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SatanScotty t1_j9luzqg wrote

Can you guys recommend a good basic biography on Ben Franklin? Every book I see is either a kids book or it says “general biographies are all over the place and this book will focus on this one weird thing”.

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elmonoenano t1_j9m5x5f wrote

The Gordon Wood one is highly regarded. Also, Five Books has this article on the best Ben Franklin books: https://fivebooks.com/best-books/benjamin-franklin-d-g-hart/

Walter Isaacson's got one too. He's not a dedicated historian of the period but his bioraphies are popular. http://libwww.freelibrary.org/podcast/episode/892

You could also read Kelsa Pellettiere's piece in the Bulkwart from when the Ken Burns doc came out. You can also hit her up on twitter where she's Franklin Fangirl or something. https://www.thebulwark.com/ken-burns-pbs-documentary-review-the-worldly-ben-franklin/

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SatanScotty t1_j9mc9zm wrote

wow, thank you! you made that look easy.

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No-Strength-6805 t1_j9nb24v wrote

I really liked a short biography by Edmund S. Morgan of Yale University only 354 pages, much more philosophical in nature trying to understand Franklin's true beliefs.Gorden Wood called it "the best short biography ever written"

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