About this book
Walter Isaacson's biography follows Benjamin Franklin from his Boston childhood and his apprenticeship as a printer to his success in Philadelphia as a publisher, writer and civic organiser. It then traces his scientific experiments with electricity, his long years in London, his role in the American Revolution and his diplomacy in France.
Isaacson is interested in Franklin as a practical thinker and a builder of institutions, from libraries and fire companies to a new nation. He explores Franklin's humour, his faith in self-improvement and his complicated family life, as well as the shifts in his views over a very long career.
The book stands out for its clarity and its sense of fun. Franklin comes across as one of the most modern-feeling figures of his century, and Isaacson connects his life to broader questions about American identity, including the contradictions of the age, such as Franklin's own changing views on slavery. Readers can continue the founding story with John Adams.
Who it’s for
A friendly, accessible biography for general readers; substantial in length but brisk and full of anecdotes.
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