Sonny's Reviews > The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin’s story is the story of an exceptionally gifted and interesting man. For H.W. Brands, a professor of history at Texas A&M University, he is the central figure of an era marked by sweeping change because he was involved in so many other aspects of his rapidly changing world beyond political revolution. By the time revolution shook America, Franklin had already earned worldwide fame. Had there never been an American Revolution, it is likely that few of the Founding Fathers would be remembered today; yet Franklin was an extraordinary man even in ordinary times. His reputation was assured by his inventions, discoveries, and literary activities. As Brands writes, ''Franklin was by far the most famous American in the world.''

Although Franklin's father only had enough money to send him to school for two years, young Ben diligently continued his own education through voracious reading. Thus, Franklin became a true Renaissance man with many areas of knowledge. He made several contributions to science (electricity, meteorology), inventions (bifocal lenses, the Franklin stove, a remote grabber), and public institutions (the American Philosophical Society, the University of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Post Office, the first subscription library in America, Philadelphia's first fire company). But Brands places his greatest emphasis on Benjamin Franklin's development as a politician and statesman (wartime minister to France, senior peace negotiator with Britain, participant at the Constitutional Convention). It was Franklin who persuaded France to become an American ally, which ultimately led to his country's victory in its war for independence.

While there is much of interest to learn from Brand’s biography Franklin, the book at times seemed to move along too slowly. Some days the narrative seemed flat; I would often lose interest and only read 20 pages in a day. Too often, we get an uninspired, unfocused record of Franklin's interests and accomplishments. The author never explores deeply into Franklin’s character. He does not seriously examine Franklin's lax attitude toward his family. Why did he spend nearly 18 years apart from his wife, Deborah, while serving on foreign posts? Why was he reluctant to reconcile with his son William after his loyalist politics left them estranged? Too much space is devoted to Franklin’s roguish (and not terribly significant) adventures. Had it not been for this lack of focus, this biography would easily have earned five stars.