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)

Great book, good enough reading, but poor sound editing

Loved the book! Walter Isaacson is thorough and balanced. Great history lesson as Benjamin Franklin was a big player in a the American Revolution.

The reader was good, most voices done well, but his Ben Franklin voice is annoying through the whole book. The sound editing is not good and you often hear the reader swallowing and other saliva noises. After 24 hours of these noises, you start to get annoyed.

The Most Fascinating of Our Founding Fathers

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

As a biography, this is one of the better ones I've read

What did you like best about this story?

The inclusion of many of B Franklin's writings and quotations as opposed to just telling his story really gives the reader a better window into his thoughts and viewpoints.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

The narrator was one of the poorest of the dozens of audible books I've experienced. He made nearly continuous sounds that distracted me from the story. It wasn't clearing his throat or other loud noises but rather small sounds during pauses that I haven't experienced with other narrators. I would say that when I was in an active environment, like running and listening, they didn't bother me. But in a quite environment they were noticeable, constant and distracting.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was surprised to find out both how amiable and agreeable Benjamin Franklin was with his many peers and historical contacts and yet so cold and uncompromising with his own family.

Mostly excellent

Very comprehensive but at times repetitive. Author used same material and/or made same conclusions repeatedly. That said, this is an exhaustive work of highest scholarship.

An excellent journey

A great book with insight into all aspects of Benjamin Franklin's life. I was worried the book would be dull, it was not.

amazing detail and performance,

long elaborate history, so much I did not know, a terrific politicin,lover and patriot.
weird family life

Very thorough.

A good summary of an amazing life. Explains much of the legend of Franklin and what made him truly unique and a valued sage at the time when this country needed it most.

Well-researched, detailed and accessible

I always enjoy Isaacson's work and this is another winner. Definitely exhaustive and detailed, readable and well worth your time

Tough to listen to this wonderful story

Too much smacking of the lips and wetting the mouth and taking odd breaths during the reading. Need to turn the recording off and have some water.

Read it

It is quite revealing how people lived and treated others. He was something special in all that he accomplished. Listen and learn.

Another Isaacson Masterpiece

What a fascinating look at Franklin's life and impacts. And the audio performance by Runger Justus adds to the enjoyment.