When he was first elected to the U. S. Senate in 1972, Joseph Biden was not quite thirty years old. The father of three children, it was an exciting time for the Biden family. Then tragedy struck before he was sworn into office when his wife and infant daughter were killed in an automobile accident. Depressed, Biden wanted to resign his seat, but his fellow senators convinced him to stay. Carrying on after such a horrific event was difficult. He gradually came out of his depression and went on to have a long, productive career as the senior senator from Delaware. In 2008, Biden was elected vice president of the United States. Now he is applying his experience toward helping a young president guide the country through one of the most challenging periods in our history. This new biography will introduce both the man and his era to a new generation of young readers. Book jacket.