Jill Biden is sharing an intimate look at her time in the White House in a new memoir titled View From the East Wing. The upcoming book offers a personal account of her years as First Lady during her husband, Joe Biden’s, tenure as the 46th president of the United States.
The memoir, set to be published on June 2 by Simon & Schuster’s Gallery Books, explores both public and private moments that shaped the Biden presidency. It also shares Jill Biden’s first public thoughts on her husband’s unexpected choice to end his 2024 reelection bid.
The publisher says View From the East Wing covers Jill Biden’s life over her four years as First Lady. The book shares everything from big political events to small personal moments, like grading her students’ papers in the White House Rose Garden.
Jill Biden has said in interviews that writing the book was an emotional and healing experience.
“It was kind of cathartic for me to write it,” she said, explaining that the memoir reflects both the difficult and meaningful moments she and her husband experienced during his presidency.
The book looks back at key moments, such as Joe Biden’s inauguration in January 2021, which occurred soon after the January 6 Capitol attack and in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the memoir’s most talked-about sections covers Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. This came after worries about his age and health grew following a tough debate against Donald Trump.
After weeks of political pressure and public attention, Biden ended his campaign and backed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. Harris later ran against Trump in the general election but did not win.
Until now, Jill Biden has mostly stayed quiet about that time, saying she wanted to share her thoughts only through the memoir.
During her time in the White House, Jill Biden made history by continuing her professional career. She remained an English professor at a community college in Northern Virginia, becoming the first First Lady in U.S. history to maintain a full-time job while living in the White House.
The memoir also highlights the many roles she balanced then: educator, First Lady, wife, mother, and grandmother.
Publisher Jennifer Bergstrom praised Biden’s work during those years, noting that she supported causes such as education, cancer research, women’s health, and support for military families.
The memoir also touches on events following Joe Biden’s presidency, including his 2025 diagnosis of an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones. Jill Biden described the diagnosis as shocking but said doctors believe he can continue living his life while receiving treatment.
Even after leaving office, Joe Biden stays active in public life, often travelling to Washington for meetings or speeches.
With View From the East Wing, Jill Biden aims to offer readers a deeper understanding of the personal side of political life. Through stories of resilience, family, and public service, the memoir reflects on an extraordinary chapter of her life lived in an extraordinary place.