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. Growing up in boston at the start of the 18th century, benjamin franklin and his sister jane were known as benny and jenny. Lepores biography of benjamin franklins sister, book of ages. For centuries, the memory of jane franklin has languished in brother benjamins shadow. 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. From one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister and. Historian reveals ben franklins notsofamous sister. Adultery, a curious pregnancy and ben franklins sister. I was really hoping that they had a nursery outside where they buried an egg. Other than that, she exists in her correspondence with her brother. 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, lepore, a professor of us history at harvard and a staff writer for the new yorker, brings.
Lepore uncovers the story of benjamin franklins sister radcliffe. This biography of benjamin franklins sister, jane franklin mecom, does not resemble those works. 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. Among benjamins siblings were his older brother james and his younger sister jane. Like her brother, jane franklin was a passionate reader, a gifted writer, and an astonishingly shrewd political commentator. 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. On closer inspection, not such a plain jane harvard gazette. 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. The street i grew up on was named for benjamin franklin.
Book of ages, by jill lepore for centuries, the memory of jane franklin has languished in brother benjamins shadow. 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. Jill lepores national book award finalist book of ages. The life and opinions of jane franklin jill lepore. Book of ages on apple books apple books apple apple. Meet bens sister jane, historys forgotten franklin npr. Meet bens sister jane, historys forgotten franklin. From one of our most accomplished and widely admired historiansa revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister, whose obscurity and poverty were. 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. Jane mecom, benjamin franklins younger sister and closest confidante, died in 1794. Much of her writing explores absences and asymmetries of evidence in the historical record. Lepore uncovers the story of benjamin franklins sister. A finalist for the 20 national book award for nonfiction.
This, however, is a cautionary tale about the differences between them, not in intelligence, but in opportunities. The story of benjamin franklins sister and how women are. Historian recounts life of benjamin franklins lesser. Jane was benjamin franklin s youngest sister, and as they were close in age they were also close in spirit. The life and opinions of jane franklin, jill lepore, a professor of u. Over this time, the ibpa benjamin franklin award for excellence in book publishing has become one of the highest national honors for. Book of ages is an ardently told life story, brimming with love and loss against a background of political strife and war.
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. 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. 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. 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. Like her brother, jane franklin was a passionate reader, a gifted writer, and. 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. There have been as great souls unknown to fame as any of. I enjoy historical books, both fiction and nonfiction. 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. She doesnt add anything new to our knowledge of franklins scientific work, which was fully explored by.
Jill lepore opens a smeared casement on the life of jane, benjamin franklins gifted sister, confidante and lifelong correspondent. Jane mecom could have found in the book she knew best their best epitaph. The life and opinions of jane franklin, jill lepore reconstructs a history of ben franklins favorite 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. 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. Book of ages, about ben franklins sibling the new york times. From one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister and a history of history itself. 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.
This book, a history of the life and opinions of jane franklin, contains with it a wholly new reading of the life and. Lepores research focuses on the histories of war and violence and of language and literacy. The life and opinions of jane franklin by associate professor of history and american studies jill lepore 201005 jan 1, 1703. While ben is on currency and splashed across textbooks, janes life. He was one of seventeen children born to josiah franklin, and one of ten born by josiahs second wife, abiah folger. Among benjamin s siblings were his older brother james and his younger sister jane. Rachels mom reads aloud the book franklins baby sister by paulette bourgeois and brenda clark. Like her brother, jane franklin was a passionate reader, a gifted writer, and an astonishingly shrewd. The life and opinions of jane franklin tells the fascinating, littleknown story of benjamin franklins youngest sister, jane. Jane mecom the favorite sister of benjamin franklin. Jane mecom, the favorite sister of benjamin franklin.
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. Jenifer glynn, franklins younger sister, now offers an insider portrait. A biography of jane franklin, benjamins sister, it is simultaneously a fascinating look at early america, a meditation on one. Jane was benjamin franklins youngest sister, and as they were close in age they were also close in spirit. A super cute book for any little one about to be a big brother or sister. 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. They were two among a group of seventeen siblings, an unfathomable number to we who live in the land of an average 2. 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. From one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister and a history of.
My only complainy was that we never saw a turtle egg. Jane franklin mecom march 27, 1712 may 7, 1794 was the youngest sister of benjamin franklin and was considered one of his closest confidants. American philosophical society, 2006, which you can also link to from the library thing site. 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. As part of the university of wisconsins center for the humanities lecture series, lepore will be giving a talk titled, jane franklins spectacles. The subtitle of book of ages, the life and opinions of jane franklin, is what drew me to request this book. 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. Mecom and franklin corresponded throughout the course of their lives, and some of their letters survive. We know remarkably little about the life of ben franklins sister. Benjamin franklin was born on milk street, in boston, massachusetts, on january 17, 1706, and baptized at old south meeting house. Benjamin franklin, the tenth of josiah franklins sons, was six years old when jane, the seventh daughter, was born on march 27, 1712. 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.
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