Product Description
Hear the fascinating tale of America¹s first jack-of-all-trades. Printer, inventor, scientist, and statesman, Ben Franklin did it all during our nation¹s infancy. Franklin¹s story is told using his own newspaper articles and personal recollections. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Benjamin Franklin
What would you call Benjamin Franklin? Was he a scientist, an inventor, a printer, a postmaster, a diplomat, or a founding father? Well, to find out, read
" Benjamin Franklin," written by Peter and Connie Roop. Ben Franklin`s life began by being a poor soap maker`s son in Boston. By the time he was 17, he had already run off to Philadelphia to be a printer`s apprentice. During his life he had helped discover and create many different things like bifocals, the Franklin stove, lightning rods, electrical circuits, and the United States Constitution.
In this biograpy, Peter and Connie Roop have shown the readers not their opinions, but Franklin`s instead. This book uses mostly primary sources like Ben Franklin`s autobiography and letters. I liked this book because it was not just a story, but partly a mystery and because it was half story, half fact by fact.
I recommend this book to 8-9 year old readers who enjoy reading about U.S. history. So what is a scientist, an inventor, a printer, a postmaster, a diplomat and a founding father? Benjamin Franklin, of course!

This is a very good book
This book is a very good book because we can follow the good characters Benjamin Franklin did in his life. ... Read more

Product Description
Learn about science the same way Ben Franklin did--by performing incredible experiments!

Ben Franklin, the famous patriot and signer of the Declaration of Independence, was also America's first great scientist. At a time when science was a mystery to most people, he performed incredible experiments that revealed amazing facts about light, heat, sound, electricity, the weather, and other aspects of the natural world.

Now the enormously popular Franklin Institute Science Museum shows you how to do your own exciting experiments Ben Franklin's way. He used common objects such as cooking oil, a glass bottle, or pieces of colored cloth to chart the Gulf Stream, predict the weather, or measure how much a molecule weighs. Using inexpensive, easy-to-find items, you'll discover how to:
* Build an optical toy shop, including a prism, kaleidoscope, telescope, and periscope
* Make a weather station with a working barometer, hygrometer, and other homemade meteorological instruments
* Create an orchestra with flutes, water chimes, maracas, and a guitar you make yourself
* Build your own printing press and print documents on paper that you make in your own paper mill
* Perform these and dozens of other experiments at home, in the classroom, or as science fair projects--and enjoy the fun of it


The Franklin Institute Science Museum was built in 1934 in Ben Franklin's hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The first hands-on science museum ever, it offers people a chance to learn about science by experimenting with hundreds of exhibits, including a 20-foot model of the human heart, a 350-ton steam locomotive, and a working weather station. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Ben's Experiments Are Great!
This is a wonderful book if you're looking for experiments that the kids can do safely and use household objects to do them with! A few items I did have to go to the store to buy but very few. Each chapter coincided with their own Science books whether it was weather or astrology. The only disappointing thing is the fact that there were no other books to form a series. NOW that would have been wonderful!

The Ben Franklin Book of Easy and Incredible Exp
As a homeschool teacher I find this book a great tool for simple, yet effective experiments.The book contains detailed information about a variety of science subjects, including:weather, electricity, light and sight, paper and printing, etc. ... Read more

Product Description

Take a close-up look at Benjamin Franklin, a jack-of-all-trades who served his country well. Interviews with experts and lively writing deliver the accurate reporting you expect from TIME For Kids®. Historical reproductions and contemporary photographs capture the life of this ingenious man and show how he made life better and safer for Americans today.

Customer Reviews (4)

find another resource
Although the description says this book is for 9-12 year olds, I would put it more at a 3rd grade reading level with large print and simple sentences.My 12 year old would be offended if I assigned her this book.Although it does present good information, I'm annoyed that the author devoted space to telling us how Franklin fathered a child out of wedlock, and then shacked up with another woman and had a few more children (the woman's husband had left her and she didn't know where he was so she couldn't legally get a divorce, so she couldn't marry Franklin).Is that really necessary to include in a book that only has room for the most important parts of his life-a book which is aimed at 3rd and 4th graders?There are better resources.I like Poor Richard by Dougherty.Although that book isn't one that 3rd graders could read, it's an excellent read aloud.

nice book
I am very pleased with this biography series.I found the information to be in a format that is very usable for young people.There is a lot of good information, in a nice format, at a good price.

Great!
Benjamin Franklin: A Man of Many Talents is well written and easy to read. The book quickly covers many of the important events from Franklin's life. The artwork is relevant and colorful. This book will make a great addition to any family's or school's history library!

Ben
Ben Franklin was a very talented man. His inventions were great!I think everyone should read this book.It has great information and illustrations too.All kids can learn a great deal from this most accurate information of Benjamin Franklin's greatest accomplishments. ... Read more

Product Description
Printer, author, philanthropist, abolitionist, scientist, librarian, diplomat, inventor, philosopher, self-aggrandizer, and social wag, Benjamin Franklin is one of the most fascinating characters in all of American history - a quality that was not lost on the man himself, as his autobiography makes plain.

Avoiding the strife of the American Revolution entirely, Franklin focuses his incisive wit on the culture and society of colonial Philadelphia, weaving a mostly true mythology of humble origins and hard work that created the concepts of "The American Dream" and "the self-made man."

Originally published in French in 1791, and translated into English and published in London in 1793, this is considered the great autobiography of life in colonial America. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Awesome book
I bought this book because I checked it out from the library and liked it so much that I wanted a copy for my library. Excellent book. Ben Franklin was truly a amazing man. Even if you aren't interested in business like me, this book has so many lessons to be learned relating to all aspects of life that it is well worth it. I really think it is well written and I like the brief introductions that are given at the start of each chapter. Well organized too. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

very inspiring
This book is basically a collection of quotes that Ben either said or used, and I find most of them to be very inspiring for every day life purposes. Some are even funny while being serious. I think it's a great book to have, especially if you're a fan of either Ben Franklin or just great quotes.

Love Old Ben
I'm a nut for Ben franklin and this book did not disappoint. I've read lots of stuff on him and I'd rank this as among the best. Of course many of the quotes I was familiar with, but they were still presented in fine form.

If you like Franklin's wit and whimsy, this book is a keeper. ... Read more

Product Description
See Volume 1. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

A life less ordinary
1991 Penguin Books reissue of 1st edition (1938), 862 pages (of which 782 pages form the main body of the book).

I read this book because of Charlie Munger (Warren Buffett's partner). Benjamin Franklin is the man Charlie Munger admires and has attempted to emulate most. Franklin's autobiography was one of the twenty books Munger recommended at the back of the second edition of Poor Charlie's Almanack (the most useful book I have read). After reading Franklin's autobiography I was very interested to learn more about him - which I'm sure was Munger's intention. Thus I was led to this biography (one of two on Franklin that Munger has recommended), which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1939. I chose to read Van Doren's before Walter Issacson's newer `Benjamin Franklin: An American Life,' as I liked the idea of being able to see what new material might have been discovered since 1938.

With each of the large biographies I have read over the last year, I have found it has taken quite a lot of reading before I really got into the book. This one was no different. It was only when I was about half way through, reading about Franklin's activities dealing with the appalling British government/monarchy in the run up to the American War of Independence, that I found myself gripped. That may have something to do with me having already read Franklin's autobiography, which was the main source for the early part of Van Doren's book (as the author said: `Plenty of other men could find materials for the story of his latest years. Only he had known about his obscure youth...').

I suspect another significant reason was that up until roughly that point there was very little information on what Franklin was actually like and how he spent his days (as opposed to things he had done or places he had been). Without this information I find it difficult to mentally associate or connect with the subject. This is one of the two key areas of weakness I identified in Van Doren's otherwise admirable book and is also the reason why I preferred Ron Chernow's biography of Rockefeller, Titan to Joseph Frazier Wall's biography of Andrew Carnegie. From about halfway through Van Doren's book we do get very interesting snippets, from Franklin himself and also from other people, about what Franklin was actually like (on pages 405, 419, 521, 600 & 649/650, in particular). I wish there was more, but perhaps the material was simply unavailable.

The second weakness was in the account of Franklin's finances. Franklin became quite wealthy through his printing activities before he left business and went to Britain. At sixty years of age, after many years of easy living and generosity, he found himself with money worries. His most important business partnership ended in 1766, depriving Franklin of a significant proportion of his income. He was also concerned that he might lose his position at the post office around the same time. Though this did not happen and he was actually appointed as agent to three further states, I was rather surprised that Franklin left a significant financial legacy when he was close to being hard up a little over twenty years before his death.

He did not appear to live frugally for the latter part of his life and so I am not sure where the funds came from. I would much have preferred it if this apparent paradox had been resolved. It seems of particular importance here, as Franklin was a man who preached the gospel of frugality, but also said: `frugality was "a virtue I never could acquire in myself."'

I suspect that Van Doren was correct when he said of Franklin: `That he talked about them [industry and frugality] so much made it clear that they came less from his nature than from his discipline.' So, after frugality had served its purpose he perhaps left it behind (though long held habits almost always leave a residue).

With those caveats, Van Doren's biography of Franklin is an impressive piece of work. I am not surprised that `The final writing of the book called for almost daily use of the New York Public Library over a period of two years.' And that `This book, full as it is, is a biography cut with hard labour to the bone.' The difficulty (as well as the interest) in writing a biography of a truly extraordinary man like Franklin was that he was extraordinary in many different areas. He was a successful businessman, an absolutely pre-eminent scientist and philosopher, as well as a remarkable and successful statesman (and that in a place and era when rank by birth was of paramount importance).

I am not paid for them and so write these book reviews primarily for myself. I thus like to include the most important things I have learned and that I wish to retain and include into my life and conduct. In this case - because of the subject - there are far too many to include here. And that is surely the reason why Franklin is Munger's biggest hero: he was not only successful but he was also wise, generous and benevolent with it. Unlike Rockefeller, for example, he seemed to really enjoy his life. And unlike Carnegie, who appeared to fail Solon's warning (I might rather call it Taleb's warning, as that is where I learned it) to Croesus to call no man happy until he is dead.

I do not wish to be happy because I have a distorted view of reality, but because I have seen the world as it is and can accept it. Franklin's life is thus a message of hope: he saw the world with exceptional clarity and was able to love it anyway.

The best biography on the planet!
I'm a big Van Doren Bio fan, and a bigger Ben Franklin fan.Carl captures the essence of the scoundrel Franklin.This is a bigger than life, juicy life. I almost don't recognize the Ben I learned about in school.The dried up old husk of a man who was part of that long ago effort to free our nation.Read this and laugh at the ways Franklin manipulated and succeeded against many odds.

Stellar, all-encompassing view of one of the great lives led
With this hefty tome, Carl Van Doren succeeds in authoring a compelling biography equal to the intellectual scope and achievement of his subject, Benjamin Franklin. The title 'renaissance man' was perhaps never more aptly bestowed than on Franklin, whose pursuits ranged from printing to (most famously) electricity to temperature patterns and ocean currents to politics.

Following the sweep of Franklin's advancing renown, first in the United States and then in Europe, the narrative never descends to a mere recounting of the man's many achievements (though this would undoubtedly make for fascinating reading in its own right). Rather, Van Doren devotes substantial attention to the greater social context in which Franklin works; in particular, the thread of family life in Philadelphia and later in France helps to anchor the broadening pace of his scientific and political thought, culminating in the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the establishment of republican government in America.

Fittingly, the treatment of Franklin's death sounds only the faintest of elegiac tones. Van Doren recognizes the triumph of Franklin's life in the contributions to science, philosophy, and politics that would long outlive the man himself.

A must-read.

This is an epic biography worthy of a Pulitzer.
I have not read Cabel's bio from 1918 on Franklin but this one by Carl van Doren might be the best. I tend to discount autobiographies as they tend to be highly partisan & even revisionist. The version Franklin's autobiography I read, & there seems to be dozens of them, wasfairly modest.
This is a whole life biography & is taken in large part from Franklin's own writings, letters to from & about Franklin. The unabridged audio version was a real treat & the amount of research must have been staggering, considering it was written in the thirties.
This is a very through book. Where it treads lightly, whole books have been written. That is Franklin's lovers & the numerous children from these liasons, mostly in France.Mr. Van Doren is skeptical, keeping in mind when this book was written. Franklin loved woman & woman loved him but not nessarily in that way. He had many friends & "daughters" refering to his many, young female admirers. He keeps the wise grandfatherly image I had of him. In fact he was a neglectful husband & an absentee father to his own daughter deserting his wife during all those years overseas.
There is so much to him, a true citizen of the world. He was a self-made wealthy merchant, inventor, scientist, philospher & statesman. The title he was most proud was master printer, an individual who started from nothing. He had many roles in life & van Doren covers them all.
His most important years were spent in England & France. He loved London & Paris. He may have been tempted but he was always loyal to America, keeping her interest in mind. He was the face of America in Europe. He played the part expected of him;a rustic American philospher with a fur hat & was all the rage inthe royal court of France.
The colonies were fortunate to have Franklin in England before the revolution & France during & after. That is where with, Franklin's connivance, the major decisions concerning America were being made.
His accomplishments ranged over various disiplines, as the inventor of the lightening rod, the Franklin stove used for heating, bifocalsetc. He founded the first public library & fire department in America.He was the major contributor to the Albany Plan of Union in 1754. A document way ahead of its time, was a useful reference during the constitutional convention in 1789. He assisted Thomas Jefferson with key phrases in the Declaration of Independence. He was important in reaching consensus when the U.S. Consititution was being drafted.
Had he stayed in Philadelphia, he may simply have remained a popular, loyal, prosperous printer & businessmen. He saw first hand the disdain King George III had for him & the colonies. To him America was merely a source of taxes without the rights accorded to all free Englishmen. This & the humiliation he suffered at the hands of British Parliment, turned him into a uncompromising (for one of the few times in his life) rebel. With his patience, gentle diplomacy, wisdom & sense of fairness, America was well served. With apologies to Washington who never left North America & Jefferson, Franklin may be the greatest founding father.
While writing this review it occured to me that there are many similarities to Winston Churchill. Franklin was not a warrior as Churchill was but both men were visionaries & peace makers. Both were geniuses & prolific writers on any number of subjects. They were both statesmen & active in public service to a very old age. Both men dominated the times they lived in.
Read or listen to this fine book, then move on to other newer biographies. They all add somthing to this remarkable man.

If you could invite one person to dinner, who would it be?
After reading "Benjamin Franklin", he would be the one person -- dead or living -- who would make the most fascinating dinner guest for an evening.His list of accomplishments is practically endless:printer, writer, philosopher, postmaster general, inventor, scientist, diplomat, statesman, traveler, and conversationalist.The majority of people who are ultimately successful have a key talent in one area, focus on that talent, and rise to the top.It is so inexplicably rare to find someone of such vast talent who also excels in all his (her) talents.Benjamin Franklin was such a gifted individual and, thankfully for our nation, focused much of his energy and time into serving the public.Carl Van Doren has written an incredibly well-researched biography of one of our key founding fathers.Van Doren's style can sometimes be dry and too academic, but keep in mind that this book was initially published in 1938.Today's reader may expect a more conversational tone and faster moving story.However, Carl Van Doren's biography is heroic in its effort and the author's admiration clearly shines through for Mr. Franklin. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

The Tragedy of the American Empire

The chances are that when the reader picks up to read this tiny book,he will wonder or be in doubt whether it is possible to write about such an enormous subject concerning the theory and practice of American Imperialism in less than 250 pages of text.However, this impression will soon evaporate.
Richard Immerman's new book is one of those few that can present an argument in a very concise and precise way.In his introduction,the author explains that his purpose"is not to judge the American empire in terms of good or bad....Rather, it seeks to persuade the reader that America is and always has been an empire"(p.4)By picking up six different individuals who influenced U.S behaviour in a variety of ways,the book shows the "trajectory of the rising American Empire from its inception to the present,analyzing waht the phrase means and how the meaning has evolved".
It was Thomas Jefferson who famously labeled the United States the "Empire of Liberty".What the meaning of "liberty" entails is even more difficult to define than "empire".Broadly speaking,Immmerman's view is that by building an empire the United States has frequently done evil in the name of good.In the times of George Washington the empire was responsible for the expansion and security of a large expanse of territory that inluded many peoples of diverse races and nationalities.In the nineteeth century, the meaning of empire changed;after 1850,white Americans,blacks,Native Americans,Mexican Americans and others challenged the central governmen's authority to deny them self-rule.The empire that America created in the twentieth century was the most powerful empire in world history.Its rival Soviet empire,and the antecedent British one,pale in comparison.Its global leadership,the technological innovations,the manufacturing gross domestic product far eclipse all competitors.The military superiority and its growth,the commercial muscle and the world organizations the US helped to establish provided potent mechanisms for global management.
Benjamin Franklin is the first individual to begin the list of individuals who shaped Amerian imperialism.Franklin was "the foremost believer in an expanding American empire" and the one who consciously articulated the "first conscious comprehensive formulation of 'Manifest Destiny', and he personified the link between the American and British empires expressed in the reciprocal principles which allowed the empire to function properly.
John Quincy Adamn follows.This Secretary of State was the one who insisted that America had to be an empire of,and not for,liberty.He turned his back on what he judged to be an empire of slavery and he also pronounced himself against the notion that Americans must go abroad in order to destroy various monsters.Adams identified slavery as an "evil that perverted human reason and tainted the very sources of moral principle";he wanted it banned everywhere and hoped,for the sake of Union,that the Peculiar Institution would die a natural death.He was a firm believer in George Washington's caution against international political entanglements,although we are told that Adams was far from being an isolationist.America's purpose was to cement liberty within the United States.Thus,the priciples he advocated became the famous Monroe Doctrine.Adams did not hesitate to condem and indict Anrew Jackson for the extermination of Indians whom " we have been driving like swine into a pen west of the Mississippi".He was the most resolute and celebrated opponent of the Mexican War waged byPresident Folk.One of his disciples was William Henry Seward,who strongly believed the United States could exercise political control of foreign territories without bearing the costs of establishing colonies.He proposed to negotiate reciprocal treaties,acquire scattered startegic outposts across the Pacific and purchase Alaska in order to facilitate the Chienese market.
The next in line is Henry Cabot Lodge,who accepted Webster's dictum:"Liberty and Union now and forever".He was responsible for supporting an aggressive policy exercised by Mckinley and Roosevelt in the 1890s and the first decade of the twentieth century.Lodge believed that US imperialists were agents of international reform and did not care very much about the anti-imperialists like Mark Twain,the industrialist and magnate Andrew Carnegie or the Democratic presidential aspirant William B.Bryant,even when the horrible nes about the crimes in the Philippines reached the American public.Lodge's arguments rested on racial premises and he did not believe in the equality of races.It came as no surprise to anyone that Lodge also strongly supported s a policy of restricting immigration in the name of keeping America's racial purity. He bitterly resented Wilson's ideals and ideas as well as the famous Fourteen Points which formed the foundation of the peacemaking process after WW1.John Foster Dulles combined Wilson's crusading moralism with Lodge's faith in force and wrote a damning indictment of the traditional European empires.He was agaisnt America's colonialism and was a Cold War zealot who regarded the USSR as the Evil Empire or,to put it in his words, "the empire against liberty".
The last chapter is about Paul Wolfowitz,who extended the Manichean view perpetuated by the Bush administration.Wolfowitz is,rightly in my view regarded as the "Ugly American",who had influenced the Bush policy makers into adopting a policy of lying,cheating and truth-twisting-a thing for which the American people are still paying the price these very days.
This book is a brilliant synthesis and analysis of the ways the American conceptions of empire came to fruition and the way this empire is going these
days.It is a provocative and riveting book that should be read by anyone who wants to learn about the American foreign policy and its tragedies.

The whole of the American Empire in six brief biographies
"Empire for Liberty" is on the ROROTOKO list of cutting-edge intellectual nonfiction. Professor Immerman's book interview ran here as the cover feature on April 28, 2010.
... Read more

Product Description
Before the world understood that lightning was electricity, Ben Franklin set out during an electrical storm with a kite and a length of wire. At the time of this experiment, Franklin was unaware that his theories about electricity had made him a celebrity all over Europe, esp. in France. Admired by the French court and beloved by French citizens, Franklin effectively became America s first foreign diplomat. A father of the Revolution and a signer of the Constitution, Franklin was a lightning rod in political circles -- a dangerous Engine, according to a critic. And though he devoted the last 25 years of his life to affairs of state, his first love was always science. This is the story of adventure, of one man s curiosity and the extraordinary rewards of his discoveries. Illus. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Terrific read for "children" of all ages
I'm one of the "children 10 and up" (I'm 70, actually) who thoroughly enjoyed this perfectly rounded biography of perhaps the most fascinating American ever.The author captures not just Franklin the statesman, the scientist, the family man, the unique personality, but also the interplay of Revolutionary-era political figures--American, British, and French (who played a surprisingly bigger role than I'd ever known)--that led to the successful founding of our nation.

For anyone who enjoys biography but not 800 excruciatingly detailed pages of it, this book will delight: all the important facts, overlaid with colorful personal descriptions that bring the characters to life, all pulled together with style and an occasional bit of tongue in cheek. The charming illustrations merit a mention, too, as they match the style of the text and add to the reader's pleasure.

My library stocks this book in the Teen section. It strikes me as more of a preteen book, perhaps to be shared by child and parent as a springboard to discussing interests the child might want to pursue.Franklin's life proves that there are always opportunities for those willing to seek and work for them. We're never too young--or too old--to explore a new path.

Giving Franklin's life a Dash of color
There are certain historical figures with whom I wouldn't mind being pals with.I always thought that Teddy Roosevelt would be a great buddy.Ditto (and don't ask me why I think this) Abe Lincoln.But let's go even farther back in time.Who's the Founding Father you'd love to shoot the breeze with?The guy who could hold his end of a conversation but still have time to found a nation?Not Washington.He had his points but charm and wit were not amongst them.Maybe Sam Adams, though you'd have to figure out whether you liked him better drunk or sober.Nope, I'm thinking of one feller and one feller alone.Ben Franklin.Everyone loves Ben Franklin.And of course, aside from helping birth our little nation, Ben was a diplomat and scientist extraordinaire.I would daresay that aside from Rosa Parks, Harry Houdini, and Helen Keller, children's biographies of Mr. Franklin are among the most prolific.Now we've a new take on Ben's life in, "A Dangerous Engine" by Joan Dash.Definitely intended for those scientifically and politically minded children (in short, kids like Benjamin Franklin himself), the book is not really going to go over too well with large swaths of the child reader population.It's an in-depth story that fills a definite gap in children's libraries everywhere but it's written for one in ten children, at least.For some kids this will be dull stuff.For others, it's a beautifully penned, insightful, meticulously researched and truly informative treatise on everything from "Where does electricity really come from?" to "Did John Adams really have it in for Ben?".

Born, as we all know, in Boston in 1706, Ben Franklin was his family's fifteenth child and last boy.He went into printing with his brother, then took off to find his fortune when he was in his late teens.In his life he wed, created a newspaper, performed experiments, became a diplomat for America, and died.Sounds simple, yes?But the life he led was a complex and remarkable thing.Dash explains Franklin's early scientific discoveries, during the course of which she is able to basically explain how our ancestors began to play with and discover electricity.We see Franklin's family members and how his relationship with others changed over the years.We see him in England for at least a decade and then in France where he was loved and adored.We see his flaws, his successes, his triumphs, and his shattered pride.In-depth, extensive, and engaging, Dash has given us one of the more amazing biographies of this great man and required reading for anyone truly interested in his life.

As I mentioned before, this is not a book for every child.I admit that my supremely unscientific mind would waver, swoop, and wander about when the discussions of electricity got too technical.Dash is simplifying everything as well as she possibly can, of course.In the book's excellent Bibliography she writes of discovering a rare book entitled, "Ben Franklin's Experiments, A new Edition of Franklin's Experiments and Observations on Electricity" by I. Bernard Cohen.Cohen's book contains an introduction that was intended to, "make Franklin's experiments, and eighteenth-century electricity in general, understandable to nontechnical people, a group I belong to". I was a little surprised to hear this as I found myself repeatedly rereading the sections of this book pertaining to electricity.Obviously, older child readers of the scientific persuasion are going to have an easier time with this than myself.Still, I suspect that for a large swath of the young `un population, this book will bog down in the experiment sections, then pick up again when it returns to Ben's life.

And what a life it was!Illegitimate children cropping up not only from Ben but from his own illegitimate children as well.His persnickety intentions towards controlling his family members.His multiple feuds, fights (though he was a passive fellow), and methods.There were lots of facts about Franklin I never knew and learned from this book.Seemingly at odds with his personality in some ways was the fact that he never patented any of his inventions.I also never knew he invented a brand new instrument called the armonica (try Googling it for fun).Most impressively, Dash is able to tie in Franklin's continuing influence today.She at one point mentions a federal interagency group that came to the conclusion, "That Franklin, or conventional, lightning protection systems ... are highly effective in preventing lightning damage".

For the most part, "A Dangerous Engine" is split into two parts.One looks at Franklin's scientific life.The other, his diplomatic life.On the diplomatic side we see Franklin playing the French off their fears that America would join once more with England unless they received more aid.It is also necessary to note that the book, for the most part, doesn't downplay Franklin's many faults.On slavery the man was less than holy.Says the book, "Franklin took a cool and slightly scornful attitude toward the institution of slavery; the slaves themselves, he said, were lazy and unreliable".And, of course, he owned two.Later he would join with the abolitionists, "not on humanitarian grounds but because it made white people lazy and proud".

In terms of research, this book exceeds any and all expectations.The Bibliography, as I have mentioned, is superb.Better still are the Source Notes. Dash even takes time to mention that, "Readers will notice that some quotations retain the eighteenth-century spelling and punctuation, while others have been modernized.This is because I have followed the style used by my sources".Does she cover her bases or what?

If I were to try and find a companion for "A Dangerous Engine", the book I would pair this title with would have to be the recent and remarkable "The Real Revolution: The Global Story of American Independence" by Marc Aronson.Both titles are different takes on figures from the American Revolution, to say nothing of the Revolution itself.In Dash's case, she is helped in no small part by the obscure book on Franklin's experiments found while she was browsing the Physics Library at the University of Washington.Should you know of a scientifically minded youth with a penchant for history (and they do exist) hand over "A Dangerous Engine" forthwith.Charming and extensive.

Loved it
This book provides a fascinating overview of Ben Franklin without reading like a history book or a timeline. Knowing about Franklin's life did not prevent me from getting caught up in the suspense and humanity of the story. Dash does a good job portraying Franklin as a master of politics and scientific curiosity, but also discusses his weaknesses freely - so I was able to get a real sense of Franklin as a person, not just as a historical icon.

The science explainations were clear, though a few diagrams of his experimental set-ups would have been useful. I was quite impressed by this book and found it entertaining and educational. I'd highly recommend it to students and adults alike. Also, the pictures were fabulous.

The book is best read straight through. The division between Part I and Part II is mildly helpful, but it's worth the extra couple hours to read through the first half even if your primary goal is learning about Franklin as a statesman. The foundation for so much of "Franklin the person" is laid in the first half that the reader may well miss some of the main themes by reading only part of the book.

An entertaining and informative book that will grab the young reader.
A Dangerous Engine by Joan Dash and with terrific pen and ink illustrations by Dusan Petricic will provide the young reader with loads of great information about one of our last unblemished founding fathers.Joan Dash has manageed to cram a great deal of information in a book that is just 226 pages long.Ad to that a bibliography and a few pages of source notes, and you have a balanced and wonderfully complete acount of Franklin's life.The tidbits of facts thrown in to the mix by the illustrations will give the young reader much to think about.For example, on page 28 we find that Franklin had a small group of helpers (a club perhaps) of "Franklinists" that helped him do his experiments.Then on page 90 we find out that Franklin spent only six years, from 1746 to 1752 as a ful-time scientist.

Attention is given to Franklins years as a diplomat and politician in the last half of the book.While Franklin never wished to become a diplomat it is lucky for us that he did.Dash does a wonderful job exposing these more public years for the young reader.

A Dangerous Engine is a wonderful read for children 10 and up. ... Read more

Product Description
Pursuant to your lordships order of the 25th May 1770, we have taken into our consideration the humble memorial of the honourable Thomas Walpole, Benjamin Franklin, John Sargent, and Samuel Wharton, Esquires, in behalf of themselves and their associates, setting forth (among other things) ... Read more

Product Description
First printed in 1758, The Way to Wealth is one of the most practical books on money management ever published. This special edition also includes "The Art of Making Money Plenty," "Advice to a Young Tradesman," "Rulers Proper to Be Observed in Trade," "The Art of Virtue," and "Poor Richard's Quotations on Wealth and Character"-all of Franklin's most important financial advice in a single volume. Newly designed and typeset for easy reading by Boomer Books. ... Read more

Product Description
Benjamin Franklin Morris' monumental work on the Christian roots of America. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Not a quick read
If you are looking for a quick read and light entertainment, find another book. If you are looking for reference material and incredible amounts of data on the religious background of the founders and signers of the Declaration of Independence, here it is.

I have always enjoyed delving through pages loaded with many infomational, enlightening and entertaining tidbits, but this book has such rich content that it is impossible to skim off the cream. This is a book that requires concentration, and pays off with information.

Highly recommended. Every Christian Pastor should have this book in his library.

We ARE a CHRISTIAN nation!
It's important for us to remember that our foundations are as a Christian nation.The beauty of this book explains how and why we are.There is information in this book that has either been edited or deleted in most history books over the past 40 years.

The liberals don't want the information in this book to get out.Anyone found with this book should expect or be mocked or ridiculed for reading such "trash."The thing of it all is, it puts history back in perspective and reveals what has been going on with our country since the late 1800's.Yes, as early as that CHANGES were taking place that have brought us to this point.When you read this book you will see for yourself how it has been happening.

I do not say what has been happening is a "CONSPIRACY."But what has been happening has a long history and has been progressive.As time has gone on the people have gotten louder and stronger.This book will open your eyes and understanding to what is going on.

Delivery Disappointment
My package tracking still says it will be delivered today.It is now 7:40pm and no package!This is not Amazon's fault but they need to register a complaint with UPS!I really don't think my book(s) will arrive today.

This is a MUST READ & BUY!
In plain terms.....Buy it, Share it, and Distribute it! Nothing explains the foundation of America more clearly, specifically and truthfully. America's survival as a sovereign free nation depends on knowledge from this book entering every household, school and library in the United States. This is THE book that brings the ACLU (american criminal liberties union), left-wing anarchists/atheists, United Nations, Socialists, Communists, and Marxists to a screeching halt.
Save YOUR LIBERTY/FREEDOM and your country. Time is running out, just look at Congress and the White House.

If you're a staunch atheist or are affiliated with the ACLU you're not going to like this book AT ALL.
An outstanding read that sheds the light of truth upon the lies & propaganda being pushed upon young Americans. Read it and share it with your loved ones.

Benjamin Franklin Morris' book has been out of print for over 100 years. "This volume is committed to the American people, in the firm assurance that the invaluable facts which it records will be grateful to every patriotic and pious heart. In it, as from the richest mines, has been brought out the pure gold of our history. Its treasures have been gathered and placed in this casket for the instruction and benefit of the present and future. We have a noble historic life; for our ancestors were the worthies of the world. We have a noble nation, full of the evidences of the moulding presence of Christian truth, and of the power and goodness of Divine wisdom in rearing up a Christian republic for all time. That this was the spirit and aim of the early founders of our institutions, the facts in this volume fully testify."
-- Benjamin Franklin Morris

Organizations like the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State have done their best to ignore the content of the massive compilation of original source material found in this book. If Americans ever become aware of the facts assembled by the author in this historic encyclopedia of knowledge, arguments for a secular founding of America will turn to dust.

Reprinted by American Vision for the first time in over 140 years in 2007, we can't keep this book in print!

It is already in it's eighth printing, again in a beautiful high-quality smythe-sewn hardback version with an updated cover and several formatting improvements.

Don't miss out on the fantastic wealth of information this 1000+ page book has in store. Your children and grandchildren are not being taught the truth of history in public school, and this book will correct that travesty!

Christian Life and Character could very well be responsible for the rediscovering of the truth of America's foundation in Christianity." Excerpt from [...] ... Read more

Product Description
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge, originally named the Delaware River Bridge, was constructed to connect the cities of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey. For a time after its opening on July 1, 1926, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, with a main span of 1,750 feet. The Benjamin Franklin Bridge contains many rarely seen images of the bridgeÂ’s planning and construction, the individuals who helped make the concept of the bridge a reality, and the workers who built it. The bridge has undergone many changes in the decades since its opening, and these vintage photographs trace its evolution, illustrating the bridgeÂ’s endurance as a symbol of the Philadelphia-Camden metropolitan area. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description

Ben Franklin was the most famous American in the entire world during colonial times. No wonder! After all, the man could do just about anything. Why, he was an author and an athlete and a patriot and a scientist and an inventor to boot. He even found a way to steal the lightning right out of the sky.

Customer Reviews (3)

Brilliant, amazing, captivating illustrations
The illustrations place this book at the top of the heap.Rosalyn Schanzer did an amazing job putting meaning and detail into the illustrations.There is so much information on the page -- there's the text, and then all the information in the illustrations.It's marvelous.

Actually, Ben Franklin comes across as quite adorable in this book.

Extremely well-done book.I'm impressed.

What a great book!Fun and educational.
I loved this book!I am so impressed with the way Rosalyn Schanzer approached the subject matter and made it a fun read for kids and grown up's alike.The book is a biographical look at the life and inventions of Ben Franklin, but written in very kid-friendly language and in a way that keeps your child's attention throughout the entire book.While the title references him "stealing" lightning, and hence laying the groundwork for electricity, it is just one of the many inventions she talks about in his lifelong pursuit of making things better for all of society through his marvelous inventions.Ben Franklin really was the epitome of a Renaissance Man.His curiosity led to some great inventions, but he was also a statesman, musician, author, philanthropist, and even started the first public lending library (a new fact I had not known).After reading about all of his adventures, I wished I had been around when he was alive just to see how exciting it must have been to live during a time when all of these things came about.I loved this book because it presented one of the greatest Americans in such a fresh and engaging way, that my 8-year old son was more than willing to sit through the book with me and asked to hear it again.It lead to many follow up discussions about his inventions and how they apply to the world today.

The author made the story so engaging it did not feel like you were getting a history lesson while you read the book, but that is exactly what you got.And it was fun.And the illustrations were great.I hope she continues to write books about other popular historical American figures, because she writes these books so well. This is exactly the type of book kids need to read to get excited about history.Which leads me to one side note.She has written other historical picture books for kids, like "John Smith Escapes Again" and "How We Crossed the West".They were good books.But, those two books were much more in-depth and the storiestook a lot longer to read.My son was not nearly as enthralled with those books because they were much longer and the stories were far more complex, so do not think that this book will be like those.It is a shorter book, an easier read, and far more engaging.

Teachers should use this book in the classroom when discussing Ben Franklin, and any parent who has a child who likes historical fiction or historical non-fiction will absolutely love this book.My son is not all that interested in historical non-fiction and he LOVED this book.You will not be disappointed if you buy this book.

The Ever-Inventive, Ben Franklin.....
"It's true!The great Benjamin Franklin really did steal lightning right out of the sky!And then he set out to tame the beast.It goes to figure, though, because he was a man who could do just about anything..."So begins Rosalyn Schanzer's engaging introduction to one of colonial America's most fascinating men.Ben Franklin was a man of many talents andaccomplishments.He was a writer, politician, soldier, musician, inventor, and entrepreneur.He helped lead our country to independence, and traveled the world as a statesman.But he often best known for his inventions and boundless curiosity.This of course leads to his interest in electricity and the well known kite and key experiment.....Ms Schanzer's entertaining text is written in an easy to read, conversational style, and is rich in history, trivia, fun facts, and wit.Her playful illustrations complement the text beautifully and are filled with bold color, humor, and captivating, eye-catching details.Together word and art provides a clever and appealing history lesson that is sure to whet the appetite and send kids out looking for more.With a marvelous Author's Note at the end to further enlighten and augment the story, How Ben Franklin Stole The Lightning is a masterpiece of fun-filled learning, perfect for kids 7-11, that shouldn't be missed. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
Comprehensive and accessible, this Companion addresses several well-known themes in the study of Franklin and his writings, while also showing Franklin in conversation with his British and European counterparts in science, philosophy, and social theory. Specially commissioned chapters, written by scholars well-known in their respective fields, examine Franklin's writings and his life with a new sophistication, placing Franklin in his cultural milieu while revealing the complexities of his intellectual, literary, social, and political views. Individual chapters take up several traditional topics, such as Franklin and the American dream, Franklin and capitalism, and Franklin's views of American national character. Other chapters delve into Franklin's library and his philosophical views on morality, religion, science, and the Enlightenment and explore his continuing influence in American culture. This Companion will be essential reading for students and scholars of American literature, history and culture. ... Read more