Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings (Library of America) [Hardcover]

Benjamin Franklin (Author), J. A. Leo Lemay (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 6, 2005

"Writing has been of Great Use to me in the Course of my Life," Benjamin Franklin said in his famous Autobiography. With characteristically calculated understatement, he attributed his enormous and varied successes to "my having learnt a little to scribble."

This collection of Franklin's works begins with letters sent from London (1757-1775) describing the events and diplomacy preceding the Revolutionary War. The volume also contains political satires, bagatelles, pamphlets, and letters written in Paris (1776-1785), where he represented the revolutionary United States at the court of Louis XVI, as well as his speeches given in the Constitutional Convention and other works written in Philadelphia (1785-1790), including his last published article, a searing satire against slavery.

Also included are the delightfully shrewd prefaces to Poor Richard's Almanack (1733-1758) and their worldly, pungent maxims that have entered our American culture. Finally, the classic Autobiography, Franklin's last word on his greatest literary creation-his own invented personality-is presented here in a new edition, completely faithful to Franklin's manuscript.

A companion volume includes the complete "Silence Dogood" series, "Busy-Body" essays, and a generous selection of his early writings, including letters to the press, satires, and pamphlets.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Benjamin Franklin, statesman, philosopher, and man of letters, was born in Boston in 1706 of Protestant parents. He entered Boston Grammar School when he was eight and later attended George Brown Ell’s school. When he was twelve his father apprenticed him to his half-brother James as a printer. James was later the publisher of the New England Courant, where Franklin’s first articles, The Dogood Papers, were published before he was seventeen. He went to Philadelphia in 1723 and pursued his trade of printer. He was befriended by William Keith, Governor of Pennsylvania, who offered to help the young man get started in business. Franklin left for England, where he hoped to arrange for the purchase of printing equipment. Arriving in London in 1724, he was soon deserted by Keith, and again turned to printing for a livelihood. His privately printed Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain (1725) introduced him to leading Deists and other intellectuals in London. A year later, he returned to Philadelphia, and by 1730 he had been appointed public printer for Pennsylvania. In 1731 he established the first circulation library in the United States; in 1743-44, The American Philosophical Society. In 1748 he retired from the trade of printer but continued to advise and back his partner and to draw profit from the business. Poor Richard’s Almanack was his most spectacular success as a publisher, having gone through numerous editions and been translated in many languages. During the next thirty-five years he devoted himself largely to politics and diplomacy, but still wrote and engaged in scientific ventures. He resigned as Minister to France in 1785, returned to America, and was elected President of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Still concerned with the rights of the individual, he published papers encouraging the abolition of slavery. He died in Philadelphia in 1790.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 816 pages
• Publisher: Library of America (October 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883011531
• ISBN-13: 978-1883011536
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #70,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #16 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( F ) > Franklin, Benjamin

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The second volume of essential writings by one of our essential revolutionaries, November 25, 2005

By 

Craig Matteson (Saline, MI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings (Library of America) (Hardcover)

This fine volume from the wonderful Library of America, is a collection of the great Benjamin Franklin's later writings. It is the second volume of what used to be a single huge book from the LOA. This volume begins with Franklin's letters from his time as a diplomat in London, and then his pamphlets, political satires, and other writings when he represented our Revolutionary Government from 1776-1785 from Paris at the doomed court of Louis VI. His writings from the Constitutional Convention and writings from Philadelphia after his return to the United States are also included. Probably the most popular items included will be the Preface and Maxims of the Poor Richard's Almanac and the FOUR parts of his autobiography. Franklin is simply an amazing man.

Benjamin Franklin is one of the great icons of the American Founding. He is truly one of the essential men who built our nation and deserves every praise we can heap on him. When we see images of the founders, they are all shown as old men, not how old they were in 1776. Franklin was really a generation older than most of the firebrands who led the Revolution. He was seventy when he signed the Declaration of Independence (John Adams was 41, George Washington 44, and Thomas Jefferson 33 on July 4, 1776) and eighty-one when he signed our Constitution as a member of the delegation from Pennsylvania. He was an amazing man. He was a successful printer, inventor, philanthropist, revolutionary, diplomat, and all around student of the world.

This book is interesting to dip into and read just those portions that interest you, as well as reading its more than 800 pages front to back. It has great notes on the text that provide contextual and translation help as well as sources, a most interesting chronology of Franklin's long and productive life, and an index.

This certainly is a must have for your shelf on the history of America's Founding.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful read for American history buffs!, October 26, 2011

By 

weezie - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings (Library of America) (Hardcover)

What a guy! I truly enjoyed this collection of writings by Benjamin Franklin, written with wisdom, humor and keen insite on the nature of man.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Binding & Pages, September 6, 2011

By 

Jerome "Ted" (Chicago IL USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings (Library of America) (Hardcover)

The Library of America edition of B.Frank's autobiography, almanac, and later writings physically outclasses all the other books I own.

The pages are so smooth and thin without feeling cheap-- they feel precise or fine, like an aluminum mac computer as opposed to a squeaky plastic model from a competitor.

The hard covers are some sort of fine cloth, which has the perfect texture to interest my fingers and hands while I'm holding it. I believe I prefer it to leather.

It really makes me feel like I'm holding the amazing product of the amazing brain that produced it. But am I indulging my senses in senseless luxury, or enjoying the wholesome stimulation of a well made object? Yeah, I'm not quite as smart as mr Franklin was... when I bought this book I def. couldn't afford it, and would have done well to keep reading what he wrote for free on [...]