Benjamin Franklin
Written by Edmund S. Morgan
Narrated by Rick Adamson
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Benjamin Franklin is perhaps the most remarkable figure in American history: the greatest statesman of his age, he played a pivotal role in the formation of the American republic. He was also a pioneering scientist, a best-selling author, the country's first postmaster general, a printer, a bon vivant, a diplomat, a ladies' man, and a moralist - and the most prominent celebrity of the 18th century.
Franklin was, however, a man of vast contradictions, as Edmund Morgan demonstrates in this brilliant biography. A reluctant revolutionary, Franklin had desperately wished to preserve the British Empire, and he mourned the break, even as he led the fight for American independence. Despite his passion for sciences, Franklin viewed his groundbreaking experiments as secondary to his civic duties. And although he helped to draft both the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution, he had personally hoped that the new American government would take a different shape. Unraveling the enigma of Franklin's character, Morgan shows that he was the rare individual who constantly placed the public interest before his own desires.
Written by one of our greatest historians, Benjamin Franklin offers a provocative portrait of America's most extraordinary patriot.
Edmund S. Morgan
Edmund S. Morgan is Sterling Professor of History Emeritus at Yale University. His many books include Inventing the People: The Rise of Popular Sovereignty in England and America and The Stamp Act Crisis: Prologue to Revolution.
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Reviews for Benjamin Franklin
8 ratings1 review
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Thorough treatment of Mr. Franklin’s amazing life and contributions to the estrogen our nation. Veery enlightening. This book reveals the incredible complexities that this amazing diplomat had to deal with.