We know her only through the letters responded to by her brother, and a small book a book of ages which lists no more than the dates of. Book of ages, by jill lepore for centuries, the memory of jane franklin has languished in brother benjamins shadow. The street i grew up on was named for benjamin franklin. Among benjamin s siblings were his older brother james and his younger sister jane. The life and opinions of jane franklin tells the fascinating, littleknown story of benjamin franklins youngest sister, jane. Walter isaacson, author of steve jobs book of ages is an ardently told life story, brimming with love and loss against a background of political strife and war. A biography of jane franklin, benjamins sister, it is simultaneously a fascinating look at early america, a meditation on one. Over this time, the ibpa benjamin franklin award for excellence in book publishing has become one of the highest national honors for.
Like her brother, jane franklin was a passionate reader, a gifted writer, and an astonishingly shrewd political commentator. I enjoy historical books, both fiction and nonfiction. I was really hoping that they had a nursery outside where they buried an egg. Book of ages, about ben franklins sibling the new york times. Lepore uncovers the story of benjamin franklins sister. Jane was benjamin franklin s youngest sister, and as they were close in age they were also close in spirit. This is a true story, based on the life and times of ben franklin and his sister, jane. Lepores biography of benjamin franklins sister, book of ages. Both were members of an undistinguished lineage of francklynnes, then francklins, and eventually franklins, none of whom established themselves as much more than the name suggested blacksmiths, tinkerers. Jill lepores luminous story of the life of benjamin franklins sister is stitched together from fragments and scraps, a lifes remains a word with layers, meaning what is left of. A finalist for the 20 national book award for nonfiction. The subtitle of book of ages, the life and opinions of jane franklin, is what drew me to request this book.
Mecom and franklin corresponded throughout the course of their lives, and some of their letters survive. On closer inspection, not such a plain jane harvard gazette. Jill lepore opens a smeared casement on the life of jane, benjamin franklins gifted sister, confidante and lifelong correspondent. National book award finalistfrom one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister and a history of history itself. We know remarkably little about the life of ben franklins sister. The richness of carl van dorens scholarship is singularly evident in this somewhat unexpected biography of benjamin franklins beloved sister, its importance inevitably lying in the new facet of franklins own personality. American philosophical society, 2006, which you can also link to from the library thing site. In early september, as part of its mission to explore the lives of american women of the past for the future, the library presented a lecture by jill lepore, the author of a new book about the life of jane franklin, the youngest sister of benjamin franklin. Jane was benjamin franklins youngest sister, and as they were close in age they were also close in spirit. My only complainy was that we never saw a turtle egg.
The life and opinions of jane franklin by associate professor of history and american studies jill lepore 201005 jan 1, 1703. Other than that, she exists in her correspondence with her brother. Jill lepore is writing a book to bring her back the harvard historian has spent years, off and on, researching the life of the littleknown mecom, who was the closest person to her iconic brother, exchanging letters with him for 63 years. National book award finalist from one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister and a history of history itself.
The life and opinions of jane franklin, jill lepore reconstructs a history of ben franklins favorite sister. This book, a history of the life and opinions of jane franklin, contains with it a wholly new reading of the life and. Benjamin franklins family is epsteins case study, with ben in his familiar role of celebrated patriot, while his only son, william, led the line as a loyalist. Adultery, a curious pregnancy and ben franklins sister. Jane mecom the favorite sister of benjamin franklin. The life and opinions of jane franklin jill lepore. Jacob riis coopted it to highlight the gap between the tenements and townhouses in late nineteenth century new york, while jill lepore uses franklins saying as the epigraph to her work focused on the founding fathers sister, titled book of ages. From one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister and. Meet bens sister jane, historys forgotten franklin.
Data was entered from the library of benjamin franklin philadelphia. That jane franklin learned to write as well as she did was a twist of fate. National book award finalist one of the best books of the year npr time magazine the washington post entertainment weekly the boston globe a new york times notable book from one of our most accomplished and widely admired historiansa revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister, jane, whose obscurity and poverty were matched only by her. Since 1983, the independent book publishers association ibpa, the largest notforprofit trade association of independent publishers, has been a leader in member advocacy, education, and tools for success. Jane mecom, the favorite sister of benjamin franklin. History meets hijinks in this first title in a hilarious new middle grade series for fans of timmy failure and the terrible two, when ben franklin accidentally time travels to a 10yearolds home in 21stcentury america. This biography of benjamin franklins sister, jane franklin mecom, does not resemble those works. Jill lepores book of ages about benjamin franklins sister jane didnt win the national book award last night, but it reveals profound truths about sibling relationships and how far.
For those who cant get enough franklin, the library of congress has a digitized collection of franklins papers, consisting of approximately 8,000 items, including correspondence. The story of benjamin franklin and jane mecom fills out and enlarges him, and it creates her as a figure that lives with breathing reality. From one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister and a history of. The story of benjamin franklins sister and how women are. Much of her writing explores absences and asymmetries of evidence in the historical record. While ben is on currency and splashed across textbooks, janes life. A biography of jane franklin, benjamin s sister, it is simultaneously a fascinating look at early america, a meditation on one remarkable mind by another, and, implicitly, a biography of all the other janeshistorys anonymous and overlooked women. Jane was the youngest daughter of the franklin family, and benjamin the youngest son. Both were members of an undistinguished lineage of francklynnes, then francklins, and eventually franklins, none of whom established themselves as much more than the name suggested blacksmiths, tinkerers, experimenters. The life and opinions of jane franklin, jill lepore, a professor of u. As part of the university of wisconsins center for the humanities lecture series, lepore will be giving a talk titled, jane franklins spectacles. There have been as great souls unknown to fame as any of. Jill lepores national book award finalist book of ages.
Historian recounts life of benjamin franklins lesser. The life and opinions of jane franklin by jill lepore. The life and opinions of jane franklin, jill lepore argues, little of what benjamin franklin wrote not the silence dogood essays, not poor richards almanack, not the way to wealth, not the autobiography can be understood without jane franklin. Meet bens sister jane, historys forgotten franklin npr. She doesnt add anything new to our knowledge of franklins scientific work, which was fully explored by. This, however, is a cautionary tale about the differences between them, not in intelligence, but in opportunities.
Book of ages is the name of lepores extraordinary new book about jane franklin, but to call it simply a biography would be like calling bens. For centuries, the memory of jane franklin has languished in brother benjamins shadow. The life and opinions of jane franklin, will be published in. Among benjamins siblings were his older brother james and his younger sister jane. They were two among a group of seventeen siblings, an unfathomable number to we who live in the land of an average 2. Book of ages is an ardently told life story, brimming with love and loss against a background of political strife and war. I read as much as i dare, jane franklin once wrote to her older brother benjamin. Lepores research focuses on the histories of war and violence and of language and literacy.
Like her brother, jane franklin was a passionate reader, a gifted writer, and. Lepore uncovers the story of benjamin franklins sister radcliffe. From one of our most accomplished and widely admired historiansa revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister, whose obscurity and poverty were. Benjamin franklin, the tenth of josiah franklins sons, was six years old when jane, the seventh daughter, was born on march 27, 1712. By weaving together the tales of benjamin franklin and his beloved little sister, jill lepore creates a richly textured tapestry of life in early america. From one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister and a history of history itself. Benjamin franklin was born on milk street, in boston, massachusetts, on january 17, 1706, and baptized at old south meeting house. To her during his lifetime he wroteirregularly to be sure, but more frequently than to most of his correspondents, and many of his letters and some of here have been.
Jane mecom, benjamin franklins younger sister and closest confidante, died in 1794. She recorded the births of her children in a book of ages and we also see her handwriting on a copy of one of bens books that he gave her. Jenifer glynn, franklins younger sister, now offers an insider portrait. A super cute book for any little one about to be a big brother or sister.
Rachels mom reads aloud the book franklins baby sister by paulette bourgeois and brenda clark. He was one of seventeen children born to josiah franklin, and one of ten born by josiahs second wife, abiah folger. Like her brother, jane franklin was a passionate reader, a gifted writer, and an astonishingly shrewd. Book of ages on apple books apple books apple apple. The life and opinions of jane franklin, lepore, a professor of us history at harvard and a staff writer for the new yorker, brings. Jane mecom could have found in the book she knew best their best epitaph. Historian reveals ben franklins notsofamous sister.
American diplomat, statesman and scientist, born on the 17th of january 1706 in a house in milk street, opposite the old south church, boston, massachusetts. Known to historians as benjamin franklins favorite sister, jane was eleven when her restless brother ran away from boston to begin his career in philadelphia. A revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister and a wholly different account of the founding of the united states, from one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of benjamin franklin\ s youngest sister and a history of history itself. Jane franklin mecom march 27, 1712 may 7, 1794 was the youngest sister of benjamin franklin and was considered one of his closest confidants.
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