Benjamin Franklin was not just the fun little guy in musical, 1776. He had a complicated and unconventional family. His illegitimate son, William, was a loyalist and governor of New Jersey. The author writes in a style that is easy to understand. He presents the family relationships of the the Franklin family and the interaction of the father and son with business and government entities. I found this book refreshing and a return to a style of history writing that once but history books on the best seller lists. Epstein did a wonderful job.