The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Book Review Example

Considering how long ago it was written, Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography is very readable and entertaining. It also retains a lot of relevance for modern readers because it deals with topics that are still important today. As an historical document, it demonstrates the origins of the American ideals of prosperity through hard work, rising from a low station to a position of importance, and the possibility of self-improvement on a personal level as well. Because of all these factors, the book is more accessible to modern readers than many other historical texts.

Usually, a student receiving an assignment to read something written over two hundred years ago can expect a bit of a hard job. Many times the language is more formal than we are used to, there are words we find unfamiliar, and to be frank, a lot of older writers were a bit stodgy. They were writing for posterity and wanted to sound very important and smart, so their prose is stiff and hard to read. These works are important reading, of course, but they generally do not count as fun. Franklin’s Autobiography provides a refreshing break from the harder going of other historical classics. Especially in the first section, which he wrote for his son, not for public consumption, his style is very casual and conversational. As one might expect from the author of “Fart Proudly,” Franklin uses a bit of humor in his writing. At the beginning, he writes that he has decided to write down his recollections so that he will not bore people.[1] If he were talking, people might feel they had to listen, but no one can be forced to read it if they do not wish to do so. A lot of Franklin’s humor is like this; it is aimed at himself and is not too harsh, but serves to make him seem more human and not like he is bragging. This is helpful later on in the book when he does show a little bit of pride in his accomplishments. Because we know he can make fun of himself, his vanity is not offensive. It just adds to the humanity of the person we are getting to know.

Even in hard economic times like these, Americans still believe in the “American Dream” that anyone can make it, can become successful if only he or she works hard. The story of the poor kid who makes it big has always been a best-selling formula, such as in the novels of Horatio Alger in the 19^th century and in modern reality shows like “The Apprentice.” The problem with a lot of these stories is that they are really superficial. They sometimes claim to give a step-by-step guide to how to achieve success, but they never fulfill that promise. The fact is, everyone is different and has to adapt to his or her circumstances. Franklin never promises to show the only way to succeed, but he tells his own story in great detail, including the mistakes he made and his failures. In this sense, his story is the original American story. He did not come from a rich family and he was put to work in a profession he disliked, but he made his way into work he did enjoy and he never stopped learning and trying new things. Like most of us, he defines success in terms of monetary gain and public recognition, but he is not mercenary or shallow. He manages to combine these elements of success with the pleasures of learning and the happy fulfillment of public duty. The many services he performed for his country balance the material gains he made.

Another fundamentally American aspect of his life is Franklin’s constant attempts to improve himself. Since people in America had an unprecedented chance to improve their social station, they were also expected to improve their learning and moral character. Morality was not something static, but a project that never ended. Franklin took this attitude to heart all his life. His list of virtues that he tried to maintain when he was young is phrased in ways modern people might not use, but the ideas are still familiar[2]. His plan to work his way through all the virtues one by one until he had mastered them all still makes sense and prompted this reader to make a similar list. That so great a man as Franklin struggled to acquire even one of these virtues and that he struggled all his life with some of them (like Chastity), sets a realistic example. If he could not be perfect, we should not expect ourselves to be perfect, but the fact that he kept trying all his life sets a high bar, too. Also, the society he formed with his friends, the Junto[3], was the forerunner of many similar societies that exist today, such as the Fortnightly Club. No European peasant would consider it his right, much less his duty, to think about philosophy, morality, or science. That American society does expect everyone to know about something is a defining quality of our nation.

Although Franklin’s accomplishments make good reading, the real interest in the book comes from his personal reflections on his actions and their motives. Specifically, this reader found it interesting to read about his religious beliefs, which were deist rather than traditionally Protestant. His thinking about religion and tolerance for others’ beliefs provide insight into the values that informed the creation of our nation. Also, Franklin’s willingness to take on whatever task came his way, even when he was not sure of his abilities, and to give it his utmost effort are inspiring. His story also shows how unpredictable life can be and that where a person thinks he is going may not be anywhere close to where he ends up. As a young man, Franklin would never have believed that he would end up organizing the defense of the frontier or becoming a diplomat. The modern reader has a lot to learn from Franklin. That the lessons of his life still apply shows that he was not only a political founder of our country, but also a cultural source for our society.

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2005.

[1] Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (New York: Barnes & Noble, 2005), 2.

[2] Franklin, Autobiography, 72.

[3] Franklin, Autobiography, 56.