The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

By Benjamin Franklin, Frank Woodworth Pine, William Temple Franklin, et al.

Book Overview

"The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" is a cornerstone of American literature and a primary source for understanding the life of one of the United States' most influential Founding Fathers. Written as a series of memoirs, the work details Franklin's journey from his humble beginnings as a printer's apprentice in Boston to his emergence as a prominent scientist, inventor, and statesman. Franklin chronicles his pursuit of "moral perfection" through a structured system of thirteen virtues, offering a timeless blueprint for self-improvement and civic duty.

This narrative provides an intimate look at the intellectual and political landscape of the 18th century, covering Franklin's experiments with electricity, his role in the establishment of public institutions like libraries and fire departments, and his diplomatic efforts during the formation of the American republic. Beyond its historical significance, the book is celebrated for its wit, clarity, and the unique voice of a man who helped shape the American identity. As both a personal reflection and a guide to practical wisdom, "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" remains an essential read for anyone interested in the origins of the American spirit and the power of individual agency.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1025407652
• ISBN13: 9781025407654
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Tradd Street Press
• Length: 236 Pages
• Weight: 1.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.2" x 0.6" x 6.1"

Customer Reviews

Insight into One of History's Brilliant Thinkers

One of the most influential autobiographies of all time, "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" is an interesting read by one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Do not expect a vivid account of the signing of the Declaration of Independence or anything, but insight into the mind of one of history's most brilliant thinkers. There are some great quotes in here, which you may or may not have heard, that you will certainly want to take with you.

Great man but not a great read

Extremely hard to read, keep in mind when buying this book this man was born in the 1700's. I gave up even when I tried with an audiobook.

Exactly what i wanted

This book came in excellent condition and arrived on time. it was more than i expected and just what i could hope for. i am very glad i purchased this.

Good Read for Everyone

The autobiography of Franklin was a worthwhile book to read. I suggest ignoring the footnotes as you read his autobiography since it distracts you from reading Franklin's work. It was a good book that details how industriousness results in a wonderful, useful public life at an older age. Franklin is the type of public servant that we are lacking today.

An Incomplete American Life

Well, Ben Franklin's life was not incomplete, but his autobiography is. This is partly because Franklin never intended his book for publication. He was writing it for the benefit of his son - partly as a guide for life, and partly as a family history. Indeed, on the first page, Franklin writes that he has always enjoyed hearing stories about his ancestors, and hopes his son will be as interested to learn of his father's life. However, after Franklin's break with his son, he continues to write, but now it is for the benefit of all of his ancestors. Franklin's disagreement with his son William is just one of many details that are missing from this book. I was always interested in Franklin and it had long been a goal of mine to read his autobiography. Had I known that the years 1758-1790 were not covered, which were probably the most important and influential of his life, I might not have read it. And that would have been a mistake. For although the major events of the 1770s and 1780s are missing, like the American Revolution, the Treaty of Paris, and the Constitutional Convention, there is so much material about the early years of Franklin's life here that it is still a worthwhile book. Who knew Franklin was practically a champion swimmer, for example? We often think of Franklin as the elder statesman of the Founding Fathers, as indeed he was. Franklin was born 26 years before George Washington. But in this book we see Franklin as a boy and then a young man, whole periods of his life that are forgotten when one thinks of his later, great contributions. Thankfully, Franklin documents much of it, and it makes for terrific reading. His battles with his brother, his early struggles with established religion, his bold jump to Philadelphia, and then to London, when he was still so young. He even mentions that he was a regular patron of the local prostitutes in Philadelphia! This is not something you'd see in Poor Richard's Almanac, of that I am sure. Even though the book is lacking the major events of Franklin's later life, it is still rich in anecdotes and instruction. There is much to be learned from Ben, whether he was founding the first fire department or library, or making monetary contributions to every religious denomination in Philadelphia, or his attempts at achieving "moral perfection" - actions that demonstrated his industriousness, his tolerance, his wisdom. Franklin was an incredibly fascinating character and he remains one of the giants of American history. You wouldn't know it from reading this autobiography, but it doesn't matter; the historians have safely documented his legacy in other books. In these pages, in his own words, you learn what made Franklin tick, what he believed in, and why. And that's more than enough. Five stars.