Rating: 
Summary: First American, First Renaissance Man
Review: Franklin is an extraordinarily complex person. There were so many facets to him that one could write numerous books on this venerable "First American" and still not find the essence of this great man. Brands does an admirable job of containing Franklin's remarkable life in a single volume.Brands has written what may very well be the definitive biography of Franklin. Brands charts the growth of Franklin from his boyhood beginnings in Boston to the upstart city, Philadelphia, onto London, where Franklin seemed to enjoy himself most, until tensions became so strained as to be forced to return to the Philadelphia, where he led the drive for a Declaration of Independence. Brands treated the stages in Franklin's life thematically, which makes it easier to understand the various facets of this extraordinary man. We see Franklin the pamphleteer, the scientist, the man of letters, the cosmopolitan, the firebrand, the militia organizer and eventually Franklin the statesman. No one man had a more pivotal role in the making of the Republic than did Franklin. While in London, he represented no less than four colonies as an agent to the British colonial barons. He fought for better reprentation of the colonies in the British parliament. At times, he seemed to spread himself too thin, especially in regard to his family. But, Franklin was always one to lend advice, as can be read in his autobiography. The first chapters of this book are a little too close to Franklin's autobiography. Brands seems to take Franklin's words at face value. As more material emerges, Brands becomes more critical of Franklin, especially through the eyes of other leading political figures in his day, such as John Adams. However, Brands identifies himself primarily with Franklin, firmly placing him as the most important figure among the Founding Fathers. If it hadn't been for his advanced age, Franklin may very well have been the president of the First Continental Congress, but he deferred than privilege to Washington. Just as he had deferred the privilege of writing the Declaration of Independence to Jefferson. Everyone at the time recognized Franklin as the elder statesmen, who played the key role in securing French support for the American revolution.
Rating: 
Summary: A Man for All Seasons...Almost
Review: H. W. Brands is a relatively new scholar on the American history scene and he brings great energy and a worthy balance between academic research and common-man accessibility to his endeavors. This biography on the always-engaging Franklin is probably his best work to date. While full of admiration for its subject, the book does not hide the questionable actions in Franklin's life. Franklin emerges as a man of many talents and contributions, but not without discernible flaws that perhaps only add to the satisfaction one obtains from this inquisitive biography. My minor quibble with this book is that Brands displayed the opportunities to examine the dichotomy between Franklin's public life and his family relationships with greater intellectual depth but he did not adequately seize that chance. The clever contributions Franklin brought to scientific inquiry across many fields of study (before the fields of study sometimes truly existed) and his practical models of public institutions and associations will eternally be worthy of review and admiration. Certainly his work on behalf of building the American republic is also praiseworthy. Brands covers not only this familiar ground but also reveals some of the traits that enabled Franklin to become so accomplished. Not just ingenious, but personally captivating, subtly persuasive and grudgingly persistent was Franklin. His love of the written and spoken word and his empathy for the weaknesses of human nature allowed him to bring many people into his confidence. These charactersitics were particularly important America - and brilliantly employed by Franklin - in France during the revolutionary era. But alas, Franklin was clearly not a devoted family man, from early in life to old age. He did not shy away from doing what he thought right for him and for the other immediate or greater interests in which he was involved at the expense of his father and mother, his wife, his son and his daughter. His relationship - or lack thereof - with his wife Deborah and with his son William are contemplated but not thoroughly or critically examined by Brands. Franklin often mentioned that a republic could not be suitably maintained without virtuous citizens. One wonders if the current definition of virtue in the United States would have room for one so cavalier about family responsibility as Franklin. Would such a man be universally feted today - as Franklin was upon his return from Paris after negotiating the treaty ending the Revolutionary War - when he had basically abandoned his wife for the last quarter of their lives? What do we expect from today's leaders that was not expected at the start of the republic? Brands does not take us down this path. All in all, an interesting and entertaining work, much worthy of its accessible read, but just a bit lacking in the intellectual spark it might have lit.
Rating:
Summary: Ben Franklin was the prototypical geek
Review: The founding fathers have been in danger of becoming mere icons for some time now -- Washington the military man, Hamilton the royalist, Jefferson the renaissance man, and Franklin, the comic foil. "Yes, we must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately," Franklin quipped at the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But in this book, H.W. Brands lays out a broader, more important role for Franklin. Besides being the most famous American to the rest of the world, Brands argues, Franklin was the first American to recognize that the colonies could never achieve an acceptable freedom from Parliament within the British Empire, and would therefore have to fight to achieve full independence. He was also the prototypical geek. Though he lacked formal education, Franklin had an amazing ability to arrive at the truth of a subject through observation and experimentation. His contributions on electricity and heating (the Franklin Stove) are well known, but Brands covers others in fields from oceanography to physiology to opthalmology. An inveterate (if inexpert) chessplayer and skirt-chaser, Franklin's family life is fascinating and new to me. He fathered an illegitimate son, William, of an unknown mother before marrying Deborah Read; Franklin and Deborah raised him. Later, they would have a son (somewhat improbably named Francis Folger Franklin, and called Franky) who died of smallpox after the family failed to inoculate him, and a daughter, Sally. Franklin won William appointments as a deputy postmaster and later as royal governor of New Jersey, but when the revolution came, William sided with the crown. It was a blow to Franklin, who never reconciled with his son. He had a major role in raising William's illegitimate son, Temple, and another grandchild, Benjamin Bache (Sally's son). His relationship with his wife was also somewhat curious. In 1757, Franklin essentially moved to England to represent the Pennsylvania Assembly with the English government (then under George II -- he later would be the agent of Massachusetts, Georgia, and New Jersey, as well), while Deborah stayed behind. He would spend 16 of the next 18 years in London, and 8 of the following 10 in France, but Deborah stayed in Philadelphia. She claimed a fear of ocean travel kept her from traveling, and Franklin wrote her constantly, but it's a heck of a way to run a marriage. Franklin simplifies the biographer's job somewhat by the very volume of material he left behind. As a printer, he published Poor Richard's Almanac, and innumberable broadsides, pamphlets, newspaper articles, and memoirs. As a politician, he contributed to the Declaration, to several constitutions for the state of Pennsylvania (he was head of the Pennsylvania Assembly before the war, and 3 times president of the state after), and the the U.S. Constitution -- Brands credits Franklin with the compromise allowing state legislatures to elect 2 members each to the Senate, while the House of Representatives was elected by population (initial proposals would have had the Senate elected by the House). And as a celebrity, his letters were almost invariably saved, and provide insights into his remarkable perspective on the world. There's a vogue of Revolutionary era non-fiction right now, including David McCullough's "John Adams" (Adams disliked Franklin pretty intensely, so this might be a good pair to read), "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation," by Joseph J. Ellis, and "The American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson," but the history-minded geek will probably prefer The First American.
Rating:
Summary: Biography as Poetry
Review: H.W. Brands is an exceptionally gifted writer, and The First American shows it. More than most writers, he knows how to turn a phrase. Knowing this (especially after having read his superb biography of Theodore Roosevelt) I was at times disappointed by The First American's missed opportunities. Brands does an excellent job chronicling Franklin's numerous endeavors, but there were times I was hungry for a paragraph or two of pithy insight explaining how and why Franklin rose so fast. Brands hints that Franklin was simply a talented man in one of the most open, meritocratic societies the world has ever known, but this explanation could have used some more depth. From this book, it is also obvious that Franklin started a great many endeavors. Did he continue to actively manage them and what did this mean for the lifestyle of an aging man? Also, there is precious little detail and reflection on Franklin's personal life, perhaps an obvious reminder that Franklin didn't dwell openly on his wife or family, living alas in a more reserved, less romantic era. Brands went far with the First American, but could have gone farther.
Rating:
Summary: A First Rate Biography for the First American
Review: I love early American history, primarily the period prior to the Civil War. As my reading in this areas has progressed I realized that I had not read a good biography covering the life of Benjamin Franklin. Franklin remained a figure on the edge of my reading, only entering when events like the Declaration of Independence or the Constitutional convention brought him into the spotlight. So, it was with great anticipation that I purchased H.W. Brands biography of Franklin. I had previously read Brands' biography of Teddy Roosevelt and found it first rate, so my expectations for this book were even greater. Brands has written a comprehensive biography of Franklin that will certainly stand as a benchmark for years to come. It is obvious that Brands did his homework, the amount of research in this book is incredible. Brands gives great detail into Franklin's early life in Boston, his move to Philadelphia and his subsequent success as a printer. This detail is provided but not at the expense, as noted by another reviewer, of Franklin's involvement in the American Revolution. Franklin's transition from proud citizen of Britian to rebellious American is easily illustrated. Brands also gives great detail on Franklin's philosphical works and his many scientific inventions. This book does border on the long side. It is over 700 pages and if you do not have an interest in American history or Franklin you will find the book to be a grind. I found Brands'a attempt to portray Franklin as the "first american" to be credible, however, his claim that Franklin did the most for American Independence after Washington was a bit more tenuous. I can think of at least half a dozen other men who could lay equal claim to that prize. This book is only for readers with an intense interest in Franklin and the development of the early American Republic. Brands work is scholarly and well documented, presenting a wealth of detail about this seminal figure. If you are a serious history buff I would recommend this book to you, people with only an idle curiousity might want to look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: Scholarly Work of an American Icon
Review: H.W. Brands must have been a doozy back at school. Once given an assignment for a research paper I can see Brands asking "Can I do twice as many references as required?" I'm poking fun a little to make the point that this is a scholarly and well-researched portrait of Franklin. Brands doesn't seem to make any points that are not backed up by some written reference, and any time there is speculation Brands' language makes it clear that this is a thought extrapolated from available knowledge. I give the work 4 rather than 5 stars because if there's anything this book needs, it's a little pruning. This biography is so exhaustively complete that there is little time to pause. ALL of the information is presented, and it got a little mentally tiring separating the wheat from the chaff. (Does this make me like the Emperor who informs Mozart his new opera has "too many notes"?) From the language of this book Mr. Franklin's early work in the printing business in Philadelphia comes across with as much force as his later participation in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. Brands gives us a good feel for Benjamin Franklin's standing in the world community - not only in Philadelphia and America, but also in Europe and around the world. We also get a little of a taste for Franklin's indulgences in woman and for the periods in his life when he was reluctant to assume the role of "family man". Among Biographies, in particular of our Founding Fathers, this one stands up well, and should for as long as people care to read about the amazing Benjamin Franklin.
Rating:
Summary: Ben Franklin was the prototypical geek
Review: The founding fathers have been in danger of becoming mere icons for some time now -- Washington the military man, Hamilton the royalist, Jefferson the renaissance man, and Franklin, the comic foil. "Yes, we must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately," Franklin quipped at the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But in this book, H.W. Brands lays out a broader, more important role for Franklin. Besides being the most famous American to the rest of the world, Brands argues, Franklin was the first American to recognize that the colonies could never achieve an acceptable freedom from Parliament within the British Empire, and would therefore have to fight to achieve full independence. He was also the prototypical geek. Though he lacked formal education, Franklin had an amazing ability to arrive at the truth of a subject through observation and experimentation. His contributions on electricity and heating (the Franklin Stove) are well known, but Brands covers others in fields from oceanography to physiology to opthalmology. An inveterate (if inexpert) chessplayer and skirt-chaser, Franklin's family life is fascinating and new to me. He fathered an illegitimate son, William, of an unknown mother before marrying Deborah Read; Franklin and Deborah raised him. Later, they would have a son (somewhat improbably named Francis Folger Franklin, and called Franky) who died of smallpox after the family failed to inoculate him, and a daughter, Sally. Franklin won William appointments as a deputy postmaster and later as royal governor of New Jersey, but when the revolution came, William sided with the crown. It was a blow to Franklin, who never reconciled with his son. He had a major role in raising William's illegitimate son, Temple, and another grandchild, Benjamin Bache (Sally's son). His relationship with his wife was also somewhat curious. In 1757, Franklin essentially moved to England to represent the Pennsylvania Assembly with the English government (then under George II -- he later would be the agent of Massachusetts, Georgia, and New Jersey, as well), while Deborah stayed behind. He would spend 16 of the next 18 years in London, and 8 of the following 10 in France, but Deborah stayed in Philadelphia. She claimed a fear of ocean travel kept her from traveling, and Franklin wrote her constantly, but it's a heck of a way to run a marriage. Franklin simplifies the biographer's job somewhat by the very volume of material he left behind. As a printer, he published Poor Richard's Almanac, and innumberable broadsides, pamphlets, newspaper articles, and memoirs. As a politician, he contributed to the Declaration, to several constitutions for the state of Pennsylvania (he was head of the Pennsylvania Assembly before the war, and 3 times president of the state after), and the the U.S. Constitution -- Brands credits Franklin with the compromise allowing state legislatures to elect 2 members each to the Senate, while the House of Representatives was elected by population (initial proposals would have had the Senate elected by the House). And as a celebrity, his letters were almost invariably saved, and provide insights into his remarkable perspective on the world. There's a vogue of Revolutionary era non-fiction right now, including David McCullough's "John Adams" (Adams disliked Franklin pretty intensely, so this might be a good pair to read), "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation," by Joseph J. Ellis, and "The American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson," but the history-minded geek will probably prefer The First American.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting!
Review: H.W. Brands is a very good historian. This biography of Ben Franklin is really second to none. In these days when most biographers try to psychoanalyze their subjects with 21st century techniques, it is refreshing to read a work that focuses on the essence of biography: What did the person do and how well did he or she do it? Well done, Professor Brands. Thanks to you your readers will know more about Ben Franklin, his accomplishments, the scope of his interests and his contributions to America. Prior to this I always thought of Franklin as a stuffy sort. No more. He was a most learned man, a leading thinker of his day as equally at home in the capitals of Europe discussing issues of trade and government as he was at home in Philadelphia creating a new country. Long viewed as a great consensus builder, make no mistake. Ben Franklin was an ardent rebel, one who made a most dramatic contribution to the foundation of the United States.
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating story
Review: I thought I knew a lot about Benjamin Franklin before reading this book. However, I'm amazed by the thoroughness of this book. It provided an extremely interesting perspective on one of the key figures of the infancy of this great country. Thank you, H.W., for an excellent work.
Rating:
Summary: An informative and entertaining biography
Review: There have been so many new biographies come out on Franklin lately that I had some difficulty deciding which one I was going to read, but I opted to go with this one, and I'm really glad that I did. I learned a lot, and found the book to be highly entertaining as well. I decided to read either the Morgan or the Brands rather than the Isaacson because I wanted to read a biography by a scholar rather than a journalist. I'm very happy with my choice.
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