Biden will publish 'Promise Me, America' memoir after the November midterm elections

By — Hillel Italie, Associated Press Hillel Italie, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/biden-will-publish-promise-me-america-memoir-after-the-november-midterm-elections Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Biden will publish 'Promise Me, America' memoir after the November midterm elections Politics Jul 15, 2026 5:19 PM EDT NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Joe Biden will publish a memoir, "Promise Me, America," which he says will touch upon everything from the economy to his decision to drop his bid for reelection. The memoir is scheduled to come out Nov. 17, publisher Little, Brown and Company told The Associated Press. The timing of the book — two weeks after midterm elections in which Democrats seek to regain control of Congress — could raise concerns within Biden's party by putting him back into the spotlight. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Democrats remain divided on Biden's legacy, with many blaming his ill-fated determination to seek a second term for Republican President Donald Trump's return to the White House. Leaders hope to keep the fall campaign focused on Trump and his record, and any leaks or promotional efforts before votes are cast could draw frustration. "'Promise Me, America' is about the challenges we faced as a nation. It's about the decisions I made and why I made them," Biden said in a video statement accompanying Wednesday's announcement. "It's about why I chose to run for reelection and why I chose to step aside." Reports of Biden's book have circulated for more than a year, and the former president himself has referred to it during public remarks, appearing to suggest at one point that it would be released before November's election. Biden, who will turn 84 three days after the publication of "Promise Me, America," has long presented himself as an upholder of standards and traditions; presidential memoirs are one of them. With a handful of exceptions, modern presidents since Harry Truman in the 1950s have published books about their White House years. Like virtually all of his predecessors, Biden did not work on the book alone but was helped by a "small editorial team," according to the publisher. Little, Brown declined to release financial details for "Promise Me, America," although presidents have usually reached deals worth at least seven figures. The book's title echoes a 2017 memoir by Biden, "Promise Me, Dad," which centered on the death of his son, Beau Biden. WATCH: Democratic strategist breaks down DNC's 2024 election autopsy Vowing as a candidate to "restore the soul" of his country, Biden was sworn into office in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters seeking to stop his certification as president. Biden's term was defined by a wide range of co