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Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin: The unfinished book of his own life by Benjamin Franklin

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Benjamin Franklin

Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin: The unfinished book of his own life by Benjamin Franklin

Paperback (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform Aug. 29, 2018)

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin


The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is the traditional name for the unfinished record of his own life written by Benjamin Franklin from 1771 to 1790; however, Franklin himself appears to have called the work his Memoirs.


  • Although it had a tortuous publication history after Franklin's death, this work has become one of the most famous and influential examples of an autobiography ever written. Franklin's account of his life is divided into four parts, reflecting the different periods at which he wrote them. There are actual breaks in the narrative between the first three parts, but Part Three's narrative continues into Part Four without an authorial break.
  • This account stands as a classic among autobiographies, a compelling and easy read about a man who, from lowly beginnings in Boston, rose to become a hugely-respected public servant, writer, scientist and inventor and who went on to play a key role in the American Revolution and the founding of the United States. Franklin’s autobiography, published after his death, is an unfinished collection of memoirs written over four different periods of his life. It starts in the form of a letter to his son, William, and describes aspects of his childhood in Boston in the early 1700s and his move to Philadelphia where he set up a successful printing business.
  • The many contributions he made to public causes grew out of a strong sense of civic duty, and a stringent work ethic that formed part of his “plan for attaining moral perfection”, which is detailed in the second period. The last two sections cover his impressive political and scientific work and give the reader an insight into the developing tensions between the American colonies and the British crown. A polymath of immense standing, Benjamin Franklin stands out as one of the most highly esteemed figures of the nineteenth century.Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a record of the life of one of the most impressive people in the American history. Franklin's autobiography, although unfinished, represents one of the most famous and influential examples of an autobiography ever written. His book is the record of an unusual life told in his own unexcelled conversational style. The Autobiography is Franklin's longest work, and yet it is only a fragment of it.
  • The account of Franklin's life is divided in a manner that reflects the different periods in which he wrote them. The first part, written as a letter to his son, William Franklin, was not intended for publication; the composition is more informal and the narrative more personal than in the second part, from 1730 onward, which was written with a view to publication. Contents: Ancestry and Early Life in Boston Beginning Life as a Printer Arrival in Philadelphia First Visit to Boston Early Friends in Philadelphia First Visit to London Beginning Business in Philadelphia Business Success and First Public Service Plan for Attaining Moral Perfection Poor Richard's Almanac and Other Activities Interest in Public Affairs Defense of the Province Public Services and Duties Albany Plan of Union Quarrels with the Proprietary Governors Braddock's Expedition Franklin's Defense of the Frontier Scientific Experiments Agent of Pennsylvania in London Electrical Kite The Way to Wealth The Whistle A Letter to Samuel Mather
About the Author

Benjamin Franklin was a writer, inventor, political theorist, diplomat, and Founding Father of the United States. He wrote under the pen name of Poor Richard from 1732 to 1757.

ISBN
1726358143 / 9781726358149
Pages
160
Weight
8.8 oz.
Dimensions
6.0 x 0.4 in.

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