One of the most versatile genius who depicts his struggling and turbulent phase of life that he passed through, bu he did not succumb to because of his immutable resolution, constant perseverance, and his grit and gumption that helps him take the bull by horns.

Taking resort to various callings from writing to swimming teacher, invention to poetry, accountancy to diplomat and so on.
All these boost confidence and strengthen morale and give you insight to look deeper at life

A classic. More than anyone else, Franklin may have been the template for what Americans like to think of as the prototypical American: ambitious, disciplined, enterprising, entreprenurial, gregarious, socially oriented, creative and dynamic.

All of which calls to mind later entities: Horatio Alger,Tom Swift, Dale Carnegie, "Silicon Vallyites" among others... ( )

I've tried reading this a dozen times over the years & had trouble with it. I finally did get through it & am very glad I did. Very interesting man, but not my style of writing. ( )

Ben Franklin was not the best guy. The editorializing of his life by himself during the writing forces me to view him in a more negative light than I should, probably. I wasn't really impressed by anything that Franklin achieved through guile, and the idea of making yourself morally perfect is utterly pointless. In the end, he was a man, just like many other men. ( )

an inspiration. the language style can be a hard read at times. ( )