Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography (1706-1757) (Vol. I)
Edited with an introduction by Mark Skousen
(Regnery Publishing, 2007)
Benjamin Franklin was the most famous American of his age – a world renowned inventor, essayist, philosopher, and diplomat – and his classic Autobiography, published after his death, is one of the greatest of all time.
In humorous, delightful prose, Franklin recounts his life from his early apprenticeship days to his election as the official printer of Pennsylvania and New Jersey to his famed electival experiments. Included are his daily agenda for a life of virtue and the story behind Poor Richard’s Almanac, one of the most popular book in America at that time. Readers will enjoy following the course of Franklin’s early life and discovering the experiences that made Franklin one of early America’s most fascinating personalities.
A must-read for everyone interested in American history, Franklin’s engaging autobiography paints a vivid portrait, in his own words, of the man who would become one of America’s most beloved Founding Fathers.
With an introduction and edited by direct descendant Mark Skousen, this classic and beloved book is well followed by The Compleated Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin, which finishes what the original Autobiography begins, taking the reader from 1757 through Franklin’s death in 1790 – years for which Ben Franklin is most famous.
A sample of the humor and wisdom of Benjamin Franklin:
On self-improvement: “A benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance.”
On the importance of good character: “I grew convinc’d that truth, sincerity, and integrity in dealings between man and man were of the utmost importance to the felicity of life.”
On charity: “The most acceptable service of God is doing good to man.”
What They’re Saying About Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography
“Franklin’s is one of the greatest autobiographies in literature, and towers over other autobiographies as Franklin towered over other men.” –William Dean Howells
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