Benjamin Franklin unmasked : on the unity of his moral, religious, and political thought /

On first glance, Benjamin Franklin appears to be the most enigmatic and controversial of the Founding Fathers. However, in eight crisply written and delightful chapters, Weinberger (political science, Michigan State Univ.) gives readers a modified and challenging interpretation that many students of the noted publisher, politician, diplomat, humanitarian, and philosopher have not considered in toto. The youthful Franklin developed a credo of Calvinism mixed with humanism that he used in skilled debate to humble and embarrass adversaries. This practice led to "comic" situations that Franklin elaborated on in a play of words to entertain, confuse, and perplex his adversaries. He continued reading Hobbes, Bacon, and other philosophical worthies as he grew and matured. He wrote pieces on relations between men and older women; engaged in "metaphysical follies"; and pointed out that one must know the real world and not the world as one would like it to be in order to understand that said world is a "pretty good one." One concludes from this book that Franklin was the US's most significant and controversial thinker, whose basic belief was that one's devotion to self was important in order to gain fulfillment and happiness in life. A great read! ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. Most levels/libraries. J. D. Born Jr. emeritus, Wichita State University

This book is not another conventional biography of America's most famous self-made man. Instead, Weinberger (political science, Michigan State Univ.) examines the evolution of Franklin's intellectual life with a particular focus on the development of his moral, political, and religious thought. Weinberger uses Franklin's Autobiography as a window into the man's thinking. He argues that a careful reading of it reveals more about Franklin and his personal philosophy than any of his other writings do. Its writing, late in life, offered Franklin the opportunity to tell readers what he had concluded was most important. Weinberger argues that despite the seeming contradictions in Franklin's life and writings, he was ultimately true to himself and developed a unified, remarkable, and relevant philosophy of life. Weinberger also offers an in-depth look at Franklin's masterly use of humor, showing that it remains an important and often overlooked medium for his deepest thoughts. Well researched and well written, this intellectual biography is for both the scholar and the lay reader. Recommended for libraries with a special interest in Franklin and the development of American philosophy; libraries looking for a more traditional biography may want to consider Walter Isaacson's Benjamin Franklin: An American Life.-Robert Flatley, Kutztown Univ. Lib., PA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.