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  • The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

  • By: Benjamin Franklin
  • Narrated by: Walter Covell
  • Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (18 ratings)

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The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

By: Benjamin Franklin
Narrated by: Walter Covell
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Summary

Benjamin Franklin's wide range of activities and interests opened the doors of the world to him. Printer, inventor, philosopher, ambassador, champion of liberty - his influence has been felt by every American generation.

At one time, Franklin was appointed postmaster of Philadelphia and succeeded in making a profit out of it. He organized the citizenry to pave and light the streets, started a fire brigade and a fire insurance company, founded a lending library, helped build a hospital, and got and academy underway that later became the University of Pennsylvania.

And to everything he touched, including this autobiography, Franklin brought originality and wit.
Big Ben: explore our extensive list of titles about Benjamin Franklin.
Public Domain (P)1987 JimCin Recordings
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Editor reviews

Benjamin Franklin is widely hailed as one of the first great Americans: an inventor, publisher, scientist, and diplomat. In his 1791 autobiography, readers are invited to meet the man behind the legend.

Composed between 1771 and 1790, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin begins as a letter from Franklin, at age 65, to his son William. This form gives the book an intimate tone as Franklin recounts family stories and his apprenticeship as a printer. In later sections, he discusses his plans for a public library and his experiments with electricity.

Narrator Walter Covell, using a mid-Atlantic accent appropriate to 18th-century American English, breathes life into this generous, eclectic autobiography.

Critic reviews

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a document essential to any understanding of the famous American philosopher and statesman. It is one of the best-known American books and has been much admired in all parts of the world." ( Masterworks of Autobiography)

What listeners say about The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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Essential Listening

Really enjoyed this, very easy to listen to, like taking a journey back in time.
Ended a little abruptly though, would like to delve futher into another Franklin bio.

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Account of the life of an extraordinary individual

I was interested to read this book because I heard about how this self educated man set out on a quest of self improvement and improvement of the lives of the people around. I wanted to know more about him, his background and how he became involved in such a multitude of diverse interests over the course of his life.
For the most part I was able to keep up with this book, particularly Parts 1& 2. I could follow the narration well enough and the story. 4*

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