The Compleated Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin Audiobook By Mark Skousen cover art

The Compleated Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

The Compleated Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin

By: Mark Skousen
Narrated by: Richard Ferrone
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.46

Buy for $21.46

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel
Benjamin Franklin's autobiography is one of the greatest autobiographies of all time, but it was incomplete. Franklin ended his life's story in 1757, when he was 51. He lived another 33 eventful years, serving as America's advocate in London, Pennsylvania's representative in the Continental Congress, and America's wartime ambassador to France. Now, at last, we get the rest of the story, in Franklin's own words.

One of the most fascinating of our Founding Fathers, Franklin was a polymath, a practical statesman, and an incomparable cynic and wit. The Compleated Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin, faithfully compiled and edited from Franklin's papers, reveals why he became a spokesman for American independence; his views on the Constitution; what he really thought of his fellow patriots, like Adams and Jefferson; his candid views on French women, the Penn family, and his own faith; and much more.

©2006 Mark Skousen (P)2006 Blackstone Audiobooks Historical Politicians Politics & Activism Presidents & Heads of State Professionals & Academics Science & Technology Biography Founding Fathers Inspiring

Critic reviews

"The Compleated Autobiography retains [the] sophistication, humor, and sense of irony that made the original autobiography a classic, and is destined to create a renewed appreciation of Benjamin Franklin." (National Review)
Fascinating Insights • Witty Writing • Excellent Narration • Compelling Stories • Historical Perspective
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
Reads like a diary. Starts in his time as minister to France up to his death. Feels like this is volume 2 and there should be a volume 1 out there.
Typical Franklin, funny, to the point, a bit naughty.
A very good book if you want to see how Franklin worked as a politician.

interesting, starts late in his life

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
a fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable first hand report on one of America's most consequential founding fathers

should be required listening by all Americans

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Narration was great! The stories were compeling. the use of personal correspondence is brilliant and definitely helps you step into BFs way of considering his actions and the actions of others.

fantastic peak into BFs years as a diplomat

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I have always had great respect for Benjamin Franklin but after this audio book biography my love & respect for the man & his intellect, vision & kindheartedness has grown a thousand fold! I love the man & have now added visiting his gravesite to pay my respects to my bucket list. Mark Skousen’s narration transports you into the 18th century & you can almost imagine being there. Truly fascinating!

Fascinating!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I was expecting more of a history lesson about ole B. Franklin, but this book delves into his thinking and insights and reveals a facinating revolutionary hero who had common sense and vision to see things how they should be. We could only wish someone like him would bring common sense to dealing with public problems. This books reveals his character and gives you a prespective of live in the 1700s. Great for critical thinking students!

Facinating!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book was well organized and had a lot of interesting information in it. My favorite Benjamin Franklin quotes are:

1. Immigration - does not diminish but multiplies a nation.

2. God has been very good to us in many respects. Therefore let us enjoy his favors with a thankful and cheerful heart.

3. Exercise before you eat.

Organized and Informative

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I have very little knowledge on the American war of Independence, and most of this book is based on this history.

There was one aspect in this book, where I suddenly noticed a pattern. Before I expound, I sincerely hope that this aspect pattern, that I noticed, doesn’t reflect any anger or bitterness towards this nation.

I noticed that when the British made war on a nation, and when that war came to it conclusion, the British seem to give the impression that they were/are the injured party and also seem to get the better part of any deal that is made.

The author put this book together very well and I enjoyed it very much!

My thanks to the narrator for doing an excellent job.

Very informative and interesting!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
While it is the complete works of Ben Franklin after his autobiography. I mis-read Compleated Autobiography. I thought it was also going to inclue the original and carry on from there. There are some good parts, but still tough to get through in places. But very interesting to learn more about. We were so fortunate to have him during that time.

Love Benjamin Franklin

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This was very enlightening history. I learned things that were never taught in history classsee

Everything.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The author appears to accomplish his purpose. That is, he tries to let Franklin's biography be told by Benjamin himself. This is an excellent insight into the life of Benjamin Franklin after 1757. Richard Ferrone does a great job of reading. Overall, this is every bit as good as B. Franklin's autobiography. I am not a scholar in this field, but I have the feeling that I was hearing history from Franklin's point-of-view without it going through the strainers of historical bias and interpretation. Download it. You'll probably love it.

Absolutely excellent

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews