The Autobiography and Other Writings (Penguin Classics)

The only person to sign all four major documents of the founding of the United States - the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Treaty Alliance with France, and the Treaty of Peace with England - Benjamin Franklin preferred to be known only as a printer. Begun as a collection of anecdotes for his son, The Autobiography distills the complex and passionate intellectual strivings of Franklin's life as a famed scientist, inventor, statesman, legislator, and diplomat into a persona extolling endless industry and sober virtue. This edition also gathers together fascinating selections from Franklin's essays and letters that reveal the full range of his prodigious talents, including The Way to Wealth, The Kite Experiments, and Advice to a Friend on Choosing a Mistress.