He was a publisher, printer, scientist and inventor, but Ben Franklin’s greatest success lay in his work as a diplomat. In this unique recording of his account of his experiences as a spokesman for the Colonies, we listen in on the secret political transactions and undercover dealings of colonial America, filtered through Franklin’s inimitable wit.

Words of Wisdom from America’s shrewdest observer of mankind and its ways. Includes: Choice of a Mistres; Reflections on Love and Marriage; Treaty with a Lady Polly Baker; Ephemera; Apology for Printers; Politeness of Savages; On Wine; Emigrants; Cold Air Baths

“Be in general virtuous, and you will be happy,” advises Benjamin Franklin, and he was a man who lived up to his own words. Franklin’s Autobiography, one of the most regarded works in early American literature, began as a private collection of anecdotes for his son, but was soon transformed from reflective personal journaling into a work of national history. Filled with the inimitable nuances wit of the inventor, philosopher, scientist and statesman, this engaging narration of Benjamin Franklin’s classic is as certain to delight modern readers as it did with his original audience.

Two classics of the American spirit together on audio for the first time!
The Way to Wealth, originally a preface to the 1758 edition of Franklin’s beloved Poor Richard’s Almanack, presents a brief fable of a local wise man, Father Abraham, quoting Poor Richard to an eager crowd. In this inspiring tale, Franklin steps out of the past and shares with you his famed maxims about wealth, knowledge, virtue, and all other elements of business success.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin offers Franklin’s life story, at least the first few decades, as he died without finishing it, as he tries to identify and develop a formula for personal success. Included is the popular “Art of Virtue”, in which Franklin lists the 13 qualities he hoped to possess.
An early and influential advocate of the idea that any of us can create in ourselves the greatness to which we aspire, Franklin speaks across the centuries to listeners as clearly and practically as ever.

A brief biographical sketch of Franklin’s life, followed by a collection (published in 1899) of 670 aphorisms, apothegms, or proverbs – short, pithy, instructive sayings – that were scattered throughout the pages of his Poor Richard’s Almanack over its 25 years of once-a-year publication (1732-1758). Many of these sayings are familiar to all . . . “a penny saved is a penny earned” . . . “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” . . . but there are many more for you to laugh at, ponder over and learn from! Most were not invented by him, but these little gems of wisdom Franklin gleaned from all over the world are what made his Almanack so wildly popular, and himself a wealthy man.
Produced by Macc Kay
Production executive Avalon Giuliano
ICON Intern Eden Garret Giuliano
©2021 Eden Garret Giuliano (P) 2021 Eden Garret Giuliano
Geoffrey Giuliano is the author of over thirty internationally bestselling biographies, including the London Sunday Times bestseller ‘Blackbird: The Life and Times of Paul McCartney’ and ‘Dark Horse: The Private Life of George Harrison’. Dasa can be heard on the Westwood One Radio Network and has written and produced over seven hundred original spoken-word albums and video documentaries on various aspects of popular culture. He is also a well-known movie actor.

“From the poverty and obscurity in which I was born I have raised myself up.” In his own words Benjamin Franklin steps off the pages of history, brimming with candor, bright ideas, and common sense, and with something of an eye for the ladies.

Among other things, Benjamin Franklin was a printer, philosopher, inventor, statesman, and not least, a writer. Franklin’s writings span a long and distinguished career of literary, scientific, and political inquiry–the work of a man whose life lasted for nearly all of the eighteenth century and whose achievements ranged from inventing the lightning rod to publishing Poor Richard’s Almanac to signing the Declaration of Independence.His autobiography captures the essence of his spirit, and in it we can see him as a product of the eighteenth-century enlightenment, a type of Yankee statesman who could use the language of Addison, Steele, Swift, and Defoe. In his autobiography, Franklin asks himself, “Who am I, how did I come to be, and why am I a human being as I am?” and he answers with the honesty, wit, and charm that have made this possibly the most famous of all autobiographies.

This isan intimate look at the life of one of American history’s most notable figures.

Left unfinished at the time of his death, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin has endured as one of the most well-known and influential autobiographies ever written. From his early years in Boston and Philadelphia to the publication of his Poor Richard’s Almanac to the American Revolution and beyond, Franklin’s autobiography is a fascinating, personal exploration into the life of America’s most interesting founding father.

Benjamin Franklin was not only one of America’s Founding Fathers–he was also a fascinating character who lived an exciting life. Whether carousing with prostitutes in Paris, taunting lightning bolts with kites, or founding America’s first volunteer firefighting organization, Franklin was always at the center of activity. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin details this American’s early years, his career, and his conflicted relationship with his son.

Do you want to listen to The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin? If so then keep reading…
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is the traditional name for the unfinished record of his own life written by Benjamin Franklin from 1771 to 1790; however, Franklin himself appears to have called the work his Memoirs. Although it had a tortuous publication history after Franklin’s death, this work has become one of the most famous and influential examples of an autobiography ever written. Franklin’s account of his life is divided into four parts, reflecting the different periods at which he wrote them. There are actual breaks in the narrative between the first three parts, but Part Three’s narrative continues into Part Four without an authorial break.
What are you waiting for The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is one click away, start listening NOW!

Few men could compare to Benjamin Franklin. Virtually self-taught, he excelled as an athlete, a man of letters, a printer, a scientist, a wit, an inventor, an editor, and a writer, and he was probably the most successful diplomat in American history. David Hume hailed him as the first great philosopher and great man of letters in the New World.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is one of the most important and influential works in American history. It tells the story of Franklin’s life from his humble beginnings to his emergence as a leading figure in the American colonies. In the process, it creates a portrait of Franklin as the quintessential American. Because of the book, Franklin became a role model for future generations of Americans, who hoped to emulate his rags-to-riches story. The autobiography has also become one of the central works not just for understanding Franklin but for understanding America.
Initially written as a letter to his son William, the autobiography offers Franklin’s reflections on philosophy and religion, politics, war, education, material success, and the status of women. Stylistically his best work, it has become a classic in world literature, one to inspire and delight readers everywhere.

Benjamin Franklin’s celebrated autobiography, published after his death, is one of the greatest autobiographies of all time—but it was incomplete. Franklin ended his life’s story in 1757, when he was only fifty-one. He lived another thirty-three full, eventful, and dramatic years, some of the most dramatic years in American history—years in which Franklin was America’s advocate in London, represented Pennsylvania in the Continental Congress, and was America’s wartime ambassador to France. During these years Franklin also helped write our nation’s Constitution and planned an American Empire that would displace the British Empire.

Franklin is one of the most fascinating of the Founding Fathers—a polymath like Jefferson, a practical statesman like Washington, and a cynic and wit beyond parallel. Now, at last, in The Compleated Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin, we finally get the rest of the story, in Franklin’s own words.

Faithfully compiled and edited from Franklin’s papers by Dr. Mark Skousen—Franklin’s descendant, acting as his devoted secretary—this is the closest we will ever get to Franklin sitting down in his study in Philadelphia, dipping quill into ink, and finishing his autobiography.

The first American book on personal finance, The Way to Wealth by Benjamin Franklin is still the best and wisest money book ever written. Originally published in 1758 as the preface to Poor Richard’s Almanack, this little gem has been through innumerable printings and sold millions of copies to those in search of smart but entertaining advice about hard work, earning and saving, money and debt. As the 21st century charges along, and the current economic climate continues to send out mixed messages, Franklin’s simple but wise commentary on the value of industry and frugality resonates as much for us today as it did for listeners nearly 350 years ago. Here is a sample:
“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”
“If you would be wealthy, think of saving, as well as of getting.”
“If you would have your business done, go; if not, send.”
“Think what you do when you run into debt; you give to another power over your liberty.”
“Creditors have better memories than debtors.”
Although older than the United States itself, The Way to Wealth is still very popular. It is handed out by major companies and financial institutions to friends, clients, and customers, and was the January 2004 selection of The Washington Post’s Color of Money Book Club.
As Michelle Singletary, director of the club, wrote in a column about the book, “At just 30 pages, this pocket¿size book takes less than an hour to read but will give you a lifetime of financial wisdom – that is, if you’re wise enough to follow the advice”.