The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin Audiobook

" This is a good biography of Franklin, focusing not on the standard bio details, but rather on his impact to America, Britain and France, and the resultant opinions by various factions about Franklin himself. Provides much insight into a larger-than-life key figure in American history, in a writing style for the lay person who isn't a historian. "

" Franklin began as a loyal British subject and ended up an American. This book shows how this happened. Very easy to read and full of interesting facts about Franklin., "

" Some times the most ardent supporter of a causee is the last to join. Franklin was a very loyal subject of the king until he was disillusioned by the monarchy. "

" Great book! If you are interested in the life of Benjamin Franklin, this is a great starting point. It is not the typical blow-by-blow biography on the life of Franklin. Instead, the author shows how Franklin evolved over time to become a die-hard American patriot. Also, author Gordon Wood is considered by many to be the premiere historian of early America. I tend to agree with that assertion. "

" As many biographers have noted, Franklin the man is hard to know. That's remarkable, since he probably left more correspondence, publications, etc. than any of the other founding fathers. Wood makes a good attempt at trying to understand the man underneath the impressive list of accomplishments, discoveries, inventions and publications. "

" I have enormous respect for Gordon Wood. I'd have to re-read this to ascertain my pseudo-reasons for withholding that much-coveted stamp of consummate quality, the fifth star. "

" This was an easy read, but it didn't inspire real interest in the subject. The author, although presenting a strong thesis, did not fully prove his argument that Franklin was the embodiment of early American capitalism. All in all, an enjoyable read for someone interested in Franklin. "

" Intimate look into the life of Mr. Ben, warts and all...and he had a lot of warts. "

" I could barely finish this book. Unfortunately, Gordon Wood falls in the category of boring historian authors. Though Wood is a world-renowned authority on theAmerican Revolution, I'd much rather read Joseph J. Ellis or Jon Meachem. "

" Ben was a hero of mine. It made him seem so real. "

" Possibly one of my favorite books that I've read this year. "

" This book shed some light on Franklin's life I did not know, has added considerably to my reading list by way of its referenced material. "

" What a great read....I loved learning about the complexities of Franklin's character, his hard-working attitude, and his ties to Britian and Loyalists before he turned to being a Patriot. He was not a perfect man, as nobody is, but he certianly remains a hero in many ways. "

" Recommended for history fans who are interested in learning about the founding of the US as well as the manipulation of history. A very interesting read! "

" Outstanding book which really examines the sea changes which occurred in Franklin and his allegiances over his lifetime. A wonderful protrait of this distinguished and oft-misunderstood patriot. "

" Painfully dry. Probably even worse than a textbook. "

" I'm not typically big on biographies, but this was enjoyable since it was not a standard chronology of his life. "

" For anyone interested in the Founding Fathers, this is a particularly thoughtful biography. "

" Gordon Wood explains some of the American antipathy against Franklin at his death and the meaning behind his French appeal. "

" It does a pretty good job at stripping away the myth around the man. "

" Didn't capture the passion of B. Franklin. "

" Painfully dry. Probably even worse than a textbook. "

" Ben was a hero of mine. It made him seem so real. "

" This was an interesting read. I thought Mr. Wood did a convincing job presenting this thesis about the development of both America and Benjamin Franklin. "

" What a great read....I loved learning about the complexities of Franklin's character, his hard-working attitude, and his ties to Britian and Loyalists before he turned to being a Patriot. He was not a perfect man, as nobody is, but he certianly remains a hero in many ways. "

" Franklin began as a loyal British subject and ended up an American. This book shows how this happened. Very easy to read and full of interesting facts about Franklin., "

" Really enjoyable way to present Franklin, not a biography per se, but more interesting and just as informative. I learned a great deal and Wood's ideas also inspired a great deal of thinking. "