Posted on 07/25/2024 7:31:23 AM PDT by ProgressingAmerica
Today I am happy to highlight that William Cabell Bruce's work Benjamin Franklin: Self-Revealed (v1) has been completed.
https://librivox.org/benjamin-franklin-self-revealed-vol1-wc-bruce/
This is an example of good things that just drop into your lap. Many moons ago I asked people "Which Founding Father is the most popular who isn't George Washington, isn't Benamin Franklin, isn't Thomas Jefferson, and isn't George Washington?", because in part this small handful of Founders is going to naturally have coverage. These are the Founders that the school systems cannot cover up. So from that standpoint these books are just going to get done anyways. There's no reason to specifically set out to get them done.
These Founders are also more well known than most others, so there's less of an educational value than, say, targeting for completion an audio book about Joseph Warren, Patrick Henry, or Benjamin Rush. Henry, being the most well known of the three aforementioned, is only really well known among a certain set of people. For the rest of America Henry might as well have only said 7 words in his lifetime.
This book by W.C. Bruce I have not read nor listened to. I didn't know it existed until about a week before it reached completion (found it randomly) and it is a Pulitzer Prize winning book. For most of you, winning a Pulitzer means that probably means the book is great. At a minimum, it is well-written and easy to follow, well composed.
Since the work relies heavily upon Franklin's own writings, it's probably fine. But it was written well into the progressive era (1918) so I personally am not the most enthusiastic about it. It's winning of a Pulitzer also gives me reason for caution since the Pulitzer was always political even from the beginning. These thoughts are all my own.
You can listen, you can choose to read the available and linked to e-text and read if you don't want to listen and in that way make up your own conclusion. I'm happy enough that the audio book exists and so here it is, for your listening.
How about James Madison?
What is he gay now or non-binary, maybe had a thing for furries?
It’s a Librivox recording.
* All Librivox recordings are in the public domain.
* Meaning, the original book had to be in the public domain before it was recorded as an audiobook.
* Meaning it had to be written before 1929.
I’m a big fan of Librivox and the people who record the audiobooks. Lots of work, no financial payback.
Before Disney got involved and started bribing congress to keep pushing back the copyright date, the copyright length was 56 years (28 years + a 2nd 28 if you renewed the copyright, which didn’t happen for many works, because they made no money).
Imagine if everything prior to 1968 was in the public domain. Movies, music, books. How different would our cultural landscape be.
We lived with the 56 year rule (28 + 28 renewal) for generations. Then Disney decided they couldn’t lose Mickey Mouse to public domain.
FWIW, there are two of us here who record at Librivox. I do so myself, so does another FReeper rlmorel.
Speaking of the 60’s, you might find this of some use:
New audiobook release: America’s Retreat from Victory; The Story of George Catlett Marshall, by Sen. Joe McCarthy
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4217078/posts
You will find dozens of open source audio books under the key word FReeperBookClub
https://freerepublic.com/tag/freeperbookclub/index?tab=articles
1929 is a general rule, but it has its exceptions. I found a Friedrich Hayek book and since had it created as an audio book too.
Franklin’s AUTOBIOGRAPHY is available for free on Hoopla through your local library (if they subscribe). It is a life-changing read. Factoids I recall:
1. He and his son arranged the wagons for the campaign between Bedford PA and Fort Ligonier to expel the French from Fort Duquesne, now Pittsburgh.
2. He learned this as a young man (from a book!) to preface opinions or convictions by saying “from my point of view,” or “as I understand” in discussions with otherws.
3. How he “franchised” print shops in the colonies by training a young printer and examining his character, then setting that printer up in business and sharing profits with him, and “I never had anything but an agreeable result with the several young men, as our business relationship was based on a very plain and detailed written contract understood and agreeable by both sides.”
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