I just finished Walter Isaacson’s biography of Benjamin Franklin this weekend, and without knowing exactly how to say this, I’ll simply say that I was completely inspired. “Inspired” is quite an understatement actually. I found myself at times with chills running through my body as Isaacson described the various successes and challenges Franklin faced throughout his astonishing career - from personal to business to political to the most astonishing scientific and diplomatic feats of his era. It was a career that quite literally shaped the course of history. It is virtually impossible to describe the impact that this man had on all our (American) lives, and I feel confident in saying there is nothing hyperbolic about that statement.
Benjamin Franklin was the ultimate social entrepreneur and realist-idealist.
Take a weekend and read this book or Franklin’s own autobiography.
When you’re done, be sure to go back and find your favorite passages using Google Books. It’s been an extraordinarily useful tool to find the most poignant quotes and anecdotes.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Lori Collins // Jul 21, 2008 at 9:50 pm
You’ve piqued my curiosity and interest. I’ll be checking out a copy of this biography. And thanks for the tip re: Google Books!
2 Sam // Jul 22, 2008 at 2:26 pm
I’ve had that book sitting on my shelf for awhile now. This post will serve as its own “inspiration” to finally make me read it!
3 Nike Beddow // Jul 22, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Ben is the man - he is philanthropy’s original American Idol.
If Ben was alive today, he and his Philly posse - or Junto - would be blogging, Facebooking, twittering to make his community a better place.
But he didn’t, so he hung out with his buds at the local tavern to eat, drink, laugh and debate the issues of day. Now that sounds fun!
4 Jake Brewer // Jul 23, 2008 at 10:37 am
Ha, Nico! So True.
In hearing in depth the ways that Ben approached life, business and politics, it’s clear he would have owned the URL “realist-idealist” way before me… and would be doing much cooler things with it.
And Silence Do Good would have been the most prolific blogger of our age! His Twitter followers would rival Robert Scoble’s!
Oh to time travel back to the Philadelphia of 1750, join the local Junto, and frequent the watering holes where Socratic inquiry and brilliant wit spewed forth as much as the frosty beverages.
Leave a Comment