Abou T B En Fran Klin
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3 Continuing Eventsthrough December 31,2006 January 17– March 15, 2006 LEAD SPONSOR B F o O u f O o nding Father nding r KS 1 In Philadelphia EVERYONE IS READING about Ben Franklin www.library.phila.gov The Autobiography Ben and Me Franklin: The Essential of Benjamin Franklin BY ROBERT LAWSON Founding Father RBY BENeJAMIN FRAsNKLIN ource BY JAGMES SRODES uide One Book, One Philadelphia The Books — Three Books for One Founding Father In 2006, One Book, One Philadelphia is joining Ben Franklin 300 Philadelphia to celebrate the tercentenary (300 years) of Franklin’s birth. Franklin’s interests were diverse and wide-ranging. Countless volumes have been written about him. The challenge for the One Book program was to choose works that would adequately capture the true essence of the man and his times. Because of the complexity of this year’s subject, and in order to promote the widest participation possible, One Book, One Philadelphia has chosen to offer not one, but three books about Franklin. This year’s theme will be “Three Books for One Founding Father.” The featured books are: • The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin (various editions) • Ben and Me by Robert Lawson (1939, Little, Brown & Company) • Franklin: The Essential Founding Father by James Srodes (2002, Regnery Publishing, Inc.) The Authors BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, author of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, was born in 1706 and died in 1790 at the age of 84. He was an author, inventor, businessman, scholar, scientist, revolutionary, and statesman whose contributions to Philadelphia and the world are countless. His autobiography is considered a classic of American literature and covers his life up to his prewar stay in London as representative of the Pennsylvania Assembly. ROBERT LAWSON, author of Ben and Me, was a writer and illustrator who won both the Caldecott Medal and Newbery Medal — two of the most prestigious awards in children’s literature. He illustrated such beloved classics as Mr. Popper’s Penguins and Ferdinand the Bull and wrote and illustrated Ben and Me and Mr. Revere and I. He was born in 1892 and died in 1957. The Rare Book Department of the Free Library of Philadelphia possesses Lawson’s original drawings for Ben and Me. They will be on display at the Central Library throughout the One Book calendar period. JAMES SRODES, author of Franklin: The Essential Founding Father, is an author, journalist, and broadcaster based in Washington, D.C. In addition to his book on Franklin, Mr. Srodes has also written biographies of Allen Dulles and John DeLorean. His book, Allen Dulles: Master of Spies won an award for “Best Intelligence Book” in 2000 from the Association of Former Intelligence Officers. On Franklin: The Essential Founding Father, Harper’s Magazine commented that, “[Srodes’] gift to the familiar Franklin is an accessible style that will see readers to the last page.” Acknowledgements Special thanks to the following people for their assistance in the preparation of this resource guide: Henry Addis, Sibyl Cohen, Vera DaVinci, Jim DeWalt, Marie Field, Iris Griffin, Sue Ströhm, and JoAnn Weinberger. Contents Introduction 1 Questions for Discussion 2 The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin 2 Franklin: The Essential Founding Father 3 Ben and Me 4 Timeline 5 Ben FAQs 6 Materials Related to Benjamin Franklin 9 Books for Adults 9 Books for Children 10 Websites 11 Additional Resources 12 Committees 13 Sponsors and Community Partners 14 Introduction One Book, One Philadelphia is a collaborative initiative of the Office of Mayor John F. Street and the Free Library of Philadelphia. The program seeks to promote reading, literacy, and community by encouraging the Greater Philadelphia population to read and discuss the same books. The Philadelphia program is in its fourth year. This year One Book, One Philadelphia celebrates the fascinating life of Benjamin Franklin with the selection of three books: • The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin (various editions) — Read about Franklin in his own charming words. • Ben and Me by Robert Lawson (1939, Little, Brown & Company) — This is a children’s classic that will be enjoyed by adults and kids alike. The author is the only person to have won both the Caldecott and Newbery Medals. • Franklin: The Essential Founding Father by James Srodes (2002, Regnery Publishing, Inc.) — This excellent biography presents a thorough and comprehensive overview of Franklin’s life and times. Read one or all of the books to learn more about the wonderful Mr. Franklin, as the entire Philadelphia region — and the nation — celebrate his three-hundredth birthday. 1 Questions for Discussion The questions that follow are intended to enhance your reading group’s discussion of these three books about Benjamin Franklin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin Questions prepared by Iris Griffin, Literacy Coach, Office of Curriculum and Instruction, School District of Philadelphia 1. As you read The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, think about Benjamin Franklin’s tone. Is he always being completely serious, or do you detect irony and/or self-mockery? What examples did you find to support your conclusions? 2. What was Benjamin Franklin’s incentive for beginning his autobiography? 3. What reasons were given to prompt Franklin to complete his autobiography and by whom? 4. What does Franklin say must happen before people can depend on correct moral behavior? 5. Why does Franklin place temperance first on his list of virtues? 6. Franklin writes, “My list of virtues contain’d at first but twelve....” What does he add to his list and why? 7. Franklin uses an analogy to explain why he does not try to tackle all of the virtues at once. He compares eliminating faults with pulling weeds from a garden. Explain this analogy in order to emphasize Franklin’s point. 8. What conclusions can you draw about Benjamin Franklin’s attitudes and beliefs based on his plan to achieve moral perfection? Consider developing a character sketch of Ben Franklin based on The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. 9. What modern causes do you support? Tell why. If Franklin were alive today, what modern causes might he support? 10. Reactions to The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin have sometimes been negative. Read the following comment by satirist Mark Twain. What is Twain’s tone in this paragraph — that is, his attitude toward Benjamin Franklin? [Franklin had] a malevolence which is without parallel in history; he would work all day and then sit up nights and let on to be studying algebra by the light of a smoldering fire, so that all the boys might have to do that also, or else have Benjamin Franklin thrown upon them. Not satisfied with these proceedings, he had a fashion of living wholly on bread and water, and studying astronomy at mealtime — a thing which has brought affliction to millions of boys since, whose fathers had read Franklin’s pernicious biography. Adapted from Elements of Literature, Holt, Rinehart, and Winston 5th Course. 2 Franklin: The Essential Founding Father by James Srodes Questions prepared by Dr. Sibyl Cohen, Philadelphia Great Books Council 1. Why is concentrating on the “ ’firsts’ in his [Franklin’s] life …to miss the point?” (pg. 392) How was Franklin “the essential founding father?” (Title of Book) Why is Franklin described as the “essential American?” (pg. x) Why is he the “essential ingredient that made change happen?” (pg. 393) How is he “the light that outshone all others?” (pg. 265) What were Franklin’s goals for the United States? Why did he distinguish between “non-negotiable and advisable conditions of peace?”(pg. 360) 2. “For Franklin it became clear that the colonies had to band together in a united force.” (pg. 101) What was the most significant thing he did to help make this happen? Why did Franklin anticipate “a final separation…?” (pg. 218) When did Franklin know that he could not promote the peace between England and the United States? Why did he try? How did his warning letter to Massachusetts Speaker Thomas Cushing and Sam Adams in 1771 act as a catalyst? (pg. 223) 3. How did Franklin exhibit the “13 virtues he would strive to acquire?” (pg. 56) What were his goals? Did he get what he wanted for himself? How did he change? Would you like to have known Franklin as a friend? How old would you like to have been? What age would you like him to be? Why would it make a difference if you were a man friend or a woman friend? 4. Why characterize Franklin as “He never let abuse distract him but he never forgot it?”(pg. 324) Why couldn’t he get along with John Adams? Who were his closest friends? Why was Franklin silent when Wedderburn verbally attacked him? (pg. 248) What is meant by suggesting the “habit of magnaminity” as a reason for this silence? (pg. 250) Why couldn’t Franklin forgive his son, William? (pg. 278) Why did he “cut William and his fiancée off abruptly?” (pg. 168) Why does he create new families? (“He built a small new family?” pg. 270) Whom did Franklin love? Why did he need Anne-Louise Buillon (pg. 347) and Anne-Catherine Helvetius? (pg. 350) 5. How was Franklin able to be scientist, inventor, and consummate communicator? How did he use these skills? Why are Franklin’s “two best skills…to plot strategy in private and to write documents for public purposes?” (pg. 393) 3 Ben and Me by Robert Lawson Questions prepared by Vera DaVinci, Program Manager, Office of Accelerated Learning, School District of Philadelphia 1. This book can be classified as a work of historical fiction. What events in this book really happened? Where in the book did Amos the mouse and narrator revise the facts? 2.