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Book: Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
Author: Walter Isaacson
Review by: Gene Kansas, cultural developer and founder, Gene Kansas | Commercial Real Estate
“Am I cheating?”
I kept asking myself this as I tentatively entered a new literary domain this year, listening to my first audio book.
Fact is, I’m a very slow reader. I’ve been reading A Confederacy of Dunces for 26 years.
In all seriousness, Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson likely would have taken me 14 months to get through, so I decided to trade tradition and tactility for convenient consumption. I loved it, and my choice was validated by the fact that it still took me seven weeks to finish the book on Audible.
One of the world’s most notable statesmen, Franklin, like all of us, was imperfect. While he left much to be desired as a spouse and a father, we all know that he became one of the most influential figures shaping the early United States. The book explores his journey of invention and reinvention, defines constitution (and puts it to the test), expounds the benefit of perseverance and meticulously lays out the power and promiscuity of the press.
On a personal level as a social entrepreneur most interested in cultural development, Franklin’s civic contributions served as inspiration to continue reading (listening?).
Beyond well-known inventions like bifocal lenses and innovations like harnessing electricity, he also helped create practical institutions like the postal system, public libraries, local fire departments and state militias. He was also an author of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and can be credited with shepherding our long-standing alliance with France.
Many of Franklin’s accomplishments came from dedication to a cause, astute awareness and diligence. Starting out as a slave owner, Franklin would eventually advocate for the abolition of slavery, showing that with courage and insight, one’s convictions can change over time.
If you love history and culture and are in the mood for inspiration, I believe you’ll love this book as much as I, be it in print or narrated to you over the cloud.
Editor’s notes: Global Atlanta will receive a 10 percent commission on any purchase of this book through the links on this page.
Each year, Global Atlanta asks influential readers and community leaders to review the most impactful book they read during the course of the year. This endeavor has continued annually since 2010.
See last year’s full list of books on BookShop here, and all 2021 reader picks here.
All books were chosen and reviews written independently, with only mild editing from our staff.