Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

By: Walter Isaacson

Narrated by: Nelson Runger

Benjamin Franklin is the founding father who winks at us - an ambitious urban entrepreneur who rose up the social ladder, from leather-aproned shopkeeper to dining with kings.

In best-selling author Walter Isaacson's vivid and witty full-scale biography, we discover why Franklin turns to us from history's stage with eyes that twinkle from behind his new-fangled spectacles. In Benjamin Franklin, Isaacson shows how Franklin defines both his own time and ours.

The most interesting thing that Franklin invented, and continually reinvented, was himself. America's first great publicist, he was consciously trying to create a new American archetype. In the process, he carefully crafted his own persona, portrayed it in public, and polished it for posterity. His guiding principle was a "dislike of everything that tended to debase the spirit of the common people". Few of his fellow founders felt this comfort with democracy so fully, and none so intuitively.

In this colorful and intimate narrative, Isaacson provides the full sweep of Franklin's amazing life, from his days as a runaway printer to his triumphs as a statesman, scientist, and Founding Father. He chronicles Franklin's tumultuous relationship with his illegitimate son and grandson, his practical marriage, and his flirtations with the ladies of Paris. He also shows how Franklin helped to create the American character and why he has a particular resonance in the 21st century.

©2003 Walter Isaacson (P)2011 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"The most readable full-length Franklin biography available." ( The Washington Post Book World)

"Energetic, entertaining, and worldly." ( The New Yorker)

"In its common sense, clarity and accessibility, it is a fitting reflection of Franklin's sly pragmatism.... This may be the book that most powerfully drives a new pendulum swing of the Franklin reputation." ( The New York Times Book Review)

Rich, captivating peek at the life of a Great Man

I got this book after reading two other biographies from Walter Isaacson: Jobs and Einstein. Both were fantastic, this one joins the list.

I enjoyed this audiobook thoroughly - it provides a wonderful combination of history, personal details about Benjamin Franklin and his personality, and valuable things we can learn from his life.

For an audiobook this long, like with the other biographies, it is amazing how interesting they are. I listen to audiobooks while driving, and I caught myself wishing my commute was just a little longer to listen to a bit more.

Highly recommended

Great book!

Great book, it goes in depth into his somewhat complex character. Franklin is truly one founding father that doesn't get the credit due.
This book goes beyond the facade we all know & revealing his true character.

What I didn't like was the references to other authors material. I also found the narrator a bit slow in his reading. It was an easy fix though. I speed the book up to 1.5x in Audible and it read much like normal reading with out the stereotypical New England accent or assumed slownes.

Insightful, well worth the read (listen)

Walter Isaacson weaves an engaging almost fanciful story of the life of an American icon.

As Isaacson points out, each generation recasts Franklin in its own image. After reading this I came away impressed with how diverse and talented Ben Franklin was. From writer to inventor, Franklin was the very image of genius. We all know of his electricity experiments and his role in the founding of the United States, but Walter Isaacson introduces us to a whole new 3D image of the famous printer. Who knew of Franklin's involvement in the invention of refrigeration, for example, or of his observations of a seminal moment in the development of flight?

This book convincingly sweeps aside the sensational popular idea of Franklin as a womanizer, while at the same time, painting a picture of a man who quite probably was a bigamist. His complex family life comprises much of the book as surely it did Franklin's life. We explore William Franklin's possible maternal connections as well as the complicated and tortured relationship Benjamin had with his son.

Some of the finest moments for me came when we glimpse his interactions with the other founding fathers, specifically, John and Abigail Adams. Through his own words and those of his contemporaries, we come to know a man who is at once wise, naive, grandfatherly, lecherous, pious, lewd, humorous, serious, friendly, and cantankerous.

In addition to the engaging content, Nelson Runger's read is superb. He is a pleasure to listen to and he makes the time fly by. I completely enjoyed this book both for its content and the performance.

Great Book about a Great Man

Where does Benjamin Franklin: An American Life rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's up there. Though because it's so long, I'll probably look into the Bio to re-read instead. The virtues of this man will live on forever.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ben Franklin of course

Have you listened to any of Nelson Runger’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I liked his performance. I don't know what the other reviews are talking about with his bad impersonations and "butter lips". He did a splendid job being a story teller and for a history/bio book,his cheesy impersonations keep it fun and indicate it's a direct quote.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Ha! 24+ hour marathon? I still have to squeeze in ear time for the wife.. so not for me in 1 sitting :)

Any additional comments?

Fantastic book. Only complaints are about instances of sudden jumps in topics without much warning. In history books that's to be expected but when covering grand topics, it's a little tough when it branches off into another persons tale with little build up. This book might be a little long for some so at minimum get the raw bio of Ben Franklin instead. His practical virtues should be red and studied by all.

great

bang for your buck! Very informative educational interesting insight to an amazing man's life. you will not be disappointed if you enjoy history and a of many virtues.

A well-rounded look at a well-rounded man

An excellent biography from start to finish, “Benjamin Franklin: An American Life” begins by touching on his childhood as best as it can considering the lack of material to work with. After that, Walter Isaacson takes the reader through a more detailed account of Franklin's early entrepreneurial life, his many inventions, and into his later statesmen days. I loved the author's well-balanced storytelling for achievements, personal and professional details, and philosophical/political ideology. The importance of his work as a diplomat, an enchanting and emotional time in Franklin's life well dramatized by the author, really impressed me. This biography provides a nice, concise, well-rounded look at a well-rounded man.

Another winning biography by Isaacson

Upon finishing this audiobook, you feel like you actually knew Mr. Franklin. Listen twice and you’re a certified BF historian.

The more I read about BF the less I liked him.

I struggled to finish this book due to the callousness BF showed to his family

Audiobook perfection; Literary and Historical paragon

Very few books, even fewer biographies, contain the rigorously sourced and maturely digested discussion that Isaacson our together. It is itself a monument.

Runger's performance is classic and fits so nobly and approachably with the book, that it is a perfect match.

Excellent story and naration .

One of my favorite founding fathers. This book does him justice for all his accomplishments in American history.
The narrator is superb through the whole story. I don’t know why all the bad reviews on his performance. I am glad I decided to purchase the audio even though I’ve already read the book.