After reading "Benjamin Franklin", he would be the one person -- dead or living -- who would make the most fascinating dinner guest for an evening. His list of accomplishments is practically endless: printer, writer, philosopher, postmaster general, inventor, scientist, diplomat, statesman, traveler, and conversationalist. The majority of people who are ultimately successful have a key talent in one area, focus on that talent, and rise to the top. It is so inexplicably rare to find someone of such vast talent who also excels in all his (her) talents. Benjamin Franklin was such a gifted individual and, thankfully for our nation, focused much of his energy and time into serving the public. Carl Van Doren has written an incredibly well-researched biography of one of our key founding fathers. Van Doren's style can sometimes be dry and too academic, but keep in mind that this book was initially published in 1938. Today's reader may expect a more conversational tone and faster moving story. However, Carl Van Doren's biography is heroic in its effort and the author's admiration clearly shines through for Mr. Franklin.

Van Doren's biography of Franklin is nothing short of remarkable. While the author may be faulted for the near veneration of his subject, Franklin's continuing reputation supports the author's obvious admiration of Franklin. Franklin's life is reviewed from start to finish almost as a metaphor for the 18th Century enlightenment, the early colonlial life in America, the beginnings of the industrial revolution, the decadence and decline of British Imperialism, as well as the making and maturation of a true genius and renaissance man. Parallel with the swiftly changing account of the myriad activities of Franklin is the story of a truly fine human being; a man whose essentially humble and self deprecating nature belied his strength of character and integrity. Anyone who reads this book will come away awed by this unique individual and the question: Where are the Franklins of our time?

Van Doren's biography, long the definitive biography of Franklin, is rich in detail (sometimes exhaustingly so), yet accurately portrays the life of this fascinating multi-faceted man. From the statesman's humble beginnings in Boston, to his journeys to Philadelphia and ultimately abroad, Franklin is seen in very human terms, yet within the rich tapestry of the historical period.

The author's style is typical of many historians of the 1930's, very linear, precise and detailed with a wealth of background information on every facet of Franklin's life. This may be a difficulty for many readers; the book is so comprehensive that many will be put off by its sheer volume. I found myself reading the book in starts and stops, only because of my personal time limitations. After the first 400+ pages, I found myself skipping over sections to get to portions of Franklin's life I found more fascinating. Fortunately, Van Doren's writing is such that one can do this without any significant loss of continuity.