The book is written in a memoir fashion for the events that took place in Benjamin Franklin’s life. It is a descriptive book on Benjamin Franklin’s character as well as how he was tormented with his life and the different scenarios that were presented to him in wake of revolt and other major issues facing the union. The book comprises of years that initiate from 1726 all the way to 1790 when he died. This book provides key insight to all the details that went into the life of one of the most famous founding fathers of the United States of America and looks over each major issue that was ever raised in his time while it also dictates documents that were never told of before the book was published. It is understood that these documents were personal while some had political affluence pertinent in them while the book also focuses around major political steps that were taken in Benjamin Franklin’s time.
The book also focuses around key public speeches that were given by Benjamin Franklin to the public as well as other speeches given by other founding fathers of the United States of America. This book also focuses on Benjamin Franklin’s relationship with other founding fathers and how the opinions in this group differentiated each personality while it also focuses on the major issue of slave trade, the final barrier which Benjamin Franklin witnessed before his death. This book, at times, discusses the emotions of Benjamin Franklin towards his country and towards the people he was related to as well as showing a much more political side of Benjamin Franklin that very few could have known about .
I love how the book shows a much darker side to politics even in times when the world was not as modern as it is now and when the public had more faith in the government than it has now. It gives me a new insight into how things have always been played out by the government for the people while they make the people accusable to themselves. This book also shares some complicated issues that occurred in Benjamin Franklin’s time and this interests me beyond depth. Never before did I know about the letter that was sent to Lord Howe on 20th July, 1776. It makes me wonder how many things there actually were that never came into the light of day. It must make everyone wonder the same thing.
Furthermore, the issue of slave trading in the book depicts the mindset of how people thought about it back then and how they used Africans to their own pleasure. I enjoy seeing the fact that there were still people back then who were as rebellious against slave trade just like there were others in the coming years. This is why I believe we got rid of slave trade in the first place.
After reading this book, I come to realize that they were not just crowned for the fun of it. The extent of devotion that these founding fathers had, the motivation they had and not to forget, the parts they played in this new country, were ones which I have not seen in the history of the United States of America ever again. It seriously makes me wonder how better this country would have been, had these founding fathers or figures with the same characters like the founding fathers were still present in the Government today. It would have been fascinating to watch them debate over the war issues that United States of America currently struggles with, the economic repressions the country faces and the privacy issues that are provoked time and again by United States’ National Security Agency.
In my opinion, the book fits in history right at the start of the colonial unity as well as the major career changes that Benjamin Franklin took to become the notable figure he is today. The book shows how vague and improbable the early America was yet how it was kept together by vigorous struggles from men like Benjamin Franklin.
The book is definitely important to history as it unearths the American revolution and the struggle for independence while it is safe to say that the sources for the book are all legitimate documents, mostly written or noted down in history and can also be found in the national archives. The documents regarding Franklin Benjamin are from his own sources and are signed by him in most cases or by his assistant that lived during the time of Benjamin Franklin. Such authenticated documents improve the accuracy of history written in this book as well as the credibility of the book’s sources, making it all the more important for history of the United States of America.
I believe this book should be read by all Americans who study in colleges and high schools nowadays as it will enlighten their core towards the feelings of hatred, anger, rebellion and even love for the sake of unity and one country that is elaborated to such extents in this book. People who think their government of today is better than ever should read this book to realize how wrong they truly are. One should also read this book to understand the depth of documents transcribed in the book and the parts such documents played in the upbringing of a united America and its future developing strategies. This book also emphasizes key parts of history of the United States of America which most American don’t even know about, let alone heard of.
Finally, I would like to encourage enthusiastic readers to read this book as it doesn’t have a biased opinion or a biased autobiography. Rather it has the truth about Benjamin Franklin and the struggles of his life, the good and bad during his careers, the wrong decisions that he made as well as the great decisions he made or influenced upon this nation.
Works Cited
Masur, Louis P. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New York: Bedford Books, 1993.
