Benjamin Franklin: Writings (1987) is a comprehensive volume from the Library of America series, curated by J.A. Leo Lemay, that gathers the essential works of America’s quintessential Enlightenment polymath. This meticulously assembled collection spans Franklin’s witty, wise, and revolutionary output, including:
- Autobiography (1771–1790): The founding memoir of American self-invention, chronicling his rise from printer’s apprentice to statesman.
- Poor Richard’s Almanack (1732–1758): Proverbs and aphorisms (“Early to bed, early to rise…”) that shaped American pragmatism.
- Scientific Essays: Lightning experiments, bifocals, and the Franklin stove—showcasing his playful empiricism.
- Political Writings: Satires like Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One (1773) and diplomatic letters from the French Revolution era.
The volume also features lesser-known gems: his feminist dialogue The Speech of Polly Baker (1747), letters on balloon flight, and slavery critiques late in life. Lemay’s notes contextualize Franklin’s contradictions—a slaveholder turned abolitionist, a royalist turned revolutionary.
For companion reads, try The Portable Enlightenment Reader (1995) or Founding Brothers (2000) by Joseph Ellis.
