9780062263117
Play Sample

Benjamin Franklin’s Bastard audiobook

  • By: Sally Cabot
  • Narrator: David Colacci
  • Category: Fiction, Literary
  • Length: 12 hours 25 minutes
  • Publisher: HarperAudio
  • Publish date: May 07, 2013
  • Language: English
  • (1478 ratings)
(1478 ratings)
33% Cheaper than Audible
Get for $0.00
  • $9.99 per book vs $14.95 at Audible
    Good for any title to download and keep
  • Listen at up to 4.5x speed
    Good for any title to download and keep
  • Fall asleep to your favorite books
    Set a sleep timer while you listen
  • Unlimited listening to our Classics.
    Listen to thousands of classics for no extra cost. Ever
Loading ...
Regular Price: 24.99 USD

Benjamin Franklin’s Bastard Audiobook Summary

Benjamin Frankiln’s Bastard by Sally Cabot is an absorbing and compelling work of literary historical fiction that brings to life a little-known chapter of the American Revolution — the story of Benjamin Franklin and his bastard son, and the women who loved them both.

William Franklin, the son of Benjamin and his favorite mistress, Anne, is raised by Deborah, Benjamin’s wife. A steadfast loyalist, he and his father cannot reconcile their wildly disparate views, causing a rift in the bond both thought unbreakable.

Fascinating and heartbreaking, Benjamin Franklin‘s Bastard is a gripping tale of family, love, and war, set against one of America’s most fascinating periods of history.

Other Top Audiobooks

Benjamin Franklin’s Bastard Audiobook Narrator

David Colacci is the narrator of Benjamin Franklin’s Bastard audiobook that was written by Sally Cabot

Sally Cabot lives in Brewster, Massachusetts, with her husband, Tom. A lifelong resident of New England, she is active in the local historical society and creates tours that showcase the three-hundred-year history of her village. Writing as Sally Gunning she has authored three critically acclaimed historical novels set in New England during the tempestuous years that led up to the American Revolution: The Widow's War, Bound, and The Rebellion of Jane Clarke.

About the Author(s) of Benjamin Franklin’s Bastard

Sally Cabot is the author of Benjamin Franklin’s Bastard

More From the Same

Benjamin Franklin’s Bastard Full Details

Narrator David Colacci
Length 12 hours 25 minutes
Author Sally Cabot
Category
Publisher HarperAudio
Release date May 07, 2013
ISBN 9780062263117

Subjects

The publisher of the Benjamin Franklin’s Bastard is HarperAudio. includes the following subjects: The BISAC Subject Code is Fiction, Literary

Additional info

The publisher of the Benjamin Franklin’s Bastard is HarperAudio. The imprint is HarperAudio. It is supplied by HarperAudio. The ISBN-13 is 9780062263117.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Debra

July 08, 2013

**Received from Goodreads first reads giveaway.This was a great book. Wonderfully written and compelling. I read this book in 2 days. Everyone has heard of Benjamin Franklin and his many accomplishments: inventor, printer, author, scientist, and Founding father to name a few. With this book, Sally Cabot shows us another side of him - a not so virtuous side. Upon learning that he has an illegitimate son, he asks his common law wife, Deborah, to raise his illegitimate son with him. The entire time they are raising the child, Anne, the boy's birth mother watches and tries to remain close as her son grows. The story is told in different points of view which really work for this book. I also appreciated that even though this was a work of fiction, there were true historical events woven into this novel. I did not know much about his illegitimate son or his son's own political aspirations prior to reading this novel. Political aspirations that were different from his father's politics. So different that father and son end up on different sides of the American Revolution. Great book and one I think fans of historical fiction would really enjoy.

Sally

April 20, 2022

Five stars, of course!

Stephanie

August 31, 2013

'Benjamin Franklin's Bastard' is a captivating historical fiction novel that tells the story of William Franklin - the son of Benjamin Franklin and his mistress, Anne. This illegitimate son is raised by Benjamin's wife, Deborah. The novel takes place around the time of the American Revolution and tells the story of a man and his son torn apart by differing political views. William is a loyalist and his father and he can't seem to come to any sort of even ground between their political views. Since both are passionate in their causes and beliefs, this difference of opinion causes a rift in the family - especially the bond between Benjamin and his son.I don't normally enjoy historical fiction, but I was curious about the novel after reading the description. Gladly, the book surpassed any expectations I had for it. The writing was exceptional and entirely compelling. I found myself getting sucked into the story right from the beginning. The details and descriptions of the scenes, happenings, and characters were so vivid that I could easily imagine myself alongside them throughout the novel. The plot was interesting, especially considering it dealt with the American Revolution and how life was during that time in our country. I found the hidden story of William Franklin to be exciting and definitely added a layer of intrigue to the historical events that I never imagined before. All of the characters were very well written, especially those of William, Benjamin, and Deborah. They each had their own personalities complete with flaws and strengths just like the rest of us. It made them easy to identify with very early on in the book. The writing itself was incredible and had a quick pace and a natural flow that kept me fully engaged in the story. Definitely recommended for fans of historical fiction, especially those that deal with the American Revolution and Benjamin Franklin.Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

TAMMY

April 08, 2013

Born and raised in the poverty of Eades Alley, sixteen-year old Anne is happy to find employment as a serving girl at the Penny Pot tavern. She quickly realizes there is more than one way to earn money there. When she meets the young printer Benjamin Franklin, she has met someone who not only adds to her finances, but to her mind. When she becomes pregnant with his child, he is not free to marry her because of his previous commitment to Deborah Read, his common-law wife. Franklin convinces Anne that their son, William, would have a better opportunity in life if he and Deborah raised the child. Over the years, Anne watches her child as he grows up confused as to his parentage, with a stepmother who cannot accept him. Historical fiction can be tricky. The novelist begins with whatever truths are known regarding the subject and then proceeds to build a story around the truth. Conversations are invented, historical gaps are filled, and sometimes characters are created. This is the case with Benjamin Franklin's Bastard. The identity of William Franklin's mother has never been known, but the author has used the known rumors and theories of the day to create the character of Anne. She has done an excellent job of making a little-known part of American history interesting and understandable, while preserving the accuracy of historical facts.5 stars Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Edelweiss book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Gerri

July 15, 2013

Meet Benjamin Franklin. Not the pudgy, spectacled, balding, founding father, but a dynamic, tall, handsome, virile man with a most exciting personality. His story is told through the two main women in his life, and later in the novel, his illegitimate son.The book takes place in Quaker Philadelphia and London, spanning the years from 1723 to 1777. Ms. Cabot pulls you into the time frame of dirty, drudgery, class conscious eighteenth century. The author seamlessly feeds us Franklin's accomplishments and inventions, some of which I didn't know. We follow him through to his old age, and through two generations of his progeny. I found the book riveting, surprisingly so to me, as I rarely read historical fiction.

Kim

June 13, 2013

Cabot's newest novel offers insight into the lives of Ben Franklin and William, his illegitimate son. Told through the stories of Ben's mistress Anne and common-law wife Deborah, this highly readable novel sent me to the encyclopedia again and again to learn even more about the people and places involved. I found the novel to be well researched and riveting. I have lately become a big fan of this genre of stories - fictionalized accounts of actual historic characters. Recent favorites include Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, The Paris Wife, The Aviator's Wife, Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, and Above All Things. Readers who enjoy any of these stories should love this one. Recommended highly for readers of women's historical fiction!

Susan

September 22, 2014

Excellent use of three points of view (Franklin's wife, mistress, illegitimate son) to create a character study of Franklin. Outstanding historical detail, setting--and a reminder that flawed characters shown in their various realities are more interesting than the "perfect" characters that are too often offered to in school.

Melissa

August 31, 2013

At first I was unconvinced about this one, but then my opinion changed and I couldn't put it down. Great historical fiction. Can't wait to go fact check everything. The authors note didn't cover all of my questions.

Dorothy

February 22, 2018

I liked it. Actually, I've liked every book that Sally Cabot Gunning has written. Her research is impeccable. Her story and creative visualizations take be right back to the century. I find it most interesting that in all her books she points out the unjust action taken again women in the particular era, treating them like a scarlet letter or back mark. And yet, here we are another 300 years later and finally, the truth comes to power by a group of Hollywood women sho shine the light on sexual harassment and sexual abuse against women.But that is just an aside. Through her threading of story into the facts of time is a refresher history lesson. She uses love and pain as antidotes of life changes through generations

Peg

July 11, 2020

I missed this part of history. I was not aware Benjamin Franklin had a bastard son, tho I cannot say I was surprised. The story is base on history. I really enjoyed this book. I enjoy reading historical novels because I really learn a great deal about the period the story takes place in, and in an entertaining manner. I was drawn to this book because Benjamin Franklin was such an interesting person, and so intelligent.

Serena

August 08, 2015

Benjamin Franklin was one of America's early celebrities. An inventor, politician, ambassador, and, perhaps more famously now, a lover of women. Specifically, two. Benjamin Franklin's Bastard tells us the story of Deborah Reed, who would go on to become Franklin's common law wife, and Anne, a poor tavern wench who gives birth to his bastard, William. Circumstances force Anne to surrender William to Franklin, and while Deborah loathes raising a child not her own, William soon becomes as much her son as Anne's. Ms. Cabot does a fantastic job keeping the struggles of the two women in the foreground, leaving Franklin and his accomplishments in the background. Deborah and Anne are sympathetic characters, but not without their flaws. If you're looking for a book based on Franklin, don't look here. There are dozens of them already available. This is the story of those largely overlooked in light of Franklin's fame.

Anne

May 30, 2013

This is a fascinating historical novel about the early years of America's first outstanding scientist, inventor, shrewd businessman, and political genius. The story is told mostly from the point of view of his mistress as she describes the curiosity of this imposing intellect and his path to fame. Despite the title, most of the plot revolves around the father, though the reader also learns about his acknowledged son, William Franklin, the eventual royal governor of Colonial New Jersey. The plot cleverly weaves historical facts with the fictional story. The descriptions of Colonial Philadelphia are vivid and Cabot has created a convincing personality for William's (unknown) mother. (view spoiler)[I did wish that the book stopped with the Revolution as the later chapters are sketchy and rush through the more familiar historical events to an accurate but less satisfying ending. (hide spoiler)]

Frequently asked questions

Listening to audiobooks not only easy, it is also very convenient. You can listen to audiobooks on almost every device. From your laptop to your smart phone or even a smart speaker like Apple HomePod or even Alexa. Here’s how you can get started listening to audiobooks.

  • 1. Download your favorite audiobook app such as Speechify.
  • 2. Sign up for an account.
  • 3. Browse the library for the best audiobooks and select the first one for free
  • 4. Download the audiobook file to your device
  • 5. Open the Speechify audiobook app and select the audiobook you want to listen to.
  • 6. Adjust the playback speed and other settings to your preference.
  • 7. Press play and enjoy!

While you can listen to the bestsellers on almost any device, and preferences may vary, generally smart phones are offer the most convenience factor. You could be working out, grocery shopping, or even watching your dog in the dog park on a Saturday morning.
However, most audiobook apps work across multiple devices so you can pick up that riveting new Stephen King book you started at the dog park, back on your laptop when you get back home.

Speechify is one of the best apps for audiobooks. The pricing structure is the most competitive in the market and the app is easy to use. It features the best sellers and award winning authors. Listen to your favorite books or discover new ones and listen to real voice actors read to you. Getting started is easy, the first book is free.

Research showcasing the brain health benefits of reading on a regular basis is wide-ranging and undeniable. However, research comparing the benefits of reading vs listening is much more sparse. According to professor of psychology and author Dr. Kristen Willeumier, though, there is good reason to believe that the reading experience provided by audiobooks offers many of the same brain benefits as reading a physical book.

Audiobooks are recordings of books that are read aloud by a professional voice actor. The recordings are typically available for purchase and download in digital formats such as MP3, WMA, or AAC. They can also be streamed from online services like Speechify, Audible, AppleBooks, or Spotify.
You simply download the app onto your smart phone, create your account, and in Speechify, you can choose your first book, from our vast library of best-sellers and classics, to read for free.

Audiobooks, like real books can add up over time. Here’s where you can listen to audiobooks for free. Speechify let’s you read your first best seller for free. Apart from that, we have a vast selection of free audiobooks that you can enjoy. Get the same rich experience no matter if the book was free or not.

It depends. Yes, there are free audiobooks and paid audiobooks. Speechify offers a blend of both!

It varies. The easiest way depends on a few things. The app and service you use, which device, and platform. Speechify is the easiest way to listen to audiobooks. Downloading the app is quick. It is not a large app and does not eat up space on your iPhone or Android device.
Listening to audiobooks on your smart phone, with Speechify, is the easiest way to listen to audiobooks.

footer-waves