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The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Hardcover – December 25, 2023

by Benjamin Franklin (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 7,200 ratings
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The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a timeless literary treasure that offers readers a fascinating glimpse into the life and mind of one of America's most iconic founding fathers. In this engaging memoir, Franklin recounts his remarkable journey from humble beginnings to becoming a renowned polymath, inventor, and statesman. Packed with insightful anecdotes and valuable life lessons, this classic work showcases Franklin's wisdom, wit, and unyielding spirit of self-improvement. Delve into the pages of this captivating autobiography and gain inspiration from the extraordinary life of Benjamin Franklin.

Compelling memoir of Benjamin Franklin's life and achievements Chronicles his rise from humble origins to statesmanship Offers valuable life lessons and insights into personal development Showcases Franklin's wit, wisdom, and innovative thinking A timeless literary gem for history enthusiasts and self-improvement seekers.
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  1. Print length
    220 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Fingerprint! Publishing
  4. Publication date
    December 25, 2023
  5. Dimensions
    8.5 x 1 x 5.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9358562145
  7. ISBN-13
    978-9358562149
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Benjamin Franklin (1706– 1790) was an American polymath and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He excelled in various fields, including science, writing, and diplomacy. He conducted experiments with electricity, authored the famous Poor Richard's Almanack, played a crucial role in drafting the Declaration of Independence, and contributed to the Constitutional Convention. His legacy endures as a symbol of American ingenuity and enlightenment values.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Fingerprint! Publishing (December 25, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 220 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9358562145
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-9358562149
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 1 x 5.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 7,200 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
7,200 global ratings
More for looks than for reading
3 Stars
More for looks than for reading
This book turned out to be a bit of a disappointment to me since I intended to actually read it. The cover is beautiful and good quality with a waxy / silky finish that will prevent soiling. It does measure 8.5 x 11 as the description says. Unfortunately, it's only 1/4" thick. It would easily get lost in a bookshelf so it's really meant more for a coffee table, I think. There is no writing on the binding. The word font is so small that it makes for a difficult read. I'm an avid and good reader and found that I needed my strongest reading glasses and a ruler to be able to easily navigate a smooth read. No idea why the publisher would use such small font and make the book so thin. It seems so unnecessary. If you are buying this as a display piece you will not be disappointed. It's a very handsome book.
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Top reviews from the United States

Gary Scoggins
5.0 out of 5 stars Gotta love an autobiography
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2024
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This book was fascinating in many respects. When someone as famous smart inventive and contributed so much to our national heritage, it is so wonderful to find out how they grew up with her background was how they were encouraged to be the person they wanted to be and how they were set free throughout their life in order to achieve all that they did. This is a great read.
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4.0 out of 5 stars Difficult
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2024
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I found this book hard to read, having been written in the 1700’s. It had a lot of good information in it, however. Benjamin Franklin was truly an amazing person.
One person found this helpful
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D. Thompson
5.0 out of 5 stars As much instruction as history
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2012
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My wife recommended this one to me, and she was absolutely right to. I loved it. Ben Franklin is probably my favorite figure from that period in American history, not just for what he did but for his character, wit, and humility. All of those shine through in this book.

His autobiography covers his life from his birth in 1706 through the mid-1760's. It was written in four sections. The first was written as a letter to his son William in 1771, and it reads very much like one with personal asides and mention of family. The next was written in Paris in the early 1780s while acting as ambassador, and it was more formal, aimed at someone who at read that earlier letter to his son and encouraged him to continue the record. The third section was written after he had returned to Philadelphia after the Revolutionary War, and the fourth was a very short section that appeared to be an attempt to continue it towards the war.

I detailed the sources of the writing because it impacts how it is read. The early section (perhaps the first half of the book) reads as an Englishman speaking to his son, both to fill him in on the family history as well as to remind him of some of their joint experiences. It reads fairly sweetly and humorously. The Revolutionary War is not yet on his horizon. At best, he expresses occasional distress as the some of the decisions by the crown and the decisions by the William Penn's heirs back in England over the management of the Pennsylvania colony.

The later sections were written during or after the war, and hints of family are gone. He does not say so explicitly, but it is known that he and his son took different sides in the war, and neither forgave the other. He makes occasional mentions of his son, as they actually took some joint actions during the French/Indian war in the 1760's, but gone is that sense of affection. It's noticeable in the language, but that much more striking when you know what happened between them.

Also at this point, the war is behind him, and his frustration with England's management of the colonies shows strongly. It is not merely that he feels they were wrong or greedy but that they were predisposed to act unethically or to at least act so as to protect themselves from the assumption that the colonists would act unethically. This was especially offensive to him as he had taken great pains over his life (as outlined in some of the text) to develop a strong ethical code.

Obviously, he writes about the many of the projects he undertook in life, the accomplishments he made, and the relationships he forged, but rather that hoist them up to brag, he details his decisions around them and how he was able to succeed. It seems as though his main goal in this is not to preen but to instruct, as though he wants his audience to learn from his mistakes and methods to go forth and do even greater things.

It's as much history as it is instruction on the art of polite debate. As such, I think this is a book that every American should read, less for its factual content than for its lessons on how to behave in a political society. As for the rest of you, it's actually quite a bit of fun, so give that poor Yank a read anyway.
17 people found this helpful
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Stephen
5.0 out of 5 stars Mr. Franklin's Autobiography should be required reading today.
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2009
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I often lament the fact that we as humans are constantly reinventing the wheel, and if we were to read more biographies and learn from our forebears -- we would avail ourselves of much of their wisdom and knowledge. That being the case, "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" should be considered as one of the finest and best sources of autobiographical material upon which to build.

In fact, Mr. Franklin's autobiography is considered to be one of the very first "self-help" books by some personal productivity gurus today (and often referenced by them in their works). His autobiography is really a guide to proper living, industriousness, and of obtaining wisdom -- and I think it should be required reading for anyone who wishes to overcome bad habits and obtain good ones.

In addition, his principles of obtaining wealth through hard work should be mandatory reading for many in our financial sector today who brought about such calamity to the global economy through their greed, excess and obfuscations in the housing and stock markets.

Written as a book addressed to his son, Franklin tells an interesting story of how he rose from very modest beginnings in Colonial Massachusetts -- decades before the United States even existed -- to become one of the most highly respected people of his day. It is a remarkable life that he describes, and it is to the great benefit of the reader that he interweaves into his tales many nuggets of wisdom that he has learned the hard way.

One style of his writing that I particularly enjoy -- and which in some ways models the parables of Jesus -- is that he will often offer some bit of wisdom, and then explain and reinforce that wisdom with a story from his life (or vice versa). I have found especially helpful his advice on how to avoid being argumentative, while at the same time being more persuasive. Mr. Franklin also prescribes a set of Thirteen Virtues -- of which good moral habits can be systematically obtained and incorporated into our daily lives.

I've read a few reviews that criticize the latter half of the book as meandering and less interesting than the first half. This was not the case for me, as I found the second half of the book to actually be even more interesting than the first.

Unfortunately, the autobiography ends in the 1760s -- which is well before his death or the events that led up to the formation of the U.S. However, you do get a sense of some of the reasons why the American colonists felt aggrieved by the actions of the British crown in Franklin's description of the decades prior to the American Revolution. Also, I should warn that this work was written in the 18th century, so his style of writing reflects that. It's not in any way a problem, but you might want to have a dictionary nearby for some of the less commonly used words today.

Overall, "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" is an excellent read for anyone seeking to overcome bad habits, gain wisdom, and be prosperous in life -- or for anyone interested in American history.
17 people found this helpful
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Queen Anne
3.0 out of 5 stars More for looks than for reading
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2020
Verified Purchase
This book turned out to be a bit of a disappointment to me since I intended to actually read it. The cover is beautiful and good quality with a waxy / silky finish that will prevent soiling. It does measure 8.5 x 11 as the description says. Unfortunately, it's only 1/4" thick. It would easily get lost in a bookshelf so it's really meant more for a coffee table, I think. There is no writing on the binding. The word font is so small that it makes for a difficult read. I'm an avid and good reader and found that I needed my strongest reading glasses and a ruler to be able to easily navigate a smooth read. No idea why the publisher would use such small font and make the book so thin. It seems so unnecessary. If you are buying this as a display piece you will not be disappointed. It's a very handsome book.
Customer image
Queen Anne
3.0 out of 5 stars More for looks than for reading
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2020
This book turned out to be a bit of a disappointment to me since I intended to actually read it. The cover is beautiful and good quality with a waxy / silky finish that will prevent soiling. It does measure 8.5 x 11 as the description says. Unfortunately, it's only 1/4" thick. It would easily get lost in a bookshelf so it's really meant more for a coffee table, I think. There is no writing on the binding. The word font is so small that it makes for a difficult read. I'm an avid and good reader and found that I needed my strongest reading glasses and a ruler to be able to easily navigate a smooth read. No idea why the publisher would use such small font and make the book so thin. It seems so unnecessary. If you are buying this as a display piece you will not be disappointed. It's a very handsome book.
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21 people found this helpful
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Janet
5.0 out of 5 stars B.Franklin is the hero and genius for the U.S.!
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2024
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Thank you B.Franklin! Oh, actually, I really wanted to read about that Franklin’s life in France, and how he persuaded the French king to send soldiers over to America, and then defeated the British soldiers
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mgp
4.0 out of 5 stars Ben in his own words
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2024
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The historical events are under played as this is more of a window into the man, his thoughts, writing style and existence prior to ‘greatness.’
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Top reviews from other countries

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varma
5.0 out of 5 stars The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin: An Inspiring Account of Self-Improvement and Success
Reviewed in India on June 24, 2023
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Sure, here is a short and optimized title and review for The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (AmazonClassics Edition):

Title: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin: An Inspiring Account of Self-Improvement and Success

Review:

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is an inspiring account of self-improvement and success. Franklin recounts his early life, his quest for virtue and self-improvement, and his political achievements. The book is full of practical advice on how to improve your life, and it is a must-read for anyone who is looking to achieve their goals.

I would give The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin a 5 out of 5 star rating. The book is well-written and inspiring, and it is full of practical advice that can help you improve your life. Franklin's story is an inspiration to us all, and it shows us that anything is possible if we set our minds to it.

Here are some of the pros and cons of the book:

Pros:

Well-written and inspiring
Full of practical advice
Franklin's story is an inspiration to us all

Cons:

Some of the advice may be outdated
The book can be a bit slow at times
4 people found this helpful
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Raimundo Pereira dos Santos Neto
4.0 out of 5 stars Virtude
Reviewed in Brazil on October 12, 2020
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Um verdadeiro script para uma vida bem-sucedida, tanto no universo pessoal quanto profissional. O desenvolvimento das virtudes me impressionou pela simplicidade e pela clareza.
One person found this helpful
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CARLOS A.
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesante
Reviewed in Spain on July 6, 2021
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Muy buen libro para aprender a ser mejor cada día
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Claudia Santos
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfectas condiciones
Reviewed in Mexico on September 15, 2018
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Llegó en perfecto stado, bonito, tiene textos extra atras, como el del papalote así que todo está muy bien.
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Fabrizio
5.0 out of 5 stars Molto interessante
Reviewed in Italy on August 31, 2018
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L’autobiografia è molto interessante e scorrevole da leggere, anche se qua e là sono ovviamente presenti dei termini che non vengono più utilizzati nell’inglese corrente.
Avrei apprezzato una divisione in capitoli (più che altro per decidere quando interrompere la lettura) ma si lascia leggere tranquillamente anche come racconto quasi del tutto continuo.
2 people found this helpful
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