The Autobiography Of Benjamin Franklin: Penn Reading Project Edition

Ben Franklin recalls his earlier life from a later vantage point in this skillfully-written walk back in time. As is often the case when reading the words of those from other ages, this most human and brilliant of Founding Fathers seems simultaneously utterly modern and distinctly Colonial as he tells about his life as a printer and inventor in 18th-century Philadelphia. It is the small moments that grant this book so much flavor. Franklin's description of chasing a "whirlwind" is a prime example of that. This is history at its most approachable, penned by a man whose wit and self-confidence make him fine company for the duration of a most enjoyable read.