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Available
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Publication
Independently published (2020), 136 pages
Description
Biography & Autobiography. Nonfiction. HTML: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, which Franklin himself called his Memoirs, is the unfinished record of his life written between 1771 and 1790. It has become one of the most well-known and influential autobiographies in history, and has been praised both as a historical document and a piece of literature in its own right. William Dean Howells declared that "Franklin's is one of the greatest autobiographies in literature, and towers over other autobiographies as Franklin towered over other men.".
User reviews
LibraryThing member homeofharris
Franklin was a crazy guy back in his day. I really enjoyed reading about his life and the interesting ways he went about trying to constantly be a better person.
LibraryThing member Hantsuki
If you think you know Benjamin Franklin from what they taught you in school, you should read his autobiography and be enlightened. In fact, did you know this man invented the autobiography? You think of Benjamin Franklin as this old fat rich white guy who you may have heard was kicked out of France
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for being too rowdy. Of all places, he was kicked out of France. How do you get kicked out of France? Only Benjamin knows how. Now you might also feel scornful of him because his pretty face is on the $100 bill you're having a hard time keeping tabs on, and you have to hear time and time again about how great this guy is and how he's one of America's founding fathers. We get it. But do you know how he managed to get so great? Would you believe this man went to grammar school for less than a year and yet he was able to be so successful? Not that my point is: "Hey, if Benjamin Franklin became famous without having to suffer in the prison-like schools, why can't anyone else do the same?" No. By all means, stay in grade school until you graduate. The reason why Benjamin was so successful is because he was auto-didactic, that is, he was self-taught. He would take out a book and copy the writing word for word until he could imitate it and develop his own writing style. Now that's dedication. This man believed in the quality of hard-work, and he believed that anyone could climb to the top if they work hard enough. Sound familiar? Now if any of the above information piques your interest, go read about the great inventor and one of the successful men in the world. Show Less
LibraryThing member jimmaclachlan
I've tried reading this a dozen times over the years & had trouble with it. I finally did get through it & am very glad I did. Very interesting man, but not my style of writing.
LibraryThing member DanThompson
My wife recommended this one to me, and she was absolutely right to. I loved it. Ben Franklin is probably my favorite figure from that period in American history, not just for what he did but for his character, wit, and humility. All of those shine through in this book.
His autobiography covers his
I detailed the sources of the writing because it impacts how it is read. The early section (perhaps the first half of the book) reads as an Englishman speaking to his son, both to fill him in on the family history as well as to remind him of some of their joint experiences. It reads fairly sweetly and humorously. The Revolutionary War is not yet on his horizon. At best, he expresses occasional distress as the some of the decisions by the crown and the decisions by the William Penn’s heirs back in England over the management of the Pennsylvania colony.
The later sections were written during or after the war, and hints of family are gone. He does not say so explicitly, but it is known that he and his son took different sides in the war, and neither forgave the other. He makes occasional mentions of his son, as they actually took some joint actions during the French/Indian war in the 1760’s, but gone is that sense of affection. It’s noticeable in the language, but that much more striking when you know what happened between them.
Also at this point, the war is behind him, and his frustration with England’s management of the colonies shows strongly. It is not merely that he feels they were wrong or greedy but that they were predisposed to act unethically or to at least act so as to protect themselves from the assumption that the colonists would act unethically. This was especially offensive to him as he had taken great pains over his life (as outlined in some of the text) to develop a strong ethical code.
Obviously, he writes about the many of the projects he undertook in life, the accomplishments he made, and the relationships he forged, but rather that hoist them up to brag, he details his decisions around them and how he was able to succeed. It seems as though his main goal in this is not to preen but to instruct, as though he wants his audience to learn from his mistakes and methods to go forth and do even greater things.
Towards that point, I think he nailed a good policy on debate, which will likely form a future essay I write on netiquette. After detailing a method of debate that won him many victories, some of which he felt were undeserved, he altered his strategy:
I continued this method some few years, but gradually left it, retaining only the habit of expressing myself in terms of modest diffidence; never using, when I advanced any thing that may possibly be disputed, the words certainly, undoubtedly, or any others that give the air of positiveness to an opinion; but rather say, I conceive or apprehend a thing to be so and so; it appears to me, or I should think it so or so, for such and such reasons; or I imagine it to be so; or it is so, if I am not mistaken.
This habit, I believe, has been of great advantage to me when I have had occasion in inculcate my opinions, and persuade men into measures that I have been from time to time engaged in promoting; and, as the chief ends of conversation are to inform or to be informed, to please or to persuade, I wish well-meaning, sensible men would not lessen their power of doing good by a positive, assuming manner, that seldom fails to disgust, tends to create opposition, and to defeat every one of those purposes for which speech was given to us, to wit, giving or receiving information or pleasure.
For, if you would inform, a positive and dogmatical manner in advancing your sentiments may provoke contradiction and prevent candid attention.
If you wish information and improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fixed in your present opinions, modest sensible men, who do not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in the possession of your error.
And by such a manner, you can seldom hope to recommend yourself in pleasing your hearers, or to persuade those whose concurrence you desire.
He hits on similar themes elsewhere on everything from telling someone they are mistaken to convincing a large group to support a position. It’s as much history as it is instruction on the art of polite debate. As such, I think this is a book that every American should read, less for its factual content than for its lessons on how to behave in a political society. As for the rest of you, it’s actually quite a bit of fun, so give that poor Yank a read anyway.
His autobiography covers his
Show More
life from his birth in 1706 through the mid-1760’s. It was written in four sections. The first was written as a letter to his son William in 1771, and it reads very much like one with personal asides and mention of family. The next was written in Paris in the early 1780s while acting as ambassador, and it was more formal, aimed at someone who at read that earlier letter to his son and encouraged him to continue the record. The third section was written after he had returned to Philadelphia after the Revolutionary War, and the fourth was a very short section that appeared to be an attempt to continue it towards the war.I detailed the sources of the writing because it impacts how it is read. The early section (perhaps the first half of the book) reads as an Englishman speaking to his son, both to fill him in on the family history as well as to remind him of some of their joint experiences. It reads fairly sweetly and humorously. The Revolutionary War is not yet on his horizon. At best, he expresses occasional distress as the some of the decisions by the crown and the decisions by the William Penn’s heirs back in England over the management of the Pennsylvania colony.
The later sections were written during or after the war, and hints of family are gone. He does not say so explicitly, but it is known that he and his son took different sides in the war, and neither forgave the other. He makes occasional mentions of his son, as they actually took some joint actions during the French/Indian war in the 1760’s, but gone is that sense of affection. It’s noticeable in the language, but that much more striking when you know what happened between them.
Also at this point, the war is behind him, and his frustration with England’s management of the colonies shows strongly. It is not merely that he feels they were wrong or greedy but that they were predisposed to act unethically or to at least act so as to protect themselves from the assumption that the colonists would act unethically. This was especially offensive to him as he had taken great pains over his life (as outlined in some of the text) to develop a strong ethical code.
Obviously, he writes about the many of the projects he undertook in life, the accomplishments he made, and the relationships he forged, but rather that hoist them up to brag, he details his decisions around them and how he was able to succeed. It seems as though his main goal in this is not to preen but to instruct, as though he wants his audience to learn from his mistakes and methods to go forth and do even greater things.
Towards that point, I think he nailed a good policy on debate, which will likely form a future essay I write on netiquette. After detailing a method of debate that won him many victories, some of which he felt were undeserved, he altered his strategy:
I continued this method some few years, but gradually left it, retaining only the habit of expressing myself in terms of modest diffidence; never using, when I advanced any thing that may possibly be disputed, the words certainly, undoubtedly, or any others that give the air of positiveness to an opinion; but rather say, I conceive or apprehend a thing to be so and so; it appears to me, or I should think it so or so, for such and such reasons; or I imagine it to be so; or it is so, if I am not mistaken.
This habit, I believe, has been of great advantage to me when I have had occasion in inculcate my opinions, and persuade men into measures that I have been from time to time engaged in promoting; and, as the chief ends of conversation are to inform or to be informed, to please or to persuade, I wish well-meaning, sensible men would not lessen their power of doing good by a positive, assuming manner, that seldom fails to disgust, tends to create opposition, and to defeat every one of those purposes for which speech was given to us, to wit, giving or receiving information or pleasure.
For, if you would inform, a positive and dogmatical manner in advancing your sentiments may provoke contradiction and prevent candid attention.
If you wish information and improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fixed in your present opinions, modest sensible men, who do not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in the possession of your error.
And by such a manner, you can seldom hope to recommend yourself in pleasing your hearers, or to persuade those whose concurrence you desire.
He hits on similar themes elsewhere on everything from telling someone they are mistaken to convincing a large group to support a position. It’s as much history as it is instruction on the art of polite debate. As such, I think this is a book that every American should read, less for its factual content than for its lessons on how to behave in a political society. As for the rest of you, it’s actually quite a bit of fun, so give that poor Yank a read anyway.
Show Less
LibraryThing member whitewavedarling
Franklin's autobiography is straight-forward, amusing, and honest. For someone interested in early American history or in autobiography, I can't recommend this highly enough. It's a telling look into a highly moral life, with something for everyone to find and give further thought to. I think that,
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for any reader, interest will flag in some spots, but in the end it's a worthwhile read to have come through, and certainly worthy of being called an American classic. Show Less
LibraryThing member Schmerguls
The first part of this is quite engaging, as Franklin relates his time in Boston and his moving to Philadelphia. I remember reading part of this in eighth grade, including his wife-to-be seeing him walking with bread under his arm when he first arrived in Philadelphia. His time in develping his
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career as a printer is of interest. The next three parts are less attractive, as he tells of his wisdom and success in his endeavors in regard to the library, the fire fighting force, and his inventions. The autobiography does not cover the most important events of his life and effectually ends in the 1750's when much of his brilliant career lay in the future. Show Less
LibraryThing member polo9
A classic. More than anyone else, Franklin may have been the template for what Americans like to think of as the prototypical American: ambitious, disciplined, enterprising, entreprenurial, gregarious, socially oriented, creative and dynamic.
All of which calls to mind later entities: Horatio
All of which calls to mind later entities: Horatio
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Alger,Tom Swift, Dale Carnegie, "Silicon Vallyites" among others... Show Less
LibraryThing member datrappert
The great man in his own words. A classic everyone should read.
LibraryThing member mcgiffinbl
Ended a little abruptly - did not appear to be finished
LibraryThing member swimr23
This is Benjamin Franklin's account of his life, from his boyhood to not long before the American Revolution. The greater part of the book is devoted to his life as a printer, before he became a significant public figure. Franklin's tone is chatty and approachable, which is not suprising given that
Several points struck me about this book. One was that Franklin was tremendously industrious. The book touches only briefly on some of the accomplishments for which he is famous: fire departments, public libraries, and his experiments with electricity. Instead, he discusses his many "subscription" efforts for public halls, voluntary militias, forts, schools, and other important public works. He also describes his philosophical studies and copious pamphlets and newspaper articles.
I would use this book with a 5th or 6th grade class when talking about our founding fathers and how important history is. I would have each reader read this book and then write an article over why this man was important. i would also use this book to a smaller age class. I would read the book out loud to the entire class and then have them remember important things in history that were because of Mr. Franklin.
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the first section was ostensibly written for the benefit of his son. What was suprising to me was how modern his writing style seemed.Several points struck me about this book. One was that Franklin was tremendously industrious. The book touches only briefly on some of the accomplishments for which he is famous: fire departments, public libraries, and his experiments with electricity. Instead, he discusses his many "subscription" efforts for public halls, voluntary militias, forts, schools, and other important public works. He also describes his philosophical studies and copious pamphlets and newspaper articles.
I would use this book with a 5th or 6th grade class when talking about our founding fathers and how important history is. I would have each reader read this book and then write an article over why this man was important. i would also use this book to a smaller age class. I would read the book out loud to the entire class and then have them remember important things in history that were because of Mr. Franklin.
Show Less
LibraryThing member GShuk
There must be better audio out there on Benjamin Franklin. It was an autobiography so it was interesting hearing it from his perspective. That said it ended to early in his life for it did not even cover the revolution. Also, one has to focus due to the use of 18th century words and phrases.
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Overall it was very dry. Show Less
LibraryThing member jwhenderson
In the summer of 1771, while he was living in a country home in England, Benjamin Franklin began an autobiography that he was destined to never finish. He prepared an outline of a final section that he did not complete, but the four parts that he did finish represent one of the seminal documents of
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the enlightenment. In his description of a "new Regime", as Professor Joseph Alulis referred to it in his lucid and invigorating presentation at the Chicago Cultural Center today (part of the First Friday series of lectures), Franklin described a new order or foundation for what became The United States of America. Only 5 years after writing the first part of his autobiography Franklin would join Thomas Jefferson and others in writing the Declaration of Independence of the United States. The autobiography is an inspirational work and one that recommends the life of virtue and wisdom. A book worth reading and rereading. Show Less
LibraryThing member soylentgreen23
A very interesting autobiography - I knew nothing of Franklin's early years, when he worked so successfully in publishing. A lot of what we love so much here on Library Thing might have been impossible without his good work.
LibraryThing member Goodwillbooks
This is the story of Benjamin Franklin in his own hand and it is a fascinating story. Living in the Philadelphia area, I've been familiar with Benjamin Franklin all my life, but as is always the case, did not have a true appreciation for the man. His story is almost awe-inspiring, and, despite
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criticisms that he was a "shameless self-promoter", his contributions to American life are genuine and their impact is still felt today. In fact, there are other accomplishments that I learned last year during his 300th birthday celebration (e.g. he was the first man to truly identify, appreciate and actually measure, the Gulf Stream), which I don't recall from his autobiography. He embodies the saying, "Most men see things as they are and ask 'Why?'; others see things as they could be and ask, 'Why not?'". I enjoyed this book and recommend it. Show Less
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
Whetted my appetite to learn more about him. The epitome of yankee know-how and ingenuity! This is an easy and interesting read.
LibraryThing member brett_in_nyc
An all time favourite. Glimpse into the charm and character of one of the leading early Americans. And, a lot of talk about other characters too, much of which still holds true today. Also, a look at the guilt of an ambitious, maybe self absorbed father late in life toward his alienated and distant
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son. Maybe this personality type is a trait of the great American archetype? Is it a requirement for success here? Show Less
LibraryThing member lyzadanger
Required reading, I suppose, for those of us trying to grasp the mindset of the founders of the United States. Franklin's free-wheeling book flits from topic to topic, now an account of his early apprentice printing days, now a lengthy diatribe on the back-and-forth of a particular political
I find Franklin fascinating. I at once want to be exactly like him and nothing like him. He's a conundrum, at once piercingly moral and yet full of falsity and selfishness. He's brilliant and driven and gets things done, but he glosses over his own shortcomings (while insidiously painting a picture of complete honesty and introspection). Franklin is a character too complex to have ever been invented--he is confounding reality, too big for fiction.
Franklin was in many ways a progressive. He cites the importance of education for women (albeit with the goal of filling in gaps whilst husbands or sons are incapacitated) and religious tolerance and diversity ("...even if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send a missionary to preach Mohammedanism to us, he would find a pulpit at his service"), yet he labels Native Americans as "savages", bent on simplistic overindulgence and wanton slaughter, following the traditional parlance and bigotry of the time.
My rating reflects not the historical worth of this document but my fulfillment and enjoyment upon reading it. The lengthy passages about Franklin's struggles in political office and the debating of bills and whatnot in Assemblies bored the pants off of me--it's simply not in any category that interests me. Those more driven by political science and government structure would likely rate the whole work higher.
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struggle. Peppered with anecdotes, proverbs and false modesty. I find Franklin fascinating. I at once want to be exactly like him and nothing like him. He's a conundrum, at once piercingly moral and yet full of falsity and selfishness. He's brilliant and driven and gets things done, but he glosses over his own shortcomings (while insidiously painting a picture of complete honesty and introspection). Franklin is a character too complex to have ever been invented--he is confounding reality, too big for fiction.
Franklin was in many ways a progressive. He cites the importance of education for women (albeit with the goal of filling in gaps whilst husbands or sons are incapacitated) and religious tolerance and diversity ("...even if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send a missionary to preach Mohammedanism to us, he would find a pulpit at his service"), yet he labels Native Americans as "savages", bent on simplistic overindulgence and wanton slaughter, following the traditional parlance and bigotry of the time.
My rating reflects not the historical worth of this document but my fulfillment and enjoyment upon reading it. The lengthy passages about Franklin's struggles in political office and the debating of bills and whatnot in Assemblies bored the pants off of me--it's simply not in any category that interests me. Those more driven by political science and government structure would likely rate the whole work higher.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Diwanna
Some excellent points about how to plan your life and successes betwixt Benjamin's personal adventures. A worthwhile read, because of the picture your get of our most industrious founding father, and the insight that can be gleaned from his regimented lifestyle.
LibraryThing member la2bkk
I have mixed feelings about this book.
Franklin's accomplishments are beyond dispute, and certain stories he relates have a charm that harken back to America in a very different age.
Nonetheless, Franklin's view of himself is nothing other than narcissistic, and his incessant attention (i.e.,
All in all, a decent read into a storied but ultimately unappealing personality.
Franklin's accomplishments are beyond dispute, and certain stories he relates have a charm that harken back to America in a very different age.
Nonetheless, Franklin's view of himself is nothing other than narcissistic, and his incessant attention (i.e.,
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devotion?) to money is distasteful. All in all, a decent read into a storied but ultimately unappealing personality.
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LibraryThing member jasonlf
Benjamin Franklin has a wonderful voice. It is consistently sincere and earnest while having a strange combination of humility and smugness. I found Part I of the Autobiography most interesting. It describes Franklin's early experiences, his start in printing, his flight from Boston to
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Philadelphia, the rivalries between different print shops, and his trip to England. In part this was interesting because it was a single unified narrative, whereas much of what came later was more of a collection of miscellanies about Franklin's role in everything from the legislation provisioning armed forces to Poor Richard's Almanac to the Indian wars to inventions as varied as the Franklin stove to how to best arrange the gutter in public streets. Unfortunately it had only a very brief part on the runup to the revolution and nothing on the revolution or what followed. It is a loss that Franklin never wrote a complete autobiography. Show Less
LibraryThing member waelrammo
The book is split into four parts. The first part was a spectacular overview of the first third of his life. It wasn't tedious and brought together for me many concepts I've so far spent my life contemplating.
I do recommend.
I do recommend.
LibraryThing member Pondlife
You've got to admire Ben Franklin for his drive and energy. He seems to have done enough to fill two lifetimes.
This autobiography is an interesting read, but the continual false modesty is a little off-putting. I also had the feeling that I was only hearing one side of the story, and some of the
He seemed to have a way of keeping people friendly, and tried to keep his relationships with business partners cordial whenever possible.
This autobiography is an interesting read, but the continual false modesty is a little off-putting. I also had the feeling that I was only hearing one side of the story, and some of the
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other characters might have seen things a little differently.He seemed to have a way of keeping people friendly, and tried to keep his relationships with business partners cordial whenever possible.
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LibraryThing member BilboDraco
Ben had a rare brilliance. That being said, when reading this book it's obvious he knew that as well. The hardest part in reading this book was muddling through the mind-blowing vanity. It was amazing to see history from his point of view, in an accurate historic and non-fictional setting but DANG!
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Very vain. That's my only complaint but it lowered my opinion of the account. Show Less
LibraryThing member SeriousGrace
Originally written as a letter to his illegitimate son, Benjamin Franklin sets out to tell the story of his life's work. It briefly covers his childhood but focuses more on his years of employment, first as a printer's apprentice, then as a prominent political leader among many, many other things.
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By the end of it you will be asking what didn't this guy do? However, it ends (abruptly) before his involvement in the Revolution or his efforts to free slaves, two aspects of his life I find most interesting. Peppered throughout the autobiography is Benjamin Franklin's adamant call to humility, modesty, and virtue which is humorously contradictory for a man with such a long list of obvious accomplishments. Show Less
LibraryThing member CassandraT
I like the reflection on his growth and tales of upbringing. But, Old Benjamin was prone to speak highly of himself and there are a few racist and sexist parts regarding Native Americans especially.
Subjects
Awards
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1791
1793 (posthumous)
Physical description
136 p.; 10 inches
ISBN
1660297249 / 9781660297245