Author: Jerry Weinberger
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
ISBN: 0700615849
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
Moral paragon, public servant, founding father; scoundrel, opportunist, womanizing phony: There are many Benjamin Franklins. Now, as we celebrate the tercentenary of Franklin's birth, Jerry Weinberger reveals the Franklin behind the many masks and shows that the real Franklin was far more remarkable than anyone has yet discovered. Taking the Autobiography as the key to Franklin's thought, Weinberger argues that previous assessments have not yet probed to the bottom of Ben's famous irony and elusiveness. While others take the self-portrait as an elder statesman's relaxed and playful retrospection, Weinberger unveils it as the window to Franklin's deepest reflections on God, virtue, justice, equality, natural rights, love, the good life, the modern technological project, and the place and limits of reason in politics and human experience. Along the way, Weinberger explores Franklin's ribald humor, usually ignored or toned down by historians and critics, and shows it to be charming-and philosophic. Following Franklin's rhetorical twists and turns, Weinberger discovers a serious thinker who was profoundly critical of religion, moral virtue, and political ideals and whose grasp of human folly constrained his hopes for enlightenment and political reform. This close and amusing reading of Franklin portrays a scrupulous dialectical philosopher, humane and wise, but more provocative and disturbing than even the most hardboiled interpreters have taken Franklin to be-a freethinking critic of Enlightenment freethinking, who played his moral and theological cards very close to the vest. Written for general readers who want to delve more deeply into the mind of a great man and great American, Benjamin Franklin Unmasked shows us a massively powerful intellect lurking behind the leather-apron countenance. This lively, witty, and revelatory book is indispensable for those who want to meet the real Franklin.
Benjamin Franklin Unmasked
Author: Jerry Weinberger
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
ISBN: 0700615849
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
Moral paragon, public servant, founding father; scoundrel, opportunist, womanizing phony: There are many Benjamin Franklins. Now, as we celebrate the tercentenary of Franklin's birth, Jerry Weinberger reveals the Franklin behind the many masks and shows that the real Franklin was far more remarkable than anyone has yet discovered. Taking the Autobiography as the key to Franklin's thought, Weinberger argues that previous assessments have not yet probed to the bottom of Ben's famous irony and elusiveness. While others take the self-portrait as an elder statesman's relaxed and playful retrospection, Weinberger unveils it as the window to Franklin's deepest reflections on God, virtue, justice, equality, natural rights, love, the good life, the modern technological project, and the place and limits of reason in politics and human experience. Along the way, Weinberger explores Franklin's ribald humor, usually ignored or toned down by historians and critics, and shows it to be charming-and philosophic. Following Franklin's rhetorical twists and turns, Weinberger discovers a serious thinker who was profoundly critical of religion, moral virtue, and political ideals and whose grasp of human folly constrained his hopes for enlightenment and political reform. This close and amusing reading of Franklin portrays a scrupulous dialectical philosopher, humane and wise, but more provocative and disturbing than even the most hardboiled interpreters have taken Franklin to be-a freethinking critic of Enlightenment freethinking, who played his moral and theological cards very close to the vest. Written for general readers who want to delve more deeply into the mind of a great man and great American, Benjamin Franklin Unmasked shows us a massively powerful intellect lurking behind the leather-apron countenance. This lively, witty, and revelatory book is indispensable for those who want to meet the real Franklin.
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
ISBN: 0700615849
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
Moral paragon, public servant, founding father; scoundrel, opportunist, womanizing phony: There are many Benjamin Franklins. Now, as we celebrate the tercentenary of Franklin's birth, Jerry Weinberger reveals the Franklin behind the many masks and shows that the real Franklin was far more remarkable than anyone has yet discovered. Taking the Autobiography as the key to Franklin's thought, Weinberger argues that previous assessments have not yet probed to the bottom of Ben's famous irony and elusiveness. While others take the self-portrait as an elder statesman's relaxed and playful retrospection, Weinberger unveils it as the window to Franklin's deepest reflections on God, virtue, justice, equality, natural rights, love, the good life, the modern technological project, and the place and limits of reason in politics and human experience. Along the way, Weinberger explores Franklin's ribald humor, usually ignored or toned down by historians and critics, and shows it to be charming-and philosophic. Following Franklin's rhetorical twists and turns, Weinberger discovers a serious thinker who was profoundly critical of religion, moral virtue, and political ideals and whose grasp of human folly constrained his hopes for enlightenment and political reform. This close and amusing reading of Franklin portrays a scrupulous dialectical philosopher, humane and wise, but more provocative and disturbing than even the most hardboiled interpreters have taken Franklin to be-a freethinking critic of Enlightenment freethinking, who played his moral and theological cards very close to the vest. Written for general readers who want to delve more deeply into the mind of a great man and great American, Benjamin Franklin Unmasked shows us a massively powerful intellect lurking behind the leather-apron countenance. This lively, witty, and revelatory book is indispensable for those who want to meet the real Franklin.
Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Author: Benjamin Franklin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 430
Book Description
Charming self-portrait covers boyhood, work as a printer, political career, scientific experiments, much more. Its openness, honesty, and readable style have made the "Autobiography" one of the great classics of the genre.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 430
Book Description
Charming self-portrait covers boyhood, work as a printer, political career, scientific experiments, much more. Its openness, honesty, and readable style have made the "Autobiography" one of the great classics of the genre.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Author: Benjamin Franklin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 280
Book Description
Charming self-portrait covers boyhood, work as a printer, political career, scientific experiments, much more. Its openness, honesty, and readable style have made the "Autobiography" one of the great classics of the genre.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 280
Book Description
Charming self-portrait covers boyhood, work as a printer, political career, scientific experiments, much more. Its openness, honesty, and readable style have made the "Autobiography" one of the great classics of the genre.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Author: Benjamin Franklin
Publisher: Regnery Publishing
ISBN: 1596980303
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 513
Book Description
Originally written as a guide for his son, Benjamin Franklin discusses his life, accomplishments, and ideas.
Publisher: Regnery Publishing
ISBN: 1596980303
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 513
Book Description
Originally written as a guide for his son, Benjamin Franklin discusses his life, accomplishments, and ideas.
The Political Philosophy of Benjamin Franklin
Author: Lorraine Smith Pangle
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 9780801886669
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 300
Book Description
Franklin's political writings are full of fascinating reflections on human nature, on the character of good leadership, and on why government is such a messy and problematic business. Drawing together threads in Franklin's writings, Lorraine Smith Pangle illuminates his thoughts on citizenship, federalism, constitutional government, the role of civil associations, and religious freedom.
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 9780801886669
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 300
Book Description
Franklin's political writings are full of fascinating reflections on human nature, on the character of good leadership, and on why government is such a messy and problematic business. Drawing together threads in Franklin's writings, Lorraine Smith Pangle illuminates his thoughts on citizenship, federalism, constitutional government, the role of civil associations, and religious freedom.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Author: Benjamin Franklin
Publisher: ReadHowYouWant.com
ISBN: 142706766X
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 370
Book Description
Publisher: ReadHowYouWant.com
ISBN: 142706766X
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 370
Book Description
Benjamin Franklin, Natural Right, and the Art of Virtue
Author: Kevin Slack
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer
ISBN: 1580465633
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 319
Book Description
A thorough examination of Benjamin Franklin's works on philosophy and politics, arguing that Franklin was a philosopher of natural right
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer
ISBN: 1580465633
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 319
Book Description
A thorough examination of Benjamin Franklin's works on philosophy and politics, arguing that Franklin was a philosopher of natural right
Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin ..
... The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, and a Sketch of Franklin's Life from the Point where the Autobiography Ends, Drawn Chiefly from His Letters
The Works of Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography. pt. 2. Continuation, by Jared Sparks. Appendix
Author: Benjamin Franklin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : United States
Languages : en
Pages : 680
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : United States
Languages : en
Pages : 680
Book Description