Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
| Abridged | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|||||||||||
| Length: | 6 hours | ||||||||||
| Ratings: | |||||||||||
| Formats: |
|
||||||||||
Suggested Titles
-
A Short History of Nearly Everything
by Bill Bryson
- Book Rating: 4/5
-
The Tipping Point : How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
by Malcolm Gladwell
- Book Rating: 3.5/5
Overview
Benjamin Franklin is the founding father who winks at us -- an ambitious urban entrepreneur who rose up the social ladder, from leather-aproned shopkeeper to dining with kings.
In bestselling author Walter Isaacson's vivid and witty full-scale biography, we discover why Franklin turns to us from history's stage with eyes that twinkle from behind his new-fangled spectacles. In "Benjamin Franklin," Isaacson shows how Franklin defines both his own time and ours.
The most interesting thing that Franklin invented, and continually reinvented, was himself. America's first great publicist, he was consciously trying to create a new American archetype. In the process, he carefully crafted his own persona, portrayed it in public, and polished it for posterity. His guiding principle was a "dislike of everything that tended to debase the spirit of the common people." Few of his fellow founders felt this comfort with democracy so fully, and none so intuitively.
In this colorful and intimate narrative, Isaacson provides the full sweep of Franklin's amazing life, from his days as a runaway printer to his triumphs as a statesman, scientist, and Founding Father. He chronicles Franklin's tumultuous relationship with his illegitimate son and grandson, his practical marriage, and his flirtations with the ladies of Paris. He also shows how Franklin helped to create the American character and why he has a particular resonance in the twenty-first century.
In bestselling author Walter Isaacson's vivid and witty full-scale biography, we discover why Franklin turns to us from history's stage with eyes that twinkle from behind his new-fangled spectacles. In "Benjamin Franklin," Isaacson shows how Franklin defines both his own time and ours.
The most interesting thing that Franklin invented, and continually reinvented, was himself. America's first great publicist, he was consciously trying to create a new American archetype. In the process, he carefully crafted his own persona, portrayed it in public, and polished it for posterity. His guiding principle was a "dislike of everything that tended to debase the spirit of the common people." Few of his fellow founders felt this comfort with democracy so fully, and none so intuitively.
In this colorful and intimate narrative, Isaacson provides the full sweep of Franklin's amazing life, from his days as a runaway printer to his triumphs as a statesman, scientist, and Founding Father. He chronicles Franklin's tumultuous relationship with his illegitimate son and grandson, his practical marriage, and his flirtations with the ladies of Paris. He also shows how Franklin helped to create the American character and why he has a particular resonance in the twenty-first century.
Reviews (60)
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
Written by Tom from Tolland, CT on August 1st, 2008
- Book Rating: 2/5
I could only finish 2 out of 5 disks before I lost interest.
Good book
Written by alex1432 on June 28th, 2008
- Book Rating: 4/5
The author makes the story flow very nicely. I would say there are no great historical revelations, but the author does make the relationships between Franklin and the varying people of the time known and that is definitely something you never read about in textbooks. Overall I would definitely recommend if you like historical biographies.
Great Book
Written by Robert Wheeler from Chula Vista, CA on May 9th, 2008
- Book Rating: 5/5
Great book for anyone. Many details about a great American.
Benjamin Franklin
Written by Penny Boyer on May 8th, 2008
- Book Rating: 5/5
This book was enlightening and very informative about the way life was back then as well as the founding of our country. Even though I took all American History in college, I learned about the context that the facts were set in and that brought it life. The only time that the book became a bit tedious was when the narrator was explaining all the ends and outs of negotiating the end to the Revolutionary War. There is certainly much untold history and what students get is school is very abridged and whitewashed. I never dreamed that Benjamin Franklin's influence on the design of our country was so profound. This was an excellent "read".
Good book
Written by BQ on April 24th, 2008
- Book Rating: 5/5
Good book, well read, good overview of an interesting guy.
Excellent
Written by Anonymous from Philadelphia, PA on January 23rd, 2008
- Book Rating: 5/5
This audiobook was a great introduction to a man that has made many contributions to the United States. A Founding Father was only a part of the overall person that Benjamin Franklin was and his ambition in life should be motivating to anyone who learns about all that he did. The reader was very good and made listening to this version very entertaining. I highly recommend.
Benjamin Franklin
Written by Diana Conley on January 1st, 2008
- Book Rating: 4/5
A good, easily listenable account of not only his own life, his ENTIRE life, but also how his teachings influenced others through the ages. I will "read" this again; there were too many facts for me to remember at once.
Too bad I never got to know him!
Written by Diana Friedman on November 21st, 2007
- Book Rating: 4/5
I LOVED this book. I was sad at the end, both that the book was over, and so was his life. I always thought I would have liked him if I had known him personally, and this book only confirmed what I had already thought. Thank you Walter Isaacson for taking the time to write it. My only complaint was that it was too short.
Required Reading for Americans
Written by Anonymous on September 25th, 2007
- Book Rating: 5/5
Fantastic book! The story of this man's life must be known by all citizens (as we seem to easily forget what being American is supposed to stand for). There is a good reason why Ben's face is on the C-note as he remains the most influencial man in American history that was never a president.
A Penny Saved
Written by Lobstentia from Juneau, AK on September 22nd, 2007
- Book Rating: 4/5
Engaging and thorough history of one of America's true geniuses. The narrator injected enough feeling and drama to keep the dryer material from pedantry. Highly recommend this audio book.