The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
A printer's apprentice runs away to Philadelphia with three loaves of bread under his arm and ends up inventing, publishing, and negotiating his way into a founding role. Franklin is funny about himself throughout.
Things worth knowing
- Franklin scraped so many faults off the pages of his virtue-tracking notebook that it filled with holes, so he moved the tables onto ivory leaves ruled in red ink and marked them with a pencil he could wipe off with a wet sponge.
- The first book-length English edition, London 1793, was translated back into English from the French, and its wording differed considerably from what Franklin wrote.
Listen, or read along
Every chapter has the recording and the same chapter as text. Open both if you like: the text is the words you are hearing.
-
1 Part One. Section One 28 min
-
2 Part One. Section Two 26 min
-
3 Part One. Section Three 26 min
-
4 Part One. Section Four 26 min
-
5 Part One. Section Five 28 min
-
6 Part One. Section Six 27 min
-
7 Part Two. Section One 17 min
-
8 Part Two. Section Two 17 min
-
9 Part Three. Section One 32 min
-
10 Part Three. Section Two 28 min
-
11 Part Three. Section Three 30 min
-
12 Part Three. Section Four 29 min
-
13 Part Three. Section Five 30 min
-
14 Part Three. Section Six 30 min
-
15 Part Three. Section Seven 27 min
Where this comes from
US public domain: first published 1791, before the 1930 cutoff. Author d.1790, so also clear in life+70 jurisdictions.
Cover image: Oil on canvas portrait of Benjamin Franklin, 1767.
Narration: text-to-speech.
Want a copy for your bookshelf?
Enjoyed this audiobook? Add a printed copy to your personal library, or share the experience by gifting one to a friend or family member.
Open Ear Books earns a commission on purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.