The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
he Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin, Edited by Frank Woodworth Pine

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is Franklin’s own record of his life, written between 1771 and 1790 and incomplete and unpublished at the time of his death. He referred to it as a memoir and divided it into four parts. Fittingly, it was first published in France in a translation of the first part only from an early unrevised manuscript. It languished until his grandson William Temple Franklin published the first three parts in London in 1818, omitting part four and taking stylistic liberties with the text. The first reliable edition with the text from the complete original manuscript was published by John Bigelow in 1868 and has been further improved by scholars in the 20th century. Franklins legacy of “firsts” continues to our time: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin was the first full-length recorded book in history, recorded by actor Micheal Rye and released in 1969.

Play sample: 

Product Details

Read by: Gary Gilberd
Length: 7 hours and 2 minutes
Type: Solo reading
Media: MP3 CD
Package: CD jacket
Item No.: CJ-1071
EAN/UPC 0686175923209
List Price: $7.99

Credits

Production

Book Coordinator: Gary Gilberd
Meta Coordinator: Gary Gilberd
Proof Listener: Laurie Anne Walden

Artwork
Cover: Portrait of Benjamin Franklin 1778 by Joseph-Siffrein Duplessis (1725–1802)
DVD Inset: Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky (ca. 1816) by Benjamin West (1738–1820)
DVD Insert background image: Portrait of Benjamin Franklin 1767 by David Martin (1737–1797)

The Recordings

About MP3 Audio

This MP3 digital audiobook is duplicated on compact disc in the MP3 audio format and is designed to play on any computer. It will play on CD and DVD players that are designed with MP3 capability. The files contained in an MP3 CD can be imported and played on mobile devices such as the iPod, iPhone, iPad, Android tablets and smart phones and on PSP (Play Station Portable) and PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) devices. Your CD/DVD player or mobile device owner’s manual should specify whether the device has MP3 compatibility. If the device is not directly compatible with the MP3 Audio format, the files on the MP3 CD can be copied onto a computer drive and then played on the computer media player or transferred to a mobile device.

The Recordings

These recordings were made using the author’s original published work, which is in the public domain. The readings were recorded by members of Librivox.org, which has generously made the recordings available to the public domain. While Librivox condones the sale and distribution of these recordings, it is not associated with the management or operations of MP3 Audiobook Classics.

The audio files have been lightly edited and have been engineered using professional audio tools for maximum sonic quality. We spend considerable time and effort to ensure the recordings are free of noise, equalized for maximum listener pleasure, and that tracks are leveled and normalized to provide a consistent listening experience.

Table of Contents

Track Chapter Length
1 00-Introduction 19:00
2 01-Ancestry and Early Youth in Boston 25:32
3 02-Beginning Life as a Printer 23:50
4 03-Arrival in Philadelphia 16:34
5 04-First Visit to Boston 17:46
6 05-Early Friends in Philadelphia 9:56
7 06-First Visit to London 29:29
8 07-Beginning Business in Philadelphia 34:02
9 08-Business Success and First Public Service 27:34
10 09-Plan for Attaining Moral Perfection 31:24
11 10-Poor Richard's Almanac and Other Activities 21:18
12 11-Interest in Public Affairs 17:15
13 12-Defense of the Province 21:12
14 13-Public Services and Duties 32:11
15 14-Albany Plan of Union 5:11
16 15-Quarrels with the Proprietary 7:43
17 16-Braddock's Expedition 26:26
18 17-Franklin's Defense of the Frontier 18:52
19 18-Scientific Experiments 9:15
20 19-Agent of Pennsylvania in London 35:02
21 20-Appendix 16:02

 

Terms and Conditions

Terms of Sale

  • The buyer can pay using the Checkout button when the listing ends or wait to receive an automated email invoice shortly after the listing ends with totals and payment instructions.
  • Checkout must be completed within 7 days of the close of listing.
  • If payment isn’t received within this time period, the item will be re-listed and a Non-Paying Bidder alert will be filed.
  • If we are unable to fulfill your order for any reason your payment will be refunded in full.
 

    Payments

  • PayPal - We accept PayPal and prefer PayPal. Shipping address must be confirmed by PayPal.
  • Major Credit Card - If you do not have or prefer not to use PayPal, then we are happy to accept major credit cards. Your credit card will be charged when you check out.
 

    Shipping

  • Shipping Charges - Items listed with shipping charges will be shipped via the most economic service, and the costs charged reflect our shipping costs. The most economical service is generally USPS First Class for shipments under one pound, which translates to four items or less. USPS Media Mail is often least expensive for shipments of one pound or more.
  • Delivery Times - We ship within 2 business days after receipt of payment. Most items ship via USPS Media Mail or First Class. Lead time for Media Mail is 6-8 days and First Class is 1-4 days. We will notify you by email when your shipment has shipped or if there are any delays.
  • Tracking - Tracking is provided for items on a selective basis. Most items with a paper security sleeve are shipped in a large envelope using tracking by LetterTrackPro. That service is not integrated with eBay. Items shipped with tracking by the USPS will have the tracking number added to the fulfillment details when the number is obtained.
 

    Returns

  • Unopened Merchandise - We will accept returns for unopened merchandise and will issue credit for the value of the item or a refund. Returns of unopened items are subject to a 10% restocking fee, which will be deducted from your credit or refund. We do not refund the original shipping and handling charges.
  • Defective Merchandise - We will accept returns of merchandise that is damaged or will not play. We will ship a replacement item, issue credit for the value of the item, or issue a refund, at the discretion of the customer. Shipping charges, if any, will credited or refunded for defective items. Shipping costs for replacement items will be borne by us.
  • Non-Returnable Merchandise - Items cannot be returned if they have been opened or used and are not physically defective.