“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
Benjamin Franklin
Considered by many to be one of the first modern day autobiographies is “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.”
It is a wonderful book that covers the history of his life and the sharing of his philosophies that he felt might help those that read his book. It is an excellent combination of storytelling and conveying important life lessons. His covers his trials and tribulations in the business world from being an indentured servant to winning printing contracts with Pennsylvania legislature. His experiments with electricity and inventing the lightening rod. How we worked for the common good and created libraries and the American postal service.
He explains his philosophies and what he valued in a good person in his method of tracking transgressions of the thirteen virtues he aspired to: temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity and humility. He tracked his daily failures pursuing these virtues. It is interesting to note that he tracked his failures, not his successes. He was wise enough to know that he would fail repeatedly. He was strong enough to know that he could make daily progress toward his goals.
This is a great example of letter or book written with the intention of helping future generations.
I think it was Mr. Steck that said this was a must read. I finally got around to it last year when I found a hardback copy in a bookstore somewhere in the Midwest. We’ll worth the read but I wonder what I would have thought of it when it was first recommended to me.