The Autobiography and Other Writings (Penguin Classics)

Rating:
Summary: The First American
Review: Having been impressed for some time by the life story of Benjamin Franklin, I thought it would be fun to read his autobiography, as well as the other writings found in The Autobiography and Other Writings. On the whole it was, but with some caveats. The autobiography itself seemed awfully short and jumpy coming from a man who wrote so much and so well. In the introductory notes I noticed that this particular work is in fact considered not representative of his style (or something to that effect, namely that it comes off as rather reserved). Having read this and the other pieces included in this short volume, I have to wonder if any piece of writing is truly representative of Franklin.

Perhaps this observation is a testament to his literary skills. After all, isn't it better to have a wide range of writing talents? It could be said that someone whose writings always sound the same is perhaps not showing a very broad range. I don't know. But in Franklin's case I think it's virtually impossible to pin down the typical Franklin style. This is, after all, a man who often wrote anonymously under various pseudonyms, for different purposes and for different audiences (and over a great many years). We can hardly expect to find the same style writing as Silence Dogood as a teen as in the Edict by the King of Prussia before the war. This is all, of course, a long-winded way of saying I don't know how to properly evaluate quickly the writings found in this volume. Their variety is the greatest thing they have in common.

But some things still manage to come out. Franklin is one of the wittiest writers of the era. He makes frequent clever observations and can cut to the chase in many memorable ways. Some pieces here are well known. I think virtually anyone would recognize some of the sayings in The Way to Wealth. On this particular piece I have to wonder what Franklin had in mind. Something seems very wrong in taking this essay at face value. Though composed almost entirely of one-liners taken from twenty-five years worth of Poor Richard's Almanacs, it does come off as a fussy and humorless work. One could easily criticize Franklin for hypocrisy, as his later life was one of expensive luxury. The only problem is that I don't think he meant any of it. I can't prove this, but I think The Way to Wealth was intended as a self-satire that failed to emphasize the satire. My two cents.

Anyway, I don't think it's worth expounding too long on a collection of writings that speaks better for itself than I ever could. It's short, well paced, and fun. Franklin's style is easier to get a handle on than most colonial era authors. And there aren't many more engaging personalities to dive into than Franklin's.