NEW YORK — Former President Joe Biden will publish a memoir titled "Promise Me, America," scheduled for release on November 17. The book will address his presidency, his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, and his recent cancer diagnosis, according to publisher Little, Brown and Company.

Biden announced the memoir in a video statement, describing it as a reflection on his time in office and personal challenges. "Promise Me, America is about the challenges we faced as a nation. It’s about the decisions I made and why I made them.

Most of all, it’s about my faith in the promise of America," Biden said. He added that the book is about the challenges the nation faced and the decisions he made.

Publisher Little, Brown and Company confirmed the publication details to the Associated Press. A spokesperson for the publisher said Biden plans to tour and give interviews for the book. The publisher declined to release financial details for the book, though presidential memoir deals have usually been worth at least seven figures.

The memoir’s title echoes Biden’s 2017 book, "Promise Me, Dad," which centered on the death of his son Beau Biden. Biden’s previous books also include "Promises to Keep," published in 2008. The new work will cover a range of topics from his presidency, including the economy, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the passage of infrastructure and economic aid legislation.

Biden was sworn into office as the 46th president of the United States in January 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic and shortly after the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. He was the oldest man to serve as president. In June 2024, after a debate against Donald Trump, Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race.

Details about Biden’s health emerged following the debate. In her book "View from the East Wing," former First Lady Jill he wrote that she feared her husband was having a stroke during the June 2024 encounter. She noted the White House initially said he was suffering from a cold during the debate.

Reflecting on the episode, Jill he said, "The biggest lesson for us, I think, was that if you don’t explain something well enough then the question won’t go away. There was never a satisfying enough explanation offered for Joe’s debate performance, and a lot of people never got over it."

In 2025, Biden announced he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. His cancer had metastasized to his bones. In his video statement about the memoir, he said, "I’ve been spending a lot of time with my family.

I’m dealing with a cancer diagnosis, been getting treatment, and it’s going really well. I want to thank all those who have offered their prayers and support and well-wishes. It’s meant the world to me and to Jill."

Biden will turn 84 three days after the book’s November 17 release. Questions about the memoir’s authorship have emerged from several figures. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith questioned whether he wrote the book himself. Oversight Project head Mike Howell and influencer Caleb Hull also questioned whether he wrote the book.

Presidential memoirs often shape historical narratives and influence public perception of a leader’s legacy. Biden’s account arrives ongoing national debate about his fitness for office, his handling of foreign and domestic policy, and the circumstances surrounding his 2024 withdrawal. The book’s focus on pivotal moments—including the Capitol riot, pandemic response, Afghanistan withdrawal, and his health—offers a first-hand perspective that could inform future assessments of his presidency.

With Biden’s age and health under public scrutiny, the memoir also represents a rare personal disclosure from a former president about a serious medical condition. The timing of the release—three days before his 84th birthday—and his planned media tour suggest an effort to engage directly with the public at a moment when trust in political institutions remains fragile.