The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin was written in batches by the American Founding Father, scientist, and entrepreneur from 1771 to 1788. Parts of it were published as early as 1791 (in French), although all four parts were not published together in English until 1868. According to a friend of Franklin’s, one the goals of the autobiography was to provide a model by which others could better their lives—and, in fact, it stands as one of the first examples of a “self-help” book. It is also considered important in the development of the autobiography genre.

Summary

Read our detailed part-by-part Summary & Analysis or the Full Book Summary of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.

Quick Quizzes

Test your knowledge of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin with quizzes about every section, major characters, themes, symbols, and more.

Deeper Study

Enhance your understanding of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by reading background about the work, its historical and literary context, and mini essays about how its tone and purpose shifts throughout its parts.