Powell. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am [00:39] proud to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom with [00:42] distinction to my brother, Joseph Robinette [00:47] Biden Jr. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ Applause ] Appreciate you [00:47] man. 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