Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography (First Edition)
Norton Critical Editions
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Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography (First Edition)
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Narrated by:
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Don Gentry
About this listen
The only edition of the celebrated autobiography that includes the long-missing and recently identified "Wagon Letters".
Written during the most eventful years of Benjamin Franklin's life (1771-90), the autobiography is one of the most influential memoirs in history. This newly edited Norton Critical Edition includes an introduction that explains the history of the autobiography within the larger history of the life-writing genre as well as within the history of celebrity.
"Contexts" presents a broader view of Franklin's life with a journal entry from a 1726 voyage, correspondence, a Poor Richard piece on ambition and fame, Franklin's views on self-improvement, and his last will (and codicil).
"Criticism" draws on a wealth of material that reflects both the wide range of Franklin's achievements and the global impact of his life and memoirs. New international voices in "Contemporary Opinions" include Immanuel Kant, Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, Comte de Mirabeau, José Antonio de Alzate y Ramírez, and José Francisco Correia da Serra.
"Nineteenth-Century Opinions" includes Humphry Davy on Franklin's discovery of electricity as well as Empress Shoken of Japan's Franklin-inspired poem. Finally, "Modern Opinions" reprints important pieces: I. B. Cohen on Franklin and the autobiography's importance to science; Michael Warner's theoretical interpretation of the practices of writing and printing, and what they tell us about Franklin; and Peter Stallybrass' insightful and engaging history-of-the-book perspective on Franklin's writing generally and the autobiography specifically.
A chronology of Franklin's life is also included.
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What listeners say about Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography (First Edition)
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Speedie Reefdancer
- 01-11-24
Interesting guy. Fast read.
Learned more than I expected. He had a colorful life that is so well documented. Was wishing there was more.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Adam Huxell
- 09-09-20
Great with the Norton Critical Edition
Used this for class - so sad it’s unfinished. What a great man who had so many astounding discoveries and inventions!
A couple weird omissions throughout, like not stating his bullet under “Chastity,” but other than that, it was great!
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Derek
- 10-26-21
Do not buy!!!
It’s not the full book at all and it’s a waste of money. It only goes up to chapter 2. Total rip-off
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