Benjamin Franklin - An American Life

[giofranchi]

I have just started reading

 

[amazonsearch]Benjamin Franklin An American Life[/amazonsearch]

 

…it is useful to engage anew with Franklin, for in doing so we are grappling with a fundamental issue: How does one live a life that is useful, virtuous, worthy, moral, and spiritually meaningful? For that matter, which of these attributes is most important? These are questions just as vital for a self-satisfied age as they were for a revolutionary one.

 

Gio

 

[APG12]

Have you read his autobiography? It's fantastic!

[giofranchi]

Have you read his autobiography? It's fantastic!

 

Yes! Of course I have! And I agree.

 

Cheers!

 

Gio

[jberkshire01]

And if you haven't seen the biography by Carl Van Doren, I highly recommend it too (also available as an audiobook): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140152601/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=

 

Of the biographies, it is 1 of the 2 (the Isaacson one being the other) on Franklin that Munger has recommended.

[dcollon]

The great thing about Franklin's writings is that a lot of them are free or very inexpensive on Amazon. 

[Liberty]

Read that one a few years ago and liked it quite a bit (I recently read The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, another great biography). Quite a bit better than Isaacson's Steve Jobs biography (probably because it was rushed, and because Isaacson doesn't really get technology and design).

 

I have his Einstein biography on my shelf, but haven't read that one yet.

[giofranchi]

While gambling at checkers with some shipmates, he formulated an “infallible rule”, which was that “if two persons equal in judgment play for a considerable sum, he that loves money most shall lose; his anxiety for the success of the game confounds him.” The rule, he decided, applied to other battles; a person who is too fearful will end up performing defensively and thus fail to seize offensive advantages.

 

This is one of the reasons why I deem the possession of a cash flow machine to be so much important in business: it is the best remedy I know of against “anxiety”. ;)

 

Gio

 

[giofranchi]

It is pleasantly surprising to realize how much flirtatious Mr. Ben Franklin was with women! Always, of course, in a very gentlemanly manner! He simply enjoyed to talk to and to spend his time among women.

One more trait I gladly share with this man born 270 years before I came into this world! ;D ;D ;D

 

Gio

 

[Guest Dazel]

 

 

Ben Franklin America's Original Entrepreneur

 

 

Is my favorite shorter and more in depth on his business dealings...

 

Dazel.

[meiroy]

 

I really enjoyed and learned a lot from The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin. He had such a fantastic and interesting life that it doesn't take much to write a great book about him.

 

[giofranchi]

 

 

Ben Franklin America's Original Entrepreneur

 

 

Is my favorite shorter and more in depth on his business dealings...

 

Dazel.

 

I have just bought it! Thank you! ;)

 

Gio

[Guest longinvestor]

I just finished listening to “The compleated autobiography of ..”

 

Amazing story, living in 1700’s is completely different from today. The big takeaway is just how much Munger’s thinking is influenced by Ben Franklin. Things like no envy, self pity, doing the right thing etc.  The other amazing similarity is the reading habits. “Sit on your butt and read”. I chuckled as I read Franklin attributed the sitting down to health issues! But the fact that he outlived his cohort is also remarkably similar to Munger. Having curiosity, purpose and humor in life means something to longevity!

[tede02]

This is a great book. It was the first large biography I ever read as a young adult in the mid 2000s. It definitely influenced me. You can't forget some of "Poor Richard's" one-liners like, "Early to bed, early to rise...!" I'd like to re-read this in the future. Will certainly read differently with accumulated knowledge vs. when I was 18 or 20.

[ValueMaven]

Awesome book...finished it this summer.  Made the mistake of reading it on my iPad however!  Get a hardcopy

[villainx]

Which Ben Franklin book are you guys talking about!??!!!??!!!

[boilermaker75]

Which Ben Franklin book are you guys talking about!??!!!??!!!

 

https://www.amazon.com/Benjamin-Franklin-American-Walter-Isaacson/dp/074325807X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Benjamin+Franklin+An+American+Life&qid=1609213457&sr=8-1&x=13&y=14