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Writings: The Autobiography / Poor Richard’s Almanack / Bagatelles, Pamphlets, Essays & Letters
Depicting Franklin as a controversial figure in his own time, this volume includes political, economic, and social pieces, scientific articles, opinions on education and religion, propaganda exercises drawn from "Silence Dogwood," writings from the "Pennsylvania Gazette," and "Poor Richard's Almanack," and letters
1632 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1806
About the author
Benjamin Franklin
2,009 books1,655 followersBenjamin Franklin was a writer, a philosopher, a scientist, a politician, a patriot, a Founding Father, an inventor, and publisher. He helped with the founding of the United States of America and changed the world with his discoveries about electricity. His writings such as Poor Richards' Almanac have provided wisdom for 17 years to the colonies.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 24, 2016
Reading the Writings of Ben Franklin was exploring the mind of a genius. Franklin is a legend, and well he should be, as some legends in history are more famous than they deserve. Franklin deserves legendary status on so many levels, it seems unreal, such as in science, diplomacy, finances, politics, literature, and on and on. This book opened my eyes to the true genius of Franklin, and made me realize how the American people were so fortuitous in having him present at our country's birth and inception. Viva Ben Franklin!
February 18, 2013
The overwhelming Sense of the Man that I received from reading Benjamin Franklin's letters, Poor Richard's Almanack, and The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is of Confidence. (btw, it's really fun to write like you're in the 18th Century and capitalized all Nouns!) His business sense, his wit, his diplomacy, his intelligence, and his curiousity could be all be argued to come from his confidence that he can do whatever he wants and it will come out in the end. What a perfect time for Franklin to be born when the country needed a man like that!
May 14, 2014
Beginning my marathon of 3 Ben Franklin books, I start with the words of the man himself, all 1,470 pages of them. Engaging and witty, a lot of his advice applies as much to the 21st century as it did the 18th. He’s one of the Founding Fathers I admire the most.
Updating this note, which was originally written 5 years ago to day.
I have completed all 1469 pages of the Library of America edition of the Writings of Benjamin Franklin and will continue in my Franklin marathon, which since 2006 has expanded to 4 books. On one hand a great accomplishment, but also very sad as I have been immersed in the mind of Dr. Franklin for most of the last half decade, and there is very little that I haven’t read. As the Autobiography ends abruptly in mid sentence, it is also slightly anti climactic, although certainly we know what happened!
After a while you feel like you get to know Dr. Franklin, which is not something I feel in reading the writings of Jefferson, Madison, or Paine …. and at the risk of sounding as though I were in desperate need of cultivating a social life, I will say its something like being forced to bid fare well to a friend.
I’ll have to console myself by continuing on in my marathon and reading autobiographies. :D
Worthy of Note:
This is the third time I’ve read the Autobiography, ( 1996 and 2000 being the previous years. )
Updating this note, which was originally written 5 years ago to day.
I have completed all 1469 pages of the Library of America edition of the Writings of Benjamin Franklin and will continue in my Franklin marathon, which since 2006 has expanded to 4 books. On one hand a great accomplishment, but also very sad as I have been immersed in the mind of Dr. Franklin for most of the last half decade, and there is very little that I haven’t read. As the Autobiography ends abruptly in mid sentence, it is also slightly anti climactic, although certainly we know what happened!
After a while you feel like you get to know Dr. Franklin, which is not something I feel in reading the writings of Jefferson, Madison, or Paine …. and at the risk of sounding as though I were in desperate need of cultivating a social life, I will say its something like being forced to bid fare well to a friend.
I’ll have to console myself by continuing on in my marathon and reading autobiographies. :D
Worthy of Note:
This is the third time I’ve read the Autobiography, ( 1996 and 2000 being the previous years. )
August 9, 2012
The Almanack, the private correspondence and the newspaper writings are much more worthwhile than the Autobiography...which I didn't realize cuts off mid-sentence (he died before he got around to writing the part about the Revolution). You hear about Franklin the polymath, but it's really amazing to pick this up and see just how far the man's interests ranged.
June 15, 2012
This is one of the best and most enjoyable in the Library of America series on Great Statesmen, probably because Franklin was such an entertaining writer. This has his Poor Richard and even earlier journalistic writings as well as later political works.
Read the Founders, don't just proof-text or make stuff up about them (my pet peeve).
Read the Founders, don't just proof-text or make stuff up about them (my pet peeve).
February 12, 2016
This is primary source material straight from The Ben's pen. His scientific writings and letters were surprisingly advanced. I enjoyed it the first time and will have to go back from time to time to be reminded of his brilliance.
November 15, 2018
Interesting. Franklin touts wisdom and wealth resulting from the discipline of good habitude and scheduled spontaneity. Why were there 13 virtues listed and why were they in the order listed? One can only imagine.
January 8, 2024
Boston & London - 1722-1726: finished 1/19/20
Philadelphia - 1726-1757: finished 5/16/21
London - 1757-1775: finished 12/28/22
Paris - 1776-1785: finished 2/28/22
Philadelphia - 1785-1790: finished 1/7/23
Philadelphia - 1726-1757: finished 5/16/21
London - 1757-1775: finished 12/28/22
Paris - 1776-1785: finished 2/28/22
Philadelphia - 1785-1790: finished 1/7/23
April 20, 2008
A shelf primer for all the other Franklin books. Thank god for the printing press, including Franklin's franchising of his name or there wouldn't be a Kinko's.
Want to read
November 20, 2008I do not know, how much time I'm gonna spend for this book.
July 8, 2010
A wonderful collection that always provides 10 minutes (or more) of quick reading.
August 29, 2019
Read Autobiography and Porr Richard for Teaching Company Course,
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2021
Amazing! I came across this title as an audio book!
Much of its advice applicable to today's life.
Much of its advice applicable to today's life.
October 3, 2020
These comments are regarding only Poor Richard's Almanack, whose contents I felt curious about and decided to read. Basically, I wondered what was in it and, over some years, it floated to the top of my readlist.
My dad suggested the Almanack is probably of historical interest only. I am still reading it; but I am now inclined to agree with him. Franklin's (writing under pseudonym "Richard Saunders") aphorisms are generally not particularly interesting or insightful; for many, if I react at all I simply think "Well, yeah."
Of more interest is Franklin's conceit between sets of aphorisms: affecting a fictional "feud" with some other man whom he had made predictions about.
10-3-2020
"Life with Fools consists in Drinking / With the Wise Man Living's Thinking." --Poor Richard
My dad suggested the Almanack is probably of historical interest only. I am still reading it; but I am now inclined to agree with him. Franklin's (writing under pseudonym "Richard Saunders") aphorisms are generally not particularly interesting or insightful; for many, if I react at all I simply think "Well, yeah."
Of more interest is Franklin's conceit between sets of aphorisms: affecting a fictional "feud" with some other man whom he had made predictions about.
10-3-2020
"Life with Fools consists in Drinking / With the Wise Man Living's Thinking." --Poor Richard
I love that quotation, undoubtedly what I remember most from the Almanack; but I wince at Benjamin Franklin's painfully ironic hypocrisy later in life. He notoriously loved...drinking.
As I said in my first review, I found many of Franklin's aphorisms and observations not insightful but painfully obvious. After reacting that way enough times, I started thinking that Franklin simply thought himself so wise, and the reader so credulous in comparison, that he could amaze and delight the reader with just about any remark. So many thinkers make that mistake that one has to wonder who's more often the fool. (I want to avoid using the word "intellectual" because the word has hidden meanings. But I begin to degress.)
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews