Description
Benjamin Franklin, perhaps the pivotal figure in colonial and revolutionary America, comes vividly to life in this biography by H. W. Brands.
Wit, diplomat, scientist, philosopher, businessman, inventor, and bon vivant, Benjamin Franklin had a life of extraordinary range and influence. From penniless runaway to highly successful printer, from ardently loyal subject of Britain to architect of an alliance with France that ensured America’s independence, Franklin rose from obscurity to become one of the world’s most admired figures, whose circle included Voltaire, Hume, Burke, and Kant.
Drawing on previously unpublished letters and a host of other sources, H. W. Brands has written a thoroughly engaging biography of the eighteenth-century genius. A much-needed reminder of Franklin’s greatness and humanity, The First American is a work of meticulous scholarship that provides a magnificent tour of a legendary historical figure, a vital era in American life, and the countless arenas in which the protean Franklin left his legacy.
Endorsements
Pulitzer Prize finalist
“Thorough biography of ... America’s first Renaissance man.” — The Washington Post
“The authoritative Franklin biography for our time.” — Joseph J. Ellis, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning Founding Brothers
“Life is one every American should know well, and it has not been told better than by Mr. Brands.” — The Dallas Morning News