Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World [Hardcover]

Page Talbott (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 11, 2005

Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World examines the many facets of America’s most extraordinary founding father. Politician, diplomat, scientist, printer, and civic improver, Franklin influenced every aspect of American life, from his own time to the present. This book, designed to accompany the traveling Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary exhibition celebrating Franklin’s 300th birthday, includes essays by ten prominent scholars that offer an overview of Franklin’s life and  cover the full range of his interests and achievements, illustrated by more than 265 color images—portraits, manuscripts, drawings, maps, paintings, engravings, and a plethora of Franklin's possessions, from teacups to printing equipment. This comprehensive guide, combining new scholarship with unique images—many of which have never been exhibited before—will be a must-have for anyone interested in Franklin.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“[Benjamin Franklin] is the founding father who winks at us. . . . We can easily imagine having a beer with him after work, showing him how to use a Palm Pilot, sharing the business plan for a new venture, or discussing Bill Clinton’s foibles and George Bush’s foreign policy. . . . Each new look at him reflects and refracts the nation’s changing values.”—Walter Isaacson, from the Introduction

(Walter Isaacson )

“A wonderful collection of informative essays and fascinating images, a worthy literary companion to the exhibit in her charge."

(Alison Hood Book Page )

About the Author

Page Talbott is associate director of the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary and chief curator of the exhibition Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World, which will travel throughout the United States and to France from 2005 to 2008. Contributors: Ellen R. Cohn, James N.Green, Walter Isaacson, E. Philip Krider, Emma J. Lapsansky-Werner, J. A. Leo Lemay, Robert Middlekauff, Edmund S. Morgan, Billy G. Smith, Page Talbott

Product Details

• Hardcover: 396 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press; 1St Edition edition (November 11, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300107994
• ISBN-13: 978-0300107999
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,208,538 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A revealing look at the man, January 6, 2006

By 

Robert Busko (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World (Hardcover)

I'm always amazed at how revisionist historians, like children who can't wait to tattle, manage to expose the foibles of our founding fathers. One by one, each has had his name or reputation besmirched. A few, John Adams, and George Washington seem to survive the exposure and remain adored by millions. Benjamin Franklin is another founding father who has weathered modern day examination and is still beloved by his countrymen.

Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World will not disappoint the reader and it will not take a cheap shot at a man who lived more than 200 years ago. Organized with chapters like The Life of Benjamin Franklin; Benjamin Franklin, Printer; Benjamin Franklin, Civic Improver; Benjamin Franklin, Pragmatic Visionary: Politician, Diplomat, Statesman, etc, the book will shed new light on to a life that was well lived and well enjoyed.

Well reseached with lavish illustrations and photographs, Benjamin Franklin will be a terrific addition to your personal library.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth it, April 11, 2007

By 

Dorothy E. (Colorado) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World (Hardcover)

The Ben Franklin Exhibit is at our Museum at the moment and this is its companion book. It is a book with various authors/experts presenting their expertise on Ben through various stages in his life. I found it accurate and interesting as well as an "easy read" - without being simplistic. If you are interested in Ben Franklin and don't want to read a long biography, this is a worth while purchase. For those who know more about Ben, it has good biography as well as photos of artifacts associated with his life.

The artifacts in the exhibit (presented in the book) have been gathered from many sources and probably will never be collected together again - so it is a historical reference as well.