H w brands has written an absorbing singlevolume biography of benjamin franklin not only is it as encyclopedic as one volume can be but the writing style is so engaging that brandss work should supplant carl van dorens benjamin franklin 1938 as the standard franklin biography for the general reading public brands brings to life both franklin and his times. Benjamin franklin was not just the the first american he was also americas first diplomat and global thought leader he was a man of science letters and virtue becoming an abolitionist later in life without his cajoling of the french government for financial and military support it is quite possible the american revolution would have failed. Pulitzer prize finalistbenjamin franklin perhaps the pivotal figure in colonial and revolutionary . The first american the life and times of benjamin franklin item preview remove circle share or embed this item embed embed for wordpresscom hosted the first american the life and times of benjamin franklin by brands h w publication date 2000 topics. In the first comprehensive biography of benjamin franklin in over sixty years acclaimed