Jan 01, 20 the subtitle of book of ages, the life and opinions of jane franklin, is what drew me to request this book. 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. Meet bens sister jane, historys forgotten franklin npr. This book includes reproducible materials for 16 little books, a timeline, a u. Benjamin franklin, the tenth of josiah franklins sons, was six years old when jane, the seventh daughter, was born on march 27, 1712. The street i grew up on was named for benjamin franklin. After moving to boston, they had four more children, josiah. Meet bens sister jane, historys forgotten franklin. The month abiah mecom was born, benjamin franklin took a seat in the pennsylvania assembly. Jan 17, 2017 but lets look past the great man and pay some attention instead to ben franklins sister jane.
It is this tiny work that harvard historian and new yorker staff writer jill lepore places at the center of her fantastic biography book of ages. Historian recounts life of benjamin franklins lesser. They were two among a group of seventeen siblings, an unfathomable number to we who live in the land of an average 2. A biography of jane franklin, benjamins sister, it is simultaneously a. A finalist for the 20 national book award for nonfiction. 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 reconstructs a history of ben franklins favorite sister. From one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister and a history of history itself.
New yorker writer lepore masterfully formulates the story of benjamin franklins youngest sister, who will be virtually unknown to many readers, using only a few of her letters and a small archive of births and deaths. But lets look past the great man and pay some attention instead to ben franklins sister jane. Benjamin s father and all four of his grandparents were born in england. Jane was benjamin franklins youngest sister, and as they were close in age they were also close in spirit. The couple had three children, elizabeth, samuel and hannah, in england. His father, josiah franklin, had 17 children in total. Oct 07, 20 ben franklin is arguably the most famous american ever.
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. Benjamin franklin had a total of 16 siblings, seven of which were half siblings from his father s first marriage. 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. A super cute book for any little one about to be a big brother or 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.
Jane mecom could have found in the book she knew best their best epitaph. Jane franklin mecom march 27, 1712 may 7, 1794 was the youngest sister of benjamin franklin and was considered one of his closest confidants. Lepore uncovers the story of benjamin franklins sister radcliffe. 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. Franklin does everything he can to make spring come, but nothing happens. Even the seed he planted at school doesnt look like it will ever become a plant. 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. From one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of benjamin franklins youngest sister and. 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. This biography of benjamin franklins sister, jane franklin mecom, does not resemble those works.
Historian recounts life of benjamin franklins lesserknown. There have been as great souls unknown to fame as any of the most famous, the man himself. In this illustrated lecture, jill lepore tells the story of franklins longforgotten sister, jane, and meditates on what it means to write history not from what can be found, but from what has been lost. On closer inspection, not such a plain jane harvard gazette. Sep 10, 20 lepores research focuses on the histories of war and violence and of language and literacy. The read family immigrated to english america in 1711, settling in philadelphia. Apr 01, 2000 franklin s baby sister is due in spring.
Adultery, a curious pregnancy and ben franklins sister jane. With the passing of time, the boys became protective of their sisters. I read as much as i dare, jane franklin once wrote to her older brother benjamin. William franklin, bens son, spent the revolutionary war. The life and opinions of jane franklin tells the fascinating, littleknown story of benjamin franklins youngest sister, jane. For instance, when sister elizabeth douse, the oldest of the first batch, fell into poverty and was about to be put into a rather miserable retirement home, benjamin stepped in and told his brothers that old.
Oct 10, 20 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 experiments with electricity mere kite flying. Dec 19, 20 i read as much as i dare, jane franklin once wrote to her older brother benjamin. Historian reveals ben franklins notsofamous sister here. Jane franklin was an amazing woman who raised her children and grandchildren while still having the time to read and. Jul 01, 20 the street i grew up on was named for benjamin franklin. 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. Sep 21, 2012 jane mecom, benjamin franklins younger sister and closest confidante, died in 1794. I first encountered her in the pages of the new yorker, in an article by jill lepore that combined personal reminiscences of her childhood with stories of jane franklin mecom, a. Like her brother, jane franklin was a passionate reader, a gifted writer, and an astonishingly shrewd political commentator. Even the seed he planted at school doesnt look like it. The story of benjamin franklins sister and how women are. May 02, 2012 jenifer glynn, franklins younger sister, now offers an insider portrait.
He can hardly wait for the new baby, but spring seems a long time away. Jill lepore s national book award finalist book of ages. Rachels mom reads aloud the book franklins baby sister by paulette bourgeois and brenda clark. She doesnt add anything new to our knowledge of franklins scientific work, which was fully explored by. Benjamin franklin s father, josiah franklin, was a tallow chandler, soaper, and candlemaker. Benjamin franklin, who wrote more letters to his sister than he wrote to anyone else, was the original american selfmade man. His eightyfouryearold mother wrote him a letter, with her daughter at her side. His father urged william franklin to resign as governor and join the. 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. Much of her writing explores absences and asymmetries of evidence in the historical record. While ben is on currency and splashed across textbooks. Aug 22, 2015 rachel s mom reads aloud the book franklin s baby sister by paulette bourgeois and brenda clark.
The life and opinions of jane franklin, jill lepore, a professor of u. 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. Josiah franklin was born at ecton, northamptonshire, england on december 23, 1657, the son of blacksmith and farmer thomas franklin and jane white. Jill lepores national book award finalist book of ages. Historian reveals ben franklins notsofamous sister. Benjamin franklin famously wrote the story of his life, the story of a printers apprentice who runs away to become a statesman and a scientist. A major new biography, illuminating the great mystery of benjamin franklins faith renowned as a printer, scientist, and diplomat, benjamin franklin also published more works on religious topics than any other eighteenthcentury american layperson. Oct 12, 20 meet ben s sister jane, history s forgotten franklin. 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. Franklins baby sister classic franklin stories book 26 and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Benjamin franklin had a total of 16 siblings, seven of which were half siblings from his fathers first marriage. I first encountered her in the pages of the new yorker, in an article by jill lepore that combined personal reminiscences of her childhood with stories of jane franklin mecom, a woman all but forgotten by history. 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.
Jul 11, 2017 jane mecom was benjamin franklins sister. Benjamin franklin little book printable k 3rd grade. In october 1723, read met then 17yearold 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. And benjamin lobbied in london for william franklins appointment to royal governor of new jersey in 1762. 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. This, however, is a cautionary tale about the differences between them, not in intelligence, but in opportunities. 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 tells the fascinating, littleknown story of benjamin franklin s youngest sister, jane.
The story of jane franklin is the story of a woman living on the fringes of recorded history. For centuries, the memory of jane franklin has languished in brother benjamin s shadow. 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. Jane mecom, the favorite sister of 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. There have been as great souls unknown to fame as any of. For centuries, the memory of jane franklin has languished in brother benjamins shadow. Book of ages, about ben franklins sibling the new york times. She doesnt add anything new to our knowledge of franklins scientific work, which was fully explored by sayre and maddox. 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. 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.
In the early days of the american revolution, franklin wanted even greater things for his son, then a leading political figure in america. Like her brother, jane franklin was a passionate reader, a gifted writer, and. Lepores research focuses on the histories of war and violence and of language and literacy. 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. 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 experiments with electricity mere kite flying. 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 experiments with electricity mere kite. In this franklin classic storybook, our hero is thrilled to learn hell be a big brother in the spring. The subtitle of book of ages, the life and opinions of jane franklin, is what drew me to request this book. Jenifer glynn, franklins younger sister, now offers an insider portrait. Ben franklin is arguably the most famous american ever. Historian reveals ben franklins notsofamous sister09. I was really hoping that they had a nursery outside where they buried an egg. My only complainy was that we never saw a turtle egg.
Book of ages is the name of lepores extraordinary new book about jane franklin, but. But harvard historian jill lepore tells her story in a new book. Jane was the youngest daughter of the franklin family, and benjamin the youngest son. Mecom and franklin corresponded throughout the course of their lives, and some of their letters survive. Lepore uncovers the story of benjamin franklins sister. The life and opinions of jane franklin, will be published in.
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