A book to challenge the status quo, spark a debate, and get people talking about the issues and questions we face as a country!

A lifelong scholar of Benjamin Franklin's life completes the unfinished "Autobiography" with information on Franklin's attitudes about such topics as the Constitutional Convention, slavery, and Thomas Jefferson.

Originally written as a guide for his son, Benjamin Franklin discusses his life, accomplishments, and ideas.

Read about the fascinating life of Benjamin Franklin, prolific philosopher, inventor, and Founding Father of the United States, in this beautifully illustrated version of his autobiography. American icon Benjamin Franklin is known for many things: he published the famous Poor Richard's Almanack, helped found the world-famous University of Pennsylvania, and was the first Postmaster General of the United States. His iconography is everywhere. His likeness adorns, among other things, the United States' hundred-dollar bill. Franklin was a wildly intriguing personality, as his autobiography makes plain. From his hoarding of his pay as a teenager to buy books, to his disapproval of habits like drinking beer, from his work as a printer, to his experiments with electricity, this is the story of Franklin's life--told as only he could tell it--in the years before the American Revolution. Benjamin Franklin's writings represent a career of literary, scientific, and political efforts which extended nearly the entire eighteenth century and the birth of the United States. This heavily illustrated version of Franklin's autobiography includes his reflections on diverse questions such as philosophy and religion, social status, electricity, American national characteristics, war, and the status of women. A classic in the American canon, Franklin's autobiography is a must-read for any serious student of American history.

The Complete Harvard Classics Shelf, encompassing 51 Volumes of Essential Classics along with 20 Volumes of the Greatest Works of Fiction, embodies an unprecedented literary compilation that spans the spectrum of human thought and expression. This collection showcases a vast array of themesfrom the foundations of Western philosophy and the intricacies of political theory to the nuanced realms of personal experience and the rich tapestry of the human condition. Within its pages, readers will encounter a diverse range of literary styles, from the dramatic dialogues of Plato to the biting wit of Mark Twain, and from the Romantic visions of Percy Bysshe Shelley to the piercing observations of Jane Austen. The anthology stands as a testament to the enduring value of literature, inviting a re-examination of classic works that continue to challenge, inspire, and provoke dialogue across generations. The contributing authors and editors, each a luminary in their respective fields, bring together an illustrious tapestry of voices that reflect the breadth and depth of human experience. This collection spans epochs, continents, and genres, offering insights into the minds of figures like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Charles Darwin, and William Shakespeare, alongside those of Aristotle, Francis Bacon, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. By weaving together the contributions of such a diverse group, The Harvard Classics Shelf aligns itself not only with multiple historical and cultural movements but also with the evolution of literary and philosophical thought. The anthology serves as a bridge, connecting readers with the intellectual and creative endeavors that have shaped our world. This anthology is recommended for anyone with a passion for literature, philosophy, and history. It offers a unique opportunity to engage with the seminal works that have laid the foundation for much of contemporary thought and literature. Readers are encouraged to delve into its volumes to explore the multitude of perspectives, styles, and themes. The Complete Harvard Classics Shelf does more than furnish readers with a comprehensive education in literature and philosophy; it opens up a dialogue between past and present, inviting an exploration of the timeless human issues that continue to engage us today. For scholars, students, and lifelong learners alike, this collection promises an enriching journey through the landscape of human knowledge and creativity.

"Examines Americans' diverging assumptions about God, Nature, and Progress at a place where the stakes were at their highest: The bedside of children during eras of high child mortality"--

Argues that such figures as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Ben Franklin laid the foundations of American civil liberty and had a better understanding of problems facing Americans today than the current U.S. Congress.