The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Summary | Chapterly
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin: A Complete Summary "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." Overview The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (published posthumously in 1791, though written in stages between 1771 and 1790) is the foundational American success story. It traces Franklin's rise from a poor Boston candle-maker's son to one of the most accomplished human beings of his century -- a printer, scientist, inventor, diplomat, and Founding Father. More than a memoir, the Autobiography is a manual for self-creation. Franklin presents his life as a series of practical experiments in moral and material improvement. His famous system of thirteen virtues, his relentless pursuit of useful knowledge, and his commitment to civic engagement established the template for American self-help literature and, more broadly, for the American ideal of the self-made individual. The book is also, characteristically, a performance. Franklin was acutely aware of his audience and crafted his public persona with the same care he brought to his scientific experiments. The Autobiography presents the Franklin he wanted the world to see: industrious, curious, modest (or at least aware of the utility of appearing modest), and practical above all else. The Rise of a Self-Made Man Franklin's early life reads...