Newsweek: Fifty books for our time discussion

Initially I loved this book. But ran out of steam close to page 200. I will pick it up again later. I love the writer's active style: addressing the reader directly to consider Franklin as a person. Most surprising was Franklin's initial desire for America to simply be an extension of England.
Most impressive was the sheer genius of the man.

I was the same way, Dan. Had a lot of difficulties trying to get through the book. This is part of what I wrote about it in November:

This is the kind of book that should have not taken as long as it did to read. Yes, I was busier with work stuff and couldn't find the down-time to read, but it is just terrible that it would take me this long. The book is an easy read. It's not bogged down, as a lot of historical biographies are, with tedious hypothesis about the motives for different characters. At the end of the book, though, I wondered if I really understood the man and why this book is one that Newsweek thinks I need to read now.
Morgan does a decent job painting the picture of a man who is always curious…always asking questions about the world around. Perhaps that is a trait for the great thinkers of the world. He has his own ideas about how things should be, but he is willing to have them changed; to be convinced of a new way of thinking. He seemed to be always welcome in circles to discuss scientific and political thoughts, but he wasn't one to force his view in conversation. Franklin was not some gregarious fellow whom always was the center of attention. Rather, he was the one who would ask a single question to help the speaker think of a different way of seeing things. Throughout the book, Morgan recounts how much people enjoyed his company and opinions.

Perhaps that is what makes Franklin such an appealing character to me and perhaps why this is a book to read now. Is Franklin the ideal as a politician? Some would say yes. He neither grandstands nor squelches your thoughts on an issue. He is willing to make a change to his opinion without compromising his ideals. He simply takes in more information to form his opinion. On the other hand, you have to wonder with the 24-hour news cycle these days, how successful Franklin would be in today's world. I could picture people calling him a "waffler" or watch the Daily Show replaying clips of him saying something completely opposite than what he is currently saying. Politicians don't seem to have the time or are too worried about their voters to change their opinions or take too long with making a well-thought decision (look at the flack that Obama is currently under for taking too long on Afghanistan strategy). We are a society that demands answers and change over night and raise our hands in the air incredulously when it doesn't happen.

What nagged me about this book, though, is I wondered why it was on the list in the first place. Franklin is indeed an engaging character and the way he was perceived during his time is admirable, but how does that help us understand our world now? Perhaps Newsweek wanted to say, "you think the world is bad now, we could have been under British rule?" I am not sure.

Dear lord, the same thing happened to me, guys. I got half way through and just stopped picking it up. I was interested in the arrangement between BF and his wife, living on different continents and retaining an affectionate, if limited, relationship.

Paul: as for why it's on the list, I was struck by one of his wishes: to stick around long enough to see what changes would be wrought in the coming centuries in the sciences. He seemed to be torn between his roles as a politician and a scientist, as well, eventually settling in favor of politics. Maybe that is the tension that resonates in our current era?