The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
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Between 1771 and 1790, American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin sat down to record the important events of his life, from his childhood in Boston to his work as a printer in Philadelphia, to his trips to Paris and his plans for the first public library. The story of the invention of the Franklin stove, the first Poor Richard's Almanac, and his experiments with electricity are all included here. His "Project for Moral Perfection"—a list of desirable virtues and steps to achieve them—influenced the modern self-help genre. Hundreds of years later, Franklin's account of his rise from middle-class obscurity to become a world-renowned scholar and civic figure continues to promote the American Dream. First published in 1791, this unabridged version of Franklin's autobiography is taken from the 1909 copyright edition.
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was an American writer, printer, politician, postmaster, scientist, and diplomat. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Franklin found success at a young age as editor and printer of the Pennsylvania Gazette, a prominent Philadelphia newspaper. From 1732 to 1758, Franklin published Poor Richard’s Almanack, a popular yearly pamphlet that earned Franklin much of his wealth. An influential Philadelphian, Franklin founded the Academy and College of Philadelphia, which would become the University of Pennsylvania, in 1751. In addition, Franklin founded the Library Company of Philadelphia, as well as the city’s first fire department. As revolutionary sentiment was on the rise in the thirteen colonies, Franklin traveled to London to advocate on behalf of Americans unhappy with British rule, earning a reputation as a skilled diplomat and shrewd negotiator. During the American Revolution, his relationships with French officials would prove essential for the war effort, the success of which depended upon munitions shipments from France. Over the next few decades, he would serve as the first postmaster general of the United States and as governor of Pennsylvania while maintaining his diplomatic duties. A dedicated and innovative scientist, Franklin is credited with important discoveries regarding the nature of electricity, as well as with inventing the lightning rod, bifocals, and the Franklin stove. A slaveowner for many years, Franklin eventually became an abolitionist. Although he failed to raise the issue during the 1787 Constitutional Convention, he led the Pennsylvania Abolitionist Society and wrote essays on the subject of slavery, which he deemed “an atrocious debasement of human nature.”
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Reviews for The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
8 ratings4 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5An interesting autobiography of an interesting man, though he did seem kind of arrogant.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Was fun to read what Franklin had to say not only about himself but about his beliefs and society as well; essential reading for any serious history student/buff
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This autobiography is written as a letter, once interrupted for a decade or more, to his son. As many people have pointed out during history, the author is inclined to only include the facts they want and from their point of view. A self-congratulatory tome, Benjamin Franklin has much for to be proud of himself. I enjoy his writing style and found this book to be interesting.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I personally think that this was one of the best books that I have ever read. I do not think that everyone will agree with me but I love Benjamin Franklin. He is by far my favorite character from the American Revolution! This was my second time reading this book and it was much better the second time. I think that it had a lot to do with me being older and being able to relate to the things that Mr.Franklin talks about such as virtue, temperance and other things along those lines that you really just do not start to understand until you have a few years under your belt lol. This edition was also really cool because it is not only the autobiography but also other selected writings from Ben Franklin. Some of these letters and other short writings were really good and only serve to help the reader get a better understanding of some of the points that Franklin was getting at in his autobiography. I would recommend this book to anyone with a appreciation for history!