Benjamin Franklin : An American Life

Rating:
Summary: Not in the same league as Ellis, Chernow, or McCullough, but
Review: While this is a servicable Franklin bio, the writing is somehwat dull and plodding. This work is clearly far below the bar produced by Ellis, Chernow, McCullough, and Edmund Morris. Those writers can truly paint with words great moments and scenes in American history, while Issacson suffers from a dryness of style and lack of original insights. This isn't a terrible book by any means, but if you've read Chernow and Ellis, be prepared for a letdown as far as the prose itself is concerned. If you plan on reading up on all the Founding Fathers books that have been released this past 5 years, pick this one first and get it out of the way. Save Chernow's Hamilton and Ellis's "His Excellency" for last- they are the cream of the crop, esp. Chernow. His Hamilton bio is a shoo-in for the Pultizer, in my opinion.

Rating:
Summary: Franklin's life - every last detail of it!
Review: Isaacson seems to prove that editors need editors. This book is one tedious read. We are told about details of Franklin's life that provide absolutely no useful insights. Isaacson seems to want simply to show us how thorough was his research. Our founding fathers gave birth to a busy nation - we've got better things to do than labor through this tome. Franklin was a printer. Isaacson has wasted more ink on this book than Franklin probably used in his entire life. Spare us the details, Mr Isaacson!

Rating:
Summary: Founding Father Bios - this one is a bit of a dud
Review: In the last few years readers of American history have been treated to some terrific and well researched and written biographies. Included are David McCullough with John Adams, Ron Chernow with Alexander Hamilton, and Joseph Ellis with two - Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. Many critics have agreed that these are some of the best biographies of a facinating group of American individuals in an very unique time in modern history. Bejmamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson received acclaim as one that belongs with this group. Simply put, it does not. While it is a decent biography about a simply facinating man, it does not integrate Franklins's personality and indivdual history well into what was going on in the Colonies during this period. The writing is choppy and not well edited. I would submit that only if you wanted to read about Franklin specifically would this be a good book to read. If you are looking for an integrated narrative, look elsewhere. This, quite unfortunately, falls short.