The scholarship on Franklin is centuries old and quite comprehensive. Though many pages long, this handout is loose change compared to the tremendous wealth of Franklin sources. But the following books, videos, web sites and museum exhibit will educate, interest, and enlighten any reader or viewer. Any library, even those in the small communities, carries books by and about Franklin. The Austin Community College libraries carry dozens of books and videos.<\/p>\n
Books <\/b><\/p>\n
Brands, H. W., The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin. New York, New York: Doubleday, 2000.<\/p>\n
One of the very good biographies published in the last ten years. Brands lives in Austin and teaches at Texas A&M.<\/p>\n
Chaplain, Joyce E., The First Scientific American: Benjamin Franklin and the Pursuit of Genius. New York, New York: Basic Books, 2006.<\/p>\n
The writer shows that Franklin\u2019s genius had a life long interest in science<\/p>\n
Cohen, I. Bernard., Benjamin Franklin\u2019s Science. Cambridge, Ma.: Harvard University Press, 1990<\/p>\n
Though this book focuses on Franklin\u2019s work with electricity, it also covers his scientific influences and other areas of interest.<\/p>\n
Cousins, Margaret, Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia. New York, New York: Random House, 1952. <\/p>\n
This children\u2019s book has been in print for over fifty years. <\/p>\n
Dray, Phillip, Stealing God\u2019s Thunder\u201d Benjamin Franklin\u2019s Lightening Rod and the Invention of America. New York, New York: Random House, 2005.<\/p>\n
Dray explores Franklin\u2019s science and its effect on the politics of the young United States.<\/p>\n
Fruchtman, Jack, Atlantic Cousins: Benjamin Franklin and His Visionary Friends. New York, New York: Avalon, 2005. <\/p>\n
Fruchtman tells of how the Enlightenment and its many interesting visionaries influenced Franklin. <\/p>\n
Isaacson, Walter, Benjamin Franklin: An American Life. New York, New York: Simon and Schuster 2003.<\/p>\n
A former head of Time Magazine and CNN, the writer uses a breezy style in this general biography.<\/p>\n
Japiske, Carl, Fart Proudly. Marble Hill, Ga.: Enthea Press, 1990.<\/p>\n
This slim volume collects some of Franklin\u2019s ruder and cruder humorous writings. <\/p>\n
Lemay, Leo J. A., The Life of Benjamin Franklin: Volume One, Journalist 1706-1730. Philadelphia, Pa.: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2006.<\/p>\n
Lemay, Leo J. A., The Life of Benjamin Franklin: Volume Two, Printer and Publisher, 1730-1747. Philadelphia, Pa.: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2006.<\/p>\n
Each of these volumes is over five hundred pages and they cover only the first forty years of Franklin\u2019s life. When all seven volumes are finished, this will surely stand as the most comprehensive study about Franklin and serve as the summit of LeMay\u2019s many decades long career as a Franklin scholar. <\/p>\n
Lemay, J. A. Leo, ed., Franklin’s Writings. New York, New York: Library of America, Literary Classics of America, 1987. <\/p>\n
This book collects many Franklin writings including letters, essays, newspaper articles, the compete autobiography and excerpts from Poor Richard\u2019s Almanac, all providing a deep look into his many interests and his strong literary style.<\/p>\n
Lemay, J. A. Leo, ed., Reappraising Benjamin Franklin: A Bicentennial Perspective. Newark, NJ.: University of Delaware Press, 1993.<\/p>\n
This collection of twenty-five essays explores most facets of Franklin\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
Lopez, Claude-Anne, Mon Cher Papa: Franklin and the Ladies of Paris. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 1966.<\/p>\n
With a lyrical style, Lopez explains how and why the ladies of Paris loved the old and fat Franklin.<\/p>\n
Lopez, Claude-Anne, My Life with Benjamin Franklin. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 2000.<\/p>\n
Hired by Yale University in the 50\u2019s because she knew French Ms. Lopez has come to be an expert on Franklin.<\/p>\n
Middlekauff, Robert, Benjamin Franklin and His Enemies. Berkeley, Ca.: University of California Press, 1998.<\/p>\n
The author shows how Franklin\u2019s ideas, weaknesses, and mistakes earned him his many enemies.<\/p>\n
Morgan, Edmund, Benjamin Franklin. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 2002.<\/p>\n
Morgan is a well-known and esteemed historian. The masterful first chapter is worth the price of the book. <\/p>\n
Sappenfield, James A. A Sweet Instruction: Franklin\u2019s Journalism as a Literary Apprenticeship. Carbondale and Edwardsville, Il: Southern Illinois University Press, 1973.<\/p>\n
To this day Franklin\u2019s literary style isn\u2019t fully appreciated. Sappenfield tells how his early years in journalism shaped that style. <\/p>\n
Schiff, Stacy. A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and theBbirth of America. New York, New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2005.<\/p>\n
Schiff won a Pulitzer Prize for an earlier book. In this one, with a fine literary style, she details Franklin\u2019s many years in France during the Revolutionary War while he negotiated with France for aid and later with England for peace.<\/p>\n
Seavey, Ormond. Becoming Benjamin Franklin: The Autobiography and the Life. University Park, Pa.: 1988.<\/p>\n
Seavey tells how Franklin\u2019s life shaped his autobiography and how it has shaped our perceptions of him.<\/p>\n
Talbott, Page, ed., Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 2005. <\/p>\n
This special collection of essays honors Franklin in the year of the tercentennial of his birth.<\/p>\n
Tise, Larry, ed., Benjamin Franklin and Women. University Park, Pa.: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2000.<\/p>\n
These essays explore Franklin\u2019s relationships with women in and outside his family and the roles of women in Colonial America.<\/p>\n
Van Doren, Carl, Benjamin Franklin. New York, New York, Viking Press, 1938.<\/p>\n
This book won the Pulitzer Prize as much for its encyclopedic range as for its great literary style. <\/p>\n
Waldstreicher, David, Runaway America: Benjamin Franklin, Slavery, and the American Revolution. New York, New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2005.<\/p>\n
This book explores the economy of the colonies and how slavery fit into it.<\/p>\n
Walters, Kerry S., Benjamin Franklin and his Gods. Urbana and Chicago, Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 1999.<\/p>\n
This book explores the spiritual life of a man who belonged to no religion, but yet equated doing civic duties with spirituality.<\/p>\n
Wood, Gordon, S., The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin. New York, New York: Penguin Press, 2004.<\/p>\n
An author on many books about colonial America, Wood gives us a look at the dichotomies of Franklin\u2019s personality: working man striving to be a gentleman, loyal member of the British Crown then ardent revolutionary among others.<\/p>\n
Videos <\/b><\/p>\n
Benjamin Franklin: Citizen of the World. A&E HomeDVD, 1994. Availabe at www.historychannel.com <\/a><\/p>\n An episode in A&E network\u2019s Biography series, this brief 50 minute video is very informative.<\/p>\n Benjamin Franklin. History Channel DVD, 2003. Availabe at www.historychannel.com <\/a><\/p>\n This originally aired on the History Channel in 2003 and is much more comprehensive than the A&E video, as it is more than twice as long.<\/p>\n Benjamin Franklin. PBS DVD. Available at www.PBS.com <\/a><\/p>\n This three part series is a documentary that features Richard Easton, stage actor.<\/p>\n Franklin Tech. History Channel DVD, 2006. Availabe at www.historychannel.com <\/a><\/p>\n This fifty minute program, part of the History Channel\u2019s Modern Marvels science series focuses on Franklin\u2019s scientific work.<\/p>\n Websites <\/b><\/p>\n http:\/\/www.benfranklin300.org\/ <\/a> This is the website of the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary which is celebrating in 2006 the three hundredth anniversary of his birth.<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.fi.edu\/franklin\/ <\/a> Philadelphia\u2019s Franklin Institute, the city\u2019s main science museum hosts this website about Franklin.<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.english.udel.edu\/lemay\/franklin\/ <\/a> This is scholar Leo J. A. Lemay\u2019s website. It focuses on all facets of Franklin\u2019s life. <\/p>\n http:\/\/www.pbs.org\/benfranklin\/ <\/a> This website is the companion to PBS\u2019s DVD, Benjamin Franklin.<\/p>\n http:\/\/bensguide.gpo.gov\/benfranklin\/index.html <\/a> A U. S. Government website which has an animated Franklin explain government to children.<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.earlyamerica.com\/lives\/franklin\/ <\/a> This website, Archiving Early America, allows the viewer to read Franklin\u2019s Autobiography on line.<\/p>\n http:\/\/library.thinkquest.org\/22254\/home.htm<\/a> Though it isn\u2019t clear who hosts the website, it is very through with a detailed list of references.<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.quotationspage.com\/quotes\/Benjamin_Franklin\/ <\/a> The Quotations Page offers snappy, humorous, and deep words by Franklin.<\/p>\n Museum Exhibit <\/b><\/p>\n The Houston Museum of Natural Science is hosting an exhibit, Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World. A comprehensive overview of his life, this exhibit is part of the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary project. It runs through January 21, 2007. You can get more information at http:\/\/www.hmns.org\/ <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" All Things Franklin The scholarship on Franklin is centuries old and quite comprehensive. Though many pages long, this handout is loose change compared to the tremendous wealth of Franklin sources. But the following books, videos, web sites and museum exhibit will educate, interest, and enlighten any reader or viewer. Any library, even those in the … <\/p>\n