The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin“I cannot remember ever reading a work of history and biography that is quite so fluent, so perfectly composed and balanced . . .” —The New York Sun “Exceptionally rich perspective on one of the most accomplished, complex, and unpredictable Americans of his own time or any other.” —The Washington Post Book World From the most respected chronicler of the early days of the Republic—and winner of both the Pulitzer and Bancroft prizes—comes a landmark work that rescues Benjamin Franklin from a mythology that has blinded generations of Americans to the man he really was and makes sense of aspects of his life and career that would have otherwise remained mysterious. In place of the genial polymath, self-improver, and quintessential American, Gordon S. Wood reveals a figure much more ambiguous and complex—and much more interesting. Charting the passage of Franklin’s life and reputation from relative popular indifference (his death, while the occasion for mass mourning in France, was widely ignored in America) to posthumous glory, The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin sheds invaluable light on the emergence of our country’s idea of itself. |
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Adams affairs American appointed asked assembly authority Autobiography became become began believed Benjamin Franklin Boston Britain British called cause century colonies colonists common Congress constitution continued Crown Deborah early eighteenth empire England English especially experience fact father fellow France French friends gentlemen governor History hoped House Hutchinson important interest James John July kind king knew land later learned least letters living London Lord Massachusetts middling minister nature never North once Papers of Franklin Parliament Penn Pennsylvania perhaps Philadelphia Philosophical pointed political Poor printer printing Private proposed published Quaker reason Richard royal seemed sense Society sort Stamp Act suggested thing Thomas thought tion told turned United University Press views wanted writing wrote York young