Having already read Walter Isaccson's biography of Steve Jobs and enjoying Isaccson's ability to combine detail with a strong over arching narrative I was keen to read his take on the life of Benjamin Franklin.
As an immigrant to America I am still getting to grips with its history, culture and major political figures and decided to start with one of the founding fathers, Ben Franklin.
In many ways Benjamin Franklin reflected the country he went on to create as well as its founding principles. Franklin invented, and continually reinvented himself. He was America's first public relations master and in his life and his writings, he consciously tried to create a new American archetype. The values he projected of himself as a simple yet striving tradesman, diligent, frugal, honest, benevolent and entrepreneurial were those that he wanted to instill in his new country.
Isaccson picked up on the same feelings I get of Franklin, that of a man that would be perfectly at home with the uber-networked Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, inventors and technologists of today who value enlightened curiosity, progress, democracy and free-speech highly.
Whether you are a history buff, politics nerd or marketer this book provides a fascinating biography of a fascinating man.
You can get your copy of 'Benjamin Franklin' by Walter Isaacson here (Amazon Affiliate link).
