Ingenious: A Biography of Benjamin Franklin, Scientist

by Richard Munson

The dramatic story of an ingenious man who explained nature and created a country.

Benjamin Franklin was one of the preeminent scientists of his time. Driven by curiosity, he conducted cutting-edge research on electricity, heat, ocean currents, weather patterns, chemical bonds, and plants. But today, Franklin is remembered more for his political prowess and diplomatic achievements than his scientific creativity.

In Ingenious, Richard Munson recovers this vital part of Franklin’s story, reveals his modern relevance, and offers a compelling portrait of a shrewd experimenter, clever innovator, and visionary physicist whose fame opened doors to negotiate French support and funding for American independence. Munson’s riveting narrative explores how science underpins Franklin’s entire story—from tradesman to inventor to nation-founder.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Science, Audiobook, American History, Biography Memoir

256 pages, Hardcover

First published November 12, 2024

About the author

Bloomsbury in June 2025 will release "Power Corrupts: Cleaning Up America's Biggest Industry," which explains the recent rise of racketeering and bribery by utilities seeking billion-dollar bailouts for dirty and uneconomic power plants.
W.W. Norton in November 2024 published "Ingenious: A Biography of Benjamin Franklin, Scientist."
Norton previously released "Tesla: Inventor of the Modern," a biography of the under-appreciate genius who brought us the electric motor, radio, robots, and remote control.
Other Richard Munson books include; "Tech to Table: 25 Innovators Reimagining Food;" "From Edison to Enron," a history of the electricity industry; "The Cardinals of Capitol Hill," a behind-the-scenes look at congressional appropriators; and "Cousteau: The Captain and His World," a biography of the undersea explorer.

In addition to writing, Munson has been a senior director for the Environmental Defense Fund, senior vice president of Recycled Energy Development, executive director of the Northeast-Midwest Institute, director of Solar Lobby and Center for Renewable Resources, co-coordinator of Sun Day, coordinator of Environmental Action Foundation, and director of the University of Michigan's Pilot Program.

Reviews

[jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"he snatched lightning from the sky and the scepter from tyrants."

the latest entry in the founding father canon, richard munson's ingenious focuses on benjamin franklin through the lens of science. munson offers an admiring look at franklin as scientist, experimenter, man of reason, philosopher, inventor, and science communicator. ingenious recounts the diplomat and statesman's life and times within its colonial context, providing a colorful portrait of franklin. as the book progresses, munson also details franklin's role in helping secure independence for a fledgling america. much to its credit, ingenious contends with "the multiplicities we often ignore in our nation's founders."

the ingenious franklin faced the world with wonderment and systematic study—offering rich perspectives on the enlightenment and the american experiment. his commitments to reason, experimentation, and tolerance also reveal his relevance to our modern era, when science, facts, and democracy face rising challenges.

[simon m. lorne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but . . .

Not as much about Franklin's science as I had expected and wanted. Only about 30% on his science and the rest on his life, about which I'd already read elsewhere.

[Cameron Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first biography of Benjamin Franklin that I have read and as such, I do not know how much other biographies explore Franklin's science. This book purports to provide a biography with a particular focus on Franklin's science, and it delivers. Thorough descriptions of his experiments and the scientific understanding of the time are given, and you finish the book with a sense of Franklin being a wholly serious scientist. Interspersed throughout the exploration of his science is a well-rounded accounting of his political, literary and social achievements which were also enjoyable to read.

However, as science is the primary focus of this book, I think I would have liked to have seen how Franklin's science have influenced the science of the 21st century. The book hints at this, but I don't believe the impact was made explicit. I think this may be an unfortunate flaw in the genre of "scientific biography" - the impact of scientific endeavours is typically felt over timescales which are considerably longer than lifespan of any one person.

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a fantastic and concise biography giving intriguing insight into the scientific scene of 18th century. I look forward to reading Munson's biography of Tesla.

[Kohl Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Franklin was beyond a founding father and politician (also the only one to sign all 4 documents establishing the USA). He was a dreamer, inventor, and entrepreneur whose ingenuity lives on today.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new biography of American founding father Benjamin Franklin, focusing on his scientific work and experiments. Listened to this as an audiobook. Entertaining.

[John Wilmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice biography of Franklin focusing on his science works. Personally I would have preferred even more in-depth focus on his science since SO much has been written about the rest of his life already.

[Kyle Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative biography on Ben Franklin. He truly was a jack of all trades.

[John Kawase · Rating 4 out of 5]

a version of Ben I was not aware of

Now, Ben would be a person I would go for dinner with
Scientist, musician, is a founding father a politician?
Is musk comparable today with both admirers and critics?
The world is a much more interesting place

[LAErin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars … science offers a perfect lens for examining the unbelievably impressive Franklin

[Michael McEwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our modern understanding of the founding fathers often borders on caricature. Having been elevated to almost mythic beings and feted in hagiographic terms. This book does an excellent job of grounding Ben Franklin, but not to his detriment. That he was an actual person of deep intellect and interest in scientific reason helps us to see why he was such an important part of history.

I appreciate the economy of this book. We get a detailed look at Franklin’s life in a succinct readable book. Often history books are filled with so many findings that they are a slow read, but this book breezed by.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

A readable and manageable biography of Franklin, both as a politically engaged Founding Father and as a scientist. I enjoyed the story a lot but felt that there were places where I wanted more detail and analysis.

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-organized and concise summary of Benjamin Franklin's life as a scientist. The book did venture into other facets of his long, productive life but always circled back to his scientific interests and how what he learned could be applied to improve life for his communities and mankind in general.

[Richard Moneymaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Munson does an excellent job of fully detailing all of the science based inquiries Franklin undertook during his extraordinary life. Of course his political life is part of the story and I found it most interesting to see how the two usually clearly disparate avocations fed off of each other. Very curios from an early age, his lifelong pursuits of exploring natural phenomena, proposing testable hypotheses of all stripes and working to find objective ways of testing them were extensive and somewhat novel for the time/place. Eventually the way he (and others like him) tested, reworked and re-tested their hypotheses morphed into what we now know as the scientific method. Like all of today's really good scientists, he was intellectually humble and changed his ideas as new data arose and was entirely willing to share his methods, equipment and thoughts with anyone who was interested. Morton did not produce a hagiographic telling of only the good deeds and results he produced. He shows the man to be as human as the rest of us with various vanities and shortcomings. Any history of science enthusiast will love this book. It's one of the best I've read all year. Enjoy.

[Ralu Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun, entertaining read! While I love a thorough biography, most of them are quite daunting and a significant time investment. This was enthralling from beginning to end, kept me fully engaged, and presented a fresh and immersed view on Franklin's life, with focus on science in his day-to-day life. An "easy" history read for everyone. Plus: ties in very nicely with the "Franklin" drama miniseries, which covers his time in France negotiating support for the American Revolutionary War.

Thank you to the author, publisher and goodreads for the opportunity to read the ARC.

[Blake Dishotel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great biography book on a founding father. The writer of this book did a fantastic job with every part of this book. There's a part near the final pages that I will use for probably the rest of my life. I wanted an answer about why Benjamin was on the hundred dollar bill. This book doesn't answer it, but after finishing it, I know why.

[Peter Sidell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very personal feeling biography. Humanizes Franklin and made him much more interesting to me. The information about Benjamin’s scientific activities was illuminating. Certainly clarified his kite experiment.

[Barbara Nashville · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well-written book makes a good case for revisiting Benjamin Franklin and paying more attention to his science. His curiosity, tolerance, and trust in facts remain relevant in our modern era. I was particularly struck by the diversity of this polymath's interests and explorations. Ingenious would be a great present for history and biography buffs.

[Julie Bestry · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the movie 1776, there's a great little exchange outside Jefferson's lodgings:

==
Dr. Benjamin Franklin: Don't worry, John, the history books will clean it up.

John Adams: Hmm... Well, I'll never appear in the history books anyway. Only you. Franklin did this, and Franklin did that, and Franklin did some other damn thing. Franklin smote the ground and out sprang George Washington - fully grown and on his horse. Franklin then electrified him with his miraculous lightning rod and the three of them, Franklin, Washington and the horse, conducted the entire revolution all by themselves.

Dr. Benjamin Franklin: [pondering] I like it.
==

Franklin is often a shorthand for American ingenuity, and his history (both that written by him and all of those historians reflecting their own times and cultures in evaluating his worth) yield simplistic views of a complicated, talented, and imperfect man.

While Ingenious: A Biography of Benjamin Franklin, Scientist sometimes strays from its promise, it always delivers a well-researched, well-written, and — to my delight— well-organized approach to examining Franklin's life and impact.

On the one hand, I was a little surprised that there is so much — perhaps half the content of the book — focus on Franklin as a statesman and the historical context (particularly in the 1870s and 1880s) for examining his place in history. I'm very familiar with the Revolutionary War era, and especially with Franklin (though less so than I am about John Adams and, as we all are, Alexander Hamilton).

Thus, I was expecting this to be more of a scientific review, when science took a backseat to statesmanship by a third of the way into the book. I was delighted that the science was easily accessed by those of us who are not scientific polymaths, but I think I might have preferred the scientific explanations to be expanded and illustrated as if I were a dim but enthusiastic child. Instead, the science was vaguely interesting, but I didn't feel like I ever fully understood the content at the level of mastery.

On the other hand, because the science spread across half the book and yet did not delve so deeply as either to confuse or elucidate but just report, I found the material about Franklin's early history and later statesmanship both familiar and compelling. While I knew dry facts and some quotes, I appreciated the anecdotes.

Why read about Benjamin Franklin? I will leave it to the author, Richard Munson, who closes out the book noting:

I have come to appreciate this complex man's continued relevance. As a vocal set of modern-day activists reject science and dismiss facts, Benjamin's life highlights the importance of verifiable analysis. As some jurists impose their (originalist) view of the Constitution, he — literally an originalist of the Constitution — insists that knowledge and laws evolve with changing circumstances. As zealots impose their religious beliefs, he makes a case for tolerance. As partisans increase t heir stridency, he shows the value of compromise and civility. As censors ban books and limit debate, he defends printers and free speech. As autocrats seek to centralize authority, he demonstrates what local associations can do by themselves.

In our narrow view of America as either red or blue and our arguments as only for or against, Franklin suggests a more nuanced world, one that is ultimately more fascinating and entertaining. We now can see him with prismatic lenses, rather than bifocals that register at most two views.

And further,

And he was a reliable enemy to the despotic, the dogmatic, and the deluded. Franklin rejected reliance on salvation, preferring to be judged by his works. As for his personal beliefs, he rebuffed religious doctrine, trusting instead reason, common sense, tolerance, and even cheerfulness. He dismissed faith in favor of observation. Most strikingly, in both science and statecraft, he spurned conventional wisdom and arbitrary power.

Well, damn. ;-)

The book is well-written, if a little dry in the scientific sections, where more delightful language could have been applied. That said, a late-in-the-book description of early attempts at flight in France, using hot-air and hydrogen balloons was entertaining and compelling!

And I loved the oft-repeated, but somehow fresh, application of wit in and optimism in response to a skeptic questioning flight's value by asking, "What is the use of a new-born baby?" I feel like NASA and all of our scientific labs might need to post this and remember that the purpose of exploration and study should never initially or primarily be commerce.

Franklin wasn't perfect, especially from our positions ~250 years hence, but his inclinations were toward practicality and expediency. (His willingness, both during the editing of the Declaration and the drafting of the Constitution, to put aside the question of slavery to ensure the passage of both, had huge unintended effects. While yes, it kicked the can far enough to allow for the creation of the United States, it ensured the continuation of a longer and even uglier path for our country.)

Franklin saw the United States as an experiment, and like all of his experiments, something requiring testing and repeated analysis and not something stuck in place for all eternity.

And when he was wrong, he was often wrong for well-intentioned reasons. He initially wanted government officials to be rich volunteers. John Adams recognized that this would yield a monopoly of power among those seeking to keep the status quo for themselves, while Franklin, who had known poverty in his youth, said,

There are two passions which have a powerful influence in the affairs of men. Thee are ambition and avarice — the love of power and the love of money. Separately, each of these has great force in prompting men to action; but when united in view of the same object, they have in minds the most violent effect."

Franklin, perhaps imagining his own experiences, thought that those who have had little would allow greed for power and money to do the worst. Adams, raised with somewhat more (and a lesser experience of the hardscrabble), saw only the selfish greed to maintain power and money among the wealthy. They were both right, and both honorable in their thinking, and both wrong, in being short-sighted.

(Perhaps either would have been better inclined to imagine what women, rather than men, might have brought to the table.)

If your interest is science, I'm not sure how much this will move the needle; if your interest in Franklin is more general, this is a cozy read that spans his life, professional endeavors, his interest in science and his service to our eventual country.

[Gabriel Thomas Malanchuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. I have to say the author did a great job of showing Benjamin Franklin as a scientist. It is amazing how he produced so many ingenious experiments and furthered science during his time and affecting even to the present day. The author did a great job of explaining how Franklin influenced the forming of America as an ambassador to France. I highly recommend reading this book!

[William Bahr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A man for all reasons!

This science-focused biography of Franklin shows excellent research within an enthralling narrative.

As the author begins his book, he explains that “ingenious,” in Franklin’s time, implied intellect, imagination, diligence, and playfulness. With this in mind, the author focuses on Franklin’s character and curiosity, showing evidence that Franklin aimed to be honest, pragmatic (what works in the real world), and empirical (what he can observe in reality). To this end, he mainly applied his faculties of observation and reason. He possessed immense energy and was an autodidactic polymath, a self-taught person with a wide range of interests.

As Franklin mentioned in his autobiography (written both for himself and to instruct others, especially his son), he took a somewhat scientific and pragmatic approach to improving his character. He fastened upon thirteen virtues he meant to improve himself. The last virtue, suggested by a friend, was “humility,” with Franklin ironically somewhat proud of his increased scoring. On P. 39, the author mentions Franklin’s four rules: 1. Be extremely frugal, 2. Speak the truth, 3. Aim at sincerity in every word, and 4. Speak ill of no man.

Throughout the book, the author cites numerous instances of Franklin’s talent for explaining even complex phenomena in relatively easily understood terms. He also favored satire in an era of heightened political sensitivity, particularly in his dealings with King George III. Surprisingly, I found that a good portion of Franklin’s later years was spent in illness. Other interesting items: He suffered from boils in March 1776 during his trip to Canada to determine if the French people there wanted to join the Americans in declaring independence (they did not). Canada was also where he developed the habit of wearing a hat made of marten pelts, which he carried with him to France to great effect, although it was not enough to convince the French queen Marie Antoinette to support aid to the American colonies.

From my reading elsewhere, I’d like to call out here two interesting items in this 2024 book:
P 1. “Because of slow communications between Europe and the American colonies—ships took about six weeks (though weather conditions could stretch that to two or three months) to sail the almost four thousand miles across the Atlantic—….” I was pleased to see that four thousand miles is mentioned regarding the distance between Europe and America. Most other authors write that this distance was three thousand miles. As the crow flies, it is 3,539 statute miles between Philadelphia and London; 3,705 miles between Philadelphia and Paris. From Savannah, GA, to London, it’s 4,150 miles; from Savannah to Paris, 4,307 miles. However, most people think in terms of statute miles, not nautical miles, where 1 statute mile = 0.868976 nautical miles. In terms of nautical miles, yes, Europe is closer to 3,000 nautical miles than 4,000, but again, most people don’t automatically think in terms of nautical miles when just mileage is called out.
P 145. “Not all Americans wanted conflicts that might lead to such an end. By one estimate, about one-third were patriots, one-third loyalists, and one-third undecided [from a 2011 source]. " However, two years after this 2011 source, Michael Schellhammer wrote in the 11 Feb 2013 edition of the “Journal of the American Revolution” an article entitled “John Adams’s Rule of Thirds.” Here he states that 1/3 for, 1/3 against, 1/3 neutral referred to the Quasi War with France regarding attitudes towards France, not rebellion in the American Revolution. According to Schellhammer’s sources: 15-20% of non-slave Americans were Loyalists, 40-45% Patriots, and 35-45% Neutrals.

Other items of interest:
P 202. A much-touted Marguerite Gerard’s allegorical portrait of Franklin, an etching entitled “To the Genius of Franklin,” is not seen in the photographs section, likely due to the size required to display the detail mentioned. Either that or no permission was given for reproduction.
P 208. “Yet Franklin alone considered examination and experimentation his core instincts.”
P 209. “As for his personal beliefs, he rebuffed religious doctrine, trusting instead reason, common sense, tolerance, and even cheerfulness. He dismissed faith in favor of observation. Most strikingly, in both science and statecraft, he spurned conventional wisdom and arbitrary power.”

All in all, for me, this was a highly fascinating book about one of America’s greatest individuals, and especially because it primarily focused on the scientific approach he used not only in his experiments but also in his diplomacy and business. Highly recommended!

Of possible interest, a book that mentions Franklin the scientist but delves primarily with America’s other indispensable man, George Washington: George Washington's Liberty Key: Mount Vernon's Bastille Key – the Mystery and Magic of Its Body, Mind, and Soul

[Bookreporter.com Biography & Memoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Benjamin Franklin is one of history’s greatest achievers. In INGENIOUS, Richard Munson delves deeply into the remarkable talents, skills and intellectual prowess of a man known to be one of America’s Founding Fathers but who was so much more.

As Munson points out at the beginning of this fascinating treatise, Franklin is generally remembered and honored mainly for his “diplomacy and writings.” In fact, as he makes clear, it was Franklin’s achievements in the realm of scientific exploration that convinced the political leaders of his day to draw him toward their crucial concerns. Besides a “simple-sounding kite experiment” and the invention and continual upgrading of the laudably utilitarian cooking stove, Franklin’s works typified what would come to be known as “the scientific method.”

But Franklin did not work in isolation. He insisted that the knowledge he garnered be shared by all, making him a true proponent of democracy. Franklin began working at the age of 15 in his brother’s print shop. He soon created an amusing female persona, “Silence Dogood,” to spread and share, through publication, his singular views. This led to his establishment, in Philadelphia, of Junto, an amalgam of young men like himself who were striving for improvement and recognition within their various trades.

This urge to unify was a strong element of Franklin’s character, along with his enthusiasm for nature and natural events such as air currents, and would play a role in his acceptance into the political arena. As Munson emphasizes, Franklin was sought by leaders such as Thomas Jefferson, whom he assisted in writing, editing and signing the Declaration of Independence.

Munson makes it plain from the outset that he will stress Franklin’s nonconformity in tandem with his zeal for inclusion and his wry, dry wit. His diligent research has yielded a fresh look at a figure whose name is well known within a limited spotlight, but whose propensities and abilities reach far beyond, into the probable area of true genius. As Munson observes, “to Franklin, the United States was an experiment,” making it open to be retested over time as new crises and concepts arise.

Bringing this great figure back into focus is a gift that Munson offers especially to all intellectually curious Americans, providing fodder for a wider comprehension of their nation’s origins.

Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott

[Behrooz Parhami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the unabridged 7-hour audio version of this title (read by Keith Brown, Tantor Media, 2024).

Benjamin Franklin is usually portrayed as a diplomat/statesman who happened to engage in some practical scientific experiments. This biography places Franklin’s science at center stage—this, the author asserts, was how Franklin fundamentally viewed himself—and was the identity from which all else in his complex character derived. Franklin’s well-known practical inventions, such as the lightning rod, were not merely the products of playful or quirky tinkering. Rather, they were informed by serious underlying scientific thought. Franklin’s science played a big part in giving him access to the French court, where he helped advance the American cause in the Revolutionary War.

His contributions to science aside, Franklin had diverse interests and took pride in a job well done. When he worked as a printer, he cherished the identity. If I were to discuss all domains to which Franklin made significant scientific contributions my review would become almost as long as the book itself. The list includes heating, cooling, refrigeration, bifocal glasses, urinary catheter, high-quality print fonts, and much more. Franklin was a master of promoting his ideas, with his expertise as a printer/publisher coming quite handy. He had a vast network of acquaintances as well as experience as a postmaster, which helped him connect easily and widely.

Other scholars have argued along these lines before. More than 80 years ago, the pioneering historian of science I. Bernard Cohen promoted Franklin’s scientific prowess in his critical edition of Franklin’s own “Experiments and Observations on Electricity.” A 1990 collection of essays, “Benjamin Franklin’s Science,” also did the same.

Munson is particularly ticked off by the trivialization of Franklin’s kite-flying experiment. Franklin’s work on the fundamental properties of electricity, which went far beyond the famous demonstration of the electric nature of lightning, earned him the British Royal Society’s highest honor in 1753. Three years later he was elected to the society by an unprecedented unanimous vote. He was praised by prominent natural philosophers of his day, as well as by physicists a century and more later.

[Madelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Founder of the library system, the first postmaster general, created the first fire station system, saved many lives and buildings from fire with the lightning rod, studied how the Gulf Stream could be efficiently sailed, American diplomat, war colonel, sarcastic pundit— I could happily read a hundred books on Ben Franklin and still barely grasp his multiplicitous life.

This book did a great job covering Franklin’s lesser known achievements and endeavors. However, Richard Munson was bent on pitting Franklin’s science minded reason against any sort of religion or spiritual belief with sentences like, “He dismissed faith in favor of observation.” (210)

Which isn’t true, Franklin didn’t reject God, though he left Puritanism. He held onto God and reason/logic as part of life.

Franklin even gave a speech imploring the assembly to hold prayer before the Constitutional Convention of 1787.

“Here is my Creed. I believe in one God, Creator of the Universe. That he governs the World by his Providence. That he ought to be worshiped. That the most acceptable Service we can render him, is doing good to his other Children. That the Soul of Man is immortal, and will be treated with Justice in another life, respect[ing] its Conduct in this.” — Ben Franklin

“I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without [H]is notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without [H]is aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this;” — Ben Franklin, 1787.

The book is worth the read, even when Munson’s biases seep through.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

We always think of Benjamin Franklin as one of our founding fathers, but he was also an accomplished scientist. Besides his well-known experiments with a kite and electricity, he also conducted research in heat, ocean currents, weather patterns, chemical bonds and plants. He was a very accomplished experimenter and visionary. Franklin had a much more interesting life than I ever imagined.

From the author:
“Benjamin Franklin’s image adorns the $100 bill, the Oval Office, and the shelves of biographies and textbooks. In recognition of his role as postmaster, Franklin’s face also appears on the most sought-after postage stamp, known as the 1-cent “Z-grill” printed in 1868. He stands out even among the nation’s founders, in part, because of his diverse careers – printer, scientist, inventor, writer, publisher, essayist, businessman, soldier, diplomat, and statesman. Trained as a tradesman rather than a lawyer, this one-time runaway reached the heights of influence through what we want to consider a characteristically American blend of skill, wit, discipline, and ingenuity.”
Interesting book.

[Eileen Ohara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am puzzled by the author, his research methodology, and some “missing pieces” to authenticate his work. The book provides plenty of primary sources, always good to see. However, they consists largely of the Autobiography of Franklin and letters Franklin sent. I looked for insights from Franklin’s contemporaries , but they were scant. Curiously, there is no Bibliography to get an overview of how deeply and widely the author investigated Franklin, a useful tool for future readings. Finally, there is no Acknowledgement page. Were there assistant researchers, editors, colleagues who contributed to the book? Often there is also a brief story of how or why the author chose this subject, with his educational background and degrees as well

I’m a librarian, so perhaps these irregularities and missing elements are more of a concern to me. But I teach students how to do research, so I mention these items when I do.

Non-fiction is very difficult to write, with lots of people like me looking with a fine tooth comb . I hope my remarks do not diminish the enjoyment of the read.

[Andy Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful, balanced view of Benjamin Franklin! Author Richard Munson shows Franklin's ingenuity from his youth, as well as his love of science.

Franklin goes from making soap to printing and greatly succeeds. He continues his study of electricity, natural science, ocean currents, from his twenties to his eighties.

Certainly, Franklin had warts. He dallied with women from his youth and eventually married because he had a child out of wedlock. His wife Deborah was willing to take care of his son William, and she also helped manage his printing business.

His scientific discoveries gained him worldwide fame, which helped as he negotiated with Britain on behalf of the colonies. Later, they helped him get financial and military support from France, where he was wildly popular.

Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence, the alliance with France, the peace treaty with England after the Revolutionary War, and the Constitution.

I highly recommend this for any student of history.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from 3 stars. An entire star from rounding up! Why? Because it's Benjamin Franklin. And "science" in many guises. And because it's short.

The good stuff: 1) Lots of research. As I read along, I flipped to the endnotes for most of them. That led to fragmented reading, but it did show me that this author has read deeply into his subject. 2) His writing was consistent. Not great, but consistent. 3) The structure was linear.

The not-so-good stuff: 1) The citing was uneven. One quotation would get a source. Another quotation would not. I couldn't figure out the heuristic. 2) Some of the writing was unclear. I have a pretty good grasp of this long era of American and European history, yet occasionally I did not follow the assertions or the implications.

The really superb stuff: Benjamin Franklin. And science. The "hard" and the "soft" sciences. This man, what a guy --- I could go on. But I will emulate Mr. Munson and be brief.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-
This is a nice survey of Franklin, a good introduction to the man. However, although there was discussion of his credentials as an early and respected scientist, most of this book dealt with the other aspects of his career. I found the emphasis on his political and diplomatic contributions, as well as his family life, interesting, but the title indicated that the focus would be mostly on his work in science. I chose this particular book to learn more about Franklin's various experiments and contributions to the science of his time. I was disappointed that there was not more on this topic.

However, I thought the book was well done for a short biography. It renewed my interest in Franklin's long and productive life. Therefore, I intend to look into the more complete biography written by Walter Isaacson.

[Theresa Leone Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again struggled with rating this; it is probably closer to a 4.5 so I rounded up. Before reading this I knew many of the same few things about Franklin that most Americans know, particularly in his role as a diplomat, but I did not know just how vast his scientific background was, all of the ways he contributed to what we know today, and just how his discoveries continue to have a lasting impact. This is what the book focuses on, and it is impressive. Also impressive is the fact that he never acquired a patent for any of his inventions so that he could make a profit from it. He instead believed that it was more important to share with the world what he had found just for the good of humanity. Great book that I highly recommend!

[Gregory Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, the first chapter deals with the kite. The hardcover volume had a few pages of pictures, some of which I had not before seen. This work covers much more about the man than simply his experiments and inventions. It's a fine accounting of the man's experience from the beginning of his life to the end. From Philadelphia, to England, to France his peregrinations are well documented. While I had read another biography long, long ago, I was surprised that he spent so much time away from his wife. Popular culture seems to turn our founders into caricatures, this book brings the man into focus.