The First Scientific American: Benjamin Franklin and the Pursuit of Genius [Hardcover]

Joyce Chaplin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 3, 2006

Famous, fascinating Benjamin Franklin--he would be neither without his accomplishments in science. Joyce Chaplin's authoritative biography considers all of Franklin's work in the sciences, showing how, during the rise and fall of the first British empire, science became central to public culture and therefore to Franklin's success. Having demonstrated in his earliest experiments and observations that he could master nature, Franklin showed the world that he was uniquely suited to solve problems in every realm. In the famous adage, Franklin "snatched lightning from the sky and the scepter from the tyrants"--in that order. The famous kite and other experiments with electricity were only part of Franklin's accomplishments. He charted the Gulf Stream, made important observations on meteorology, and used the burgeoning science of "political arithmetic" to make unprecedented statements about America's power. Even as he stepped onto the world stage as an illustrious statesman and diplomat in the years leading up to the American Revolution, his fascination with nature was unrelenting. Franklin was the first American whose "genius" for science qualified him as a genius in political affairs. It is only through understanding Franklin's full engagement with the sciences that we can understand this great Founding Father and the world he shaped.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Is there room for yet another Franklin biography on already crowded shelves? Chaplin, a Harvard historian of science, keeps the subject fresh by narrowing her focus almost exclusively to Franklin's scientific career. It was the pursuit of "natural philosophy," including his early experiments on the properties of electricity, that made Franklin a celebrity in Europe, and Chaplin shows how he crafted his public image as a scientist to transform himself from a humble colonial tradesman into a sophisticated gentleman of letters. In her estimation, Franklin's forays into politics on behalf of the American colonies prevented him from pursuing further research that might have led to discoveries as revolutionary as those of Isaac Newton. She's careful, though, to point out that much of Franklin's science would be unrecognizable as such to us today; he was a proponent, for example, of the "argument from design" that underpins modern creationism. If you've read any of the other Franklin bios, Chaplin won't radically alter your perspective, but for those with only vague notions about his role as a founding father and particularly his importance as a scientist, her emphasis can be eye-opening. (Apr. 17)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

In this tercentenary year of Franklin's birth, Harvard University historian Chaplin places Franklin within the transatlantic society of Enlightenment science. It was in this milieu that Franklin achieved international renown, which, Chaplin argues, Franklin's role as Founder has overwhelmed. To rectify this, she has thoroughly researched Franklin's scientific writings and communications with fellow experimenters, including a scene of 20-year-old Franklin importuning London's Royal Society with his observations about asbestos. But entry to the socially rarified club--science then was a pursuit of gentlemen of means--had to wait upon Franklin's making his fortune. Describing that achievement, Chaplin then plunges into the domains of science that attracted Franklin in his forties and fifties. Beyond the specifics of electricity, the Gulf Stream, and much else, Chaplin develops Franklin's philosophical attitudes toward nature as well as the suspensions of his scientific activity by the demands of revolution and diplomacy. An approachable portrait, Chaplin's scientific Franklin rounds out the more homespun image of popular conception. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; First Edition edition (April 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0465009557
• ISBN-13: 978-0465009558
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,359,357 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting subject, poor execution..., May 30, 2006

By 

Phil Stewart "Real Name gets a ™?" (Gainesville, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First Scientific American: Benjamin Franklin and the Pursuit of Genius (Hardcover)

Let me start by saying up front that it pains me to give this book a low rating, because I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Thanks for that, however, go to Mr. Franklin, not Ms. Chaplin. Franklin was a fascinating figure with an interesting life, and it would be difficult to write an uninteresting book about him. This book, however, is rather poorly written and at times gives the impression of trying to stretch a little information a bit too far. To me, it felt as though she decided to write a book on Franklin the scientist, found she didn't quite have enough science material to fill a book, and decided to stretch it with repetitive, somewhat pretentious interpretation which added little too the book besides pages. At points I felt as though she was trying a little too hard to keep the book from becoming a biography of Franklin, staying completely focused on the science aspect when a little information on his life in general was need to place the science in context. The writing was frequently a little clunky and tiresome.

Overall, worth reading, at least if you have a specific interest in the subject, but not worth buying in hardcover.

4.0 out of 5 stars Franklin from a Different Angle, July 20, 2010

By 

Rocky Top "Rocky" (Clarksville, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First Scientific American: Benjamin Franklin and the Pursuit of Genius (Hardcover)

I really enjoyed this book and appreciated the scientific angle that Joyce Chaplin used to construct his life story for us. Don't worry, she in no way revised history, just told it from the aspect of his scientific genius. What you really take away from the book is how it was Franklin's scientific achievements that gave him the credibility and reputation to be an effective Founding Father and diplomat. His reputation opened up many doors in Europe, especially, that would have remained closed to this American with no noble blood.
The closing pages about Franklin's hypothetical walk through the years of scientific achievement since his death were strained and not nearly as interesting as the actual history. Although it drags in a few spots I happily recommend it. I was reading David McCullough's book on John Adams at the same time and the two complemented each other nicely.

Highly recommended by anyone interested in another side of Franklin.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Linking science works with problem-solving at the social and political levels, August 16, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First Scientific American: Benjamin Franklin and the Pursuit of Genius (Hardcover)

THE FIRST SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN: BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AND THE PURSUIT OF GENIUS comes from a history professor at Harvard, who shows how Franklin's evolving status as a scientific genius lends to appreciating his works and the evolution of science as a whole. There have been many biographies of Franklin over the years; but this is the first to narrow the focus on his scientific investigations and how they led to his political prominence. All of his scientific research is considered, linking science works with problem-solving at the social and political levels. New research into documents from his early career and those of his colleagues lend to a unique discussion here.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch