Free Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, And Later Writings (Library Of America) Ebooks To Download
"Writing has been of Great Use to me in the Course of my Life," Benjamin Franklin said in his famous Autobiography. With characteristically calculated understatement, he attributed his enormous and varied successesto "my having learnt a little to scribble." This collection of Franklin's works begins with letters sent from London (1757-1775) describing the events and diplomacy preceding the Revolutionary War. The volume also contains political satires, bagatelles,pamphlets, and letters written in Paris (1776-1785) , where he represented the revolutionary United States at the court of Louis XVI, as well as his speeches given in the Constitutional Convention and other works written in Philadelphia (1785-1790), including his last published article, a searing satire against slavery. Also included are the delightfully shrewd prefaces to Poor Richard's Almanack (1733-1758) and their worldly, pungent maxims that have entered our American culture. Finally, the classic Autobiography, Franklin's last word on his greatest literary creation-his own invented personality-is presented here in a new edition, completely faithful to Franklin's manuscript.
Hardcover: 816 pages
Publisher: Library of America; 1997 edition (October 6, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1883011531
ISBN-13: 978-1883011536
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.3 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #43,414 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #71 in Books > Literature & Fiction > United States > Anthologies #71 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical > United States > American Revolution #498 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Military
This book is a compilation of Franklin's Letters (from London 1757-75. from Paris 1776-85, and Philadelphia 1785-90), Poor Richard's Almanack (1733-58), his 4 part Autobiography (part 1: from 7/30-8/13/1771, part 2: 1784, part 3: 1788-5/1789, & part 4: 11/13/1789), a Chronology, Notes, and an Index. The letters were extremely interesting, not just as context for the period, but because they demonstrate the situation before, during, and after the Revolutionary War a well as Franklin's many roles during his lifetime. The Chronology helps to put all of this into perspective. The 1st part of the Autobiography reads like a novel and was quite enjoyable. The later parts went into much detail of a limited number of activities and, unfortunately were never completed and didn't cover his activities in France. Poor Richards' Almanack was delightful in its later expositions of scientific advances etc. and, of course in its plethora of pithy sayings, maxims, and observations--though these were not just in Poor Richard's but exist throughout the entire volume. The Notes are particularly helpful by translating the many Latin expressions within the text.Some of these are political:p. 110: The wisest councils are liable to be misled, especially in matters remote from their inspection.p. 553: Laws like Cobwebs catch small flies, great ones break through before your eyes.p. 510: Pardoning the bad is injuring the good.p. 537 Ignorance leads me into a party, and shame keeps them from getting out again.p. 546: Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed; too severe, seldom executed.Some are psychological:p. 357: We are men, all subject to errors.
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