Book of ages, about ben franklins sibling the new york times. Nov 07, 20 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. Jan 01, 20 the subtitle of book of ages, the life and opinions of jane franklin, is what drew me to request this book. Jane mecom the favorite sister of benjamin franklin. Growing up in boston at the start of the 18th century, benjamin franklin and his sister jane were known as benny and jenny. Mecom and franklin corresponded throughout the course of their lives, and some of their letters survive. The life and opinions of jane franklin, lepore, a professor of us history at harvard and a staff writer for the new yorker, brings. That jane franklin learned to write as well as she did was a twist of fate. American philosophical society, 2006, which you can also link to from the library thing site.
They were two among a group of seventeen siblings, an unfathomable number to we who live in. Oct 12, 20 meet ben s sister jane, history s forgotten franklin. Jill lepores national book award finalist book of ages. Rachels mom reads aloud the book franklins baby sister by paulette bourgeois and brenda clark.
Apr 01, 2000 franklin s baby sister is due in spring. Lepores biography of benjamin franklins sister, book of ages. Jill lepore s national book award finalist book of ages. 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. In book of ages, historian jill lepore draws a portrait of one of the. Jane was benjamin franklin s youngest sister, and as they were close in age they were also close in spirit. From one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister and a history of. 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 births, marriages, and deaths for her children, her husband, and herself. Book of ages, by jill lepore for centuries, the memory of jane franklin has languished in brother benjamin s shadow.
Lepore uncovers the story of benjamin franklins sister. Sep 10, 20 lepores research focuses on the histories of war and violence and of language and literacy. The subtitle of book of ages, the life and opinions of jane franklin, is what drew me to request this book. Benjamin franklin, the tenth of josiah franklins sons, was six years old when jane, the seventh daughter, was born on march 27, 1712. Meet bens sister jane, historys forgotten franklin npr. Like her brother, jane franklin was a passionate reader, a gifted writer, and an astonishingly shrewd political commentator. Deeply researched and passionately written, it brings us inside a poignant relationship between two lovable people who seemed so different but were also so connected. National book award finalist 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. Adultery, a curious pregnancy and ben franklins sister jane. Book of ages on apple books apple books apple apple. 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. This is a true story, based on the life and times of ben franklin and his sister, jane. 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.
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. Benjamin franklin s father, josiah franklin, was a tallow chandler, soaper, and candlemaker. Jane mecom, the favorite sister of benjamin franklin. The life and opinions of jane franklin tells the fascinating, littleknown story of benjamin franklins youngest sister, jane. While ben is on currency and splashed across textbooks, jane s life. Historian recounts life of benjamin franklins lesserknown. While ben is on currency and splashed across textbooks, janes life.
Lepore uncovers the story of benjamin franklins sister radcliffe. 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. A finalist for the 20 national book award for nonfiction. On closer inspection, not such a plain jane harvard gazette. But harvard historian jill lepore tells her story in a new book. Jill lepore reconstructs the life of an 18thcentury woman, benjamin franklins favorite sister. A stirring account of the much lesserknown life of franklins sister jane, an impoverished evangelical christian who. Sep 21, 2012 jane mecom, benjamin franklins younger sister and closest confidante, died in 1794. Though mecom never attended school, she learned to read and write under the tutelage of. A painting of franklins return to philadelphia from europe in 1785 shows him flanked by his soninlaw in red, his daughter and benjamin bache in blue, the grandson hed taken to france.
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. Jul 01, 20 the street i grew up on was named for benjamin franklin. 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. I was really hoping that they had a nursery outside where they buried an egg. Historian reveals ben franklins notsofamous sister. Other than that, she exists in her correspondence with her brother. Jane mecom could have found in the book she knew best their best epitaph.
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. Book of ages is an ardently told life story, brimming with love and loss against a background of political strife and war. The story of jane franklin is the story of a woman living on the fringes of recorded history. A super cute book for any little one about to be a big brother or sister. She doesnt add anything new to our knowledge of franklins scientific work. The richness of carl van doren s scholarship is singularly evident in this somewhat unexpected biography of benjamin franklin s beloved sister, its importance inevitably lying in the new facet of franklin s own personality. Its time to celebrate the best in independent book publishing live online. By weaving together the tales of benjamin franklin and his beloved little sister, jill lepore creates a richlytextured tapestry of life in early america. Meet bens sister jane, historys forgotten franklin. Sep 27, 20 growing up in boston at the start of the 18th century, benjamin franklin and his sister jane were known as benny and jenny. The life and opinions of jane franklin, will be published in. This, however, is a cautionary tale about the differences between them, not in intelligence, but in opportunities.
Her life here first fully narrated from their entire surviving correspondence by carl van doren jan 1, 1950 4. Jun 16, 2018 if you want to read the best book on benjamin franklin, than i would highly, highly recommend that you read walter isaacsons book, benjamin franklin. Mar 12, 2009 data was entered from the library of benjamin franklin philadelphia. My only complainy was that we never saw a turtle egg. 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. Jenifer glynn, franklins younger sister, now offers an insider portrait. Jan 17, 2017 we know remarkably little about the life of ben franklins sister. The story of benjamin franklins sister and how women are. 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. Jane franklin mecom march 27, 1712 may 7, 1794 was the youngest sister of benjamin franklin and was considered one of his closest confidants. Much of her writing explores absences and asymmetries of evidence in the historical record.
They were two among a group of seventeen siblings, an unfathomable number to we who live in the land of an average 2. Benjamin s father and all four of his grandparents were born in england. Josiah franklin was born at ecton, northamptonshire, england on december 23, 1657, the son of blacksmith and farmer thomas franklin and jane white. The life and opinions of jane franklin, jill lepore reconstructs a history of ben franklins favorite sister. Benjamin rush had signed the declaration of independence, edited common sense, toured europe as benjamin franklins protege, and become john adamss confidant, and was soon to be appointed washingtons.
There have been as great souls unknown to fame as any of the most famous, the man himself. Oct 07, 20 to bookry, cookry, thimble, needle, thread. 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. Jane was the youngest daughter of the franklin family, and benjamin the youngest son.
For centuries, the memory of jane franklin has languished in brother benjamin s shadow. Ben franklin is arguably the most famous american ever. The life and opinions of jane franklin jill lepore. From one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister and a history of history itself. What is the best book to read on benjamin franklin. Jul 11, 2017 jane mecom was benjamin franklins sister. Jane was benjamin franklins youngest sister, and as they were close in age they were also close in spirit. Oct 22, 20 as part of the university of wisconsin s center for the humanities lecture series, lepore will be giving a talk titled, jane franklin s spectacles. While ben is on currency and splashed across textbooks.
I enjoy historical books, both fiction and nonfiction. Revolution, madness, and benjamin rush, the visionary. 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. Aug 22, 2015 rachel s mom reads aloud the book franklin s baby sister by paulette bourgeois and brenda clark. 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. Dec 19, 20 i read as much as i dare, jane franklin once wrote to her older brother benjamin. Apr 25, 2014 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. Jill lepore opens a smeared casement on the life of jane, benjamin franklins gifted sister, confidante and lifelong correspondent. 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. Historian reveals ben franklins notsofamous sister here. 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. The life and opinions of jane franklin, jill lepore, a professor of u.
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