Franklin on Franklin.

• Author: Kreyche, Gerald F.
• Position: Book Review

FRANKLIN ON FRANKLIN EDITED BY PAUL M. ZALL UNIVERSITY PRESS OF KENTUCKY 2005, 318 PAGES, $18.00

His round face and balding pate adorn the $100 bill. He was the inventor of the lightning rod, and a petitioner for the turkey, instead of the eagle, as our national bird. He also was a printer and newspaper editor and, at a critical period of time in the country's quest for independence, one of our most important diplomats. Spending years in England and France, he persuaded the latter to help us in our Revolution. During his lifetime, he was the world's most famous American. His name was Benjamin Franklin.

This book is the autobiography which Franklin wrote and which first was published in French. However, since Franklin completed it in his middle 40s, with over four more decades of a busy and important life ahead of him, the work was incomplete. No longer. Paul M. Zall, a senior researcher at California's Huntington Library, begins where Franklin left off, using only authentic Franklin notes.

Born in 1706 in Boston, Franklin eventually gravitated to Philadelphia. Of a creative mind, he always sought self improvement and listed various rules by which to live a life that would be personally virtuous, yet benefit mankind. One of his young sons died of smallpox and Franklin partly blamed himself for not having had the boy vaccinated. Another son went to England with him, but Franklin complained that the latter "acquired the habit of idleness." In fact, that son gave his allegiance to England instead of the new states, which infuriated Franklin, who cut the boy out of his will. Franklin eventually was perceived as a spy there because of his liberal attitudes toward the colonies, especially in the latter's quest for independence. This was the Age of Enlightenment and Franklin advanced its cause considerably. He was a great organizer and loved small discussion groups and seeing others grow from them. He also put together the Pennsylvania militia, something the Quakers were loath to do.

Franklin was able to retire...