Friday, January 20, 2006

That Amazing Benjamin

Today marks the birthday of Benjamin Franklin, one of country's founders and, many would argue, one of the heroes in the process that led to the formation of our country and our break with our colonial stronghold, England.

Many sites are out there that speak to and cover the life of Mr. Franklin. The one I choose to highlight is the one that offers online reading of his autobiography.

Here is the introduction on the Archiving Early America website:
A year after Benjamin Franklin's death his autobiography entitled "Memoires De La Vie Privee...," was published in Paris in March of 1791. The first English translation, "The Private Life of the Late Benjamin Franklin, LL.D....Originally Written By Himself, And Now Translated From The French," was published in London in 1793. (Please see the title page at the left)

Known today as "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin," this classic piece of Americana was originally written for Franklin's son William, then the Governor of New Jersey. The work portrays a fascinating picture of life in Philadelphia, as well as shrewd observations on the literature, philosophy and religion of the time. Franklin wrote the first five chapters of his autobiography in England in 1771, resumed again thirteen years later (1784-85) in Paris and later in 1788 when he returned to the United States. Franklin ends the account of his life in 1757 when he was 51 years old.

Considered to be the greatest autobiography produced in Colonial America, Franklin's Autobiography is published here in 14 chapters.
I encourage you to visit and continue to read about Mr. Franklin's eventful live.

And, while we're talking about Mr. Franklin, consider visiting a site dedicated to making available his writings. Thanks to the Library of Congress, there's a site called Benjamin Franklin.....In His Own Words. As you discovered in his autobiography, he's a great writer.