greatlibraryofalexandra's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
Interesting book; well organized, obviously well-sourced. I think I'd have enjoyed it more if I had any working background on Franklin. This isn't a biography (and doesn't pretend to be) but I didn't realize how lacking my foundational knowledge was until I was plodding through it. It's pretty dry and academic, but it is useful in exploring Franklin's life and evolution in neatly contained sections.
I don't know that it convinced me the Benjamin Franklin I've learned about is a "myth," though. I went into this book thinking the basics - Franklin was a self-made man, a hard worker, a bit of a cad, a liturgical genius, a scientist, a diplomat, and a patriot. I came away thinking the same thing, with the exception that I had more nuance to the thoughts. So I am not sure that the thesis is adequately argued or answered - yes, we tend to view Franklin through a populist, sanitized lens, but we do that for all the founders, and I don't think this author successfully defined that lens as incorrect. Franklin WAS a hard worker, and a patriot. In fact of all the founders/early presidents I've read about lately, the "myth" we seem to get fed of Franklin seems, even after this book, to be the most correct.
Also, Wood shied away from the idea of talking about Franklin's ownership of enslaved persons until the very end, when he only discussed Franklin deciding to oppose slavery.
I don't know that it convinced me the Benjamin Franklin I've learned about is a "myth," though. I went into this book thinking the basics - Franklin was a self-made man, a hard worker, a bit of a cad, a liturgical genius, a scientist, a diplomat, and a patriot. I came away thinking the same thing, with the exception that I had more nuance to the thoughts. So I am not sure that the thesis is adequately argued or answered - yes, we tend to view Franklin through a populist, sanitized lens, but we do that for all the founders, and I don't think this author successfully defined that lens as incorrect. Franklin WAS a hard worker, and a patriot. In fact of all the founders/early presidents I've read about lately, the "myth" we seem to get fed of Franklin seems, even after this book, to be the most correct.
Also, Wood shied away from the idea of talking about Franklin's ownership of enslaved persons until the very end, when he only discussed Franklin deciding to oppose slavery.
real_life_reading's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book because it was a very succinct read and it had some excellent information in it. There was a lot in here about Benjamin Franklin I never knew, and I really loved Wood's interpretation on how Franklin became the image of the American Dream, despite actually being very much disliked in America at the time of his death. Fantastic for anyone interested in Benjamin Franklin or the American Revolution.
irinagoldberg1's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this even more than Walter Isaacson's biography of Benjamin Franklin.
nickjonesreadsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
A well written and engaging read. For somebody like myself who cared very little about American history growing up, I am fascinated to see how different men like Benjamin Franklin were from my conception of them based on a cursory Reading of survey level histories and American pop culture. Recommended!
imclaugh's review against another edition
4.0
I have enormous respect for Gordon Wood. I'd have to re-read this to ascertain my pseudo-reasons for withholding that much-coveted stamp of consummate quality, the fifth star.
ainwena's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
I certainly some new information about Ben Franklin-that he was most likely the richest man in the colonies and he did not treat his wife well. I enjoy Wood's writing style here.
maekd's review against another edition
4.0
Did you know that Benjamin Franklin was a British loyalist up until *1775*?? ME NEITHER.
It actually seems like he switched sides as a result of having his pride insulted by the English. I hate to admit it but reading this book did alter my view of Benjamin Franklin in a mostly negatively way. Not that the book was itself critical of its subject.
I'm definitely interested in reading some more founding father literature now. One of my favorite things was how John Adams' dislike of Franklin and some of his quotations. It's wonderful to think of founding father and early American president John Adams as a clever, snarky young man with a bit of an acid tongue.
It actually seems like he switched sides as a result of having his pride insulted by the English. I hate to admit it but reading this book did alter my view of Benjamin Franklin in a mostly negatively way. Not that the book was itself critical of its subject.
I'm definitely interested in reading some more founding father literature now. One of my favorite things was how John Adams' dislike of Franklin and some of his quotations. It's wonderful to think of founding father and early American president John Adams as a clever, snarky young man with a bit of an acid tongue.