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spiderelsa's review against another edition
medium-paced
5.0
I thought this was a very readable book considering the limitations the author had to work with. Everything from deprioritized conservation to lack of widespread interest in 'small' lives worked against the definitive cataloging of the subject. And yet, some traces remain - enough for 11 hours of read text.
I love these little sneaks into the backstory of a better-known personality. The modern prevalence of 'The Rest of the Story' type insights shows an appetite for it, too. I'm glad I checked this one out.
I love these little sneaks into the backstory of a better-known personality. The modern prevalence of 'The Rest of the Story' type insights shows an appetite for it, too. I'm glad I checked this one out.
sarahanne8382's review against another edition
4.0
It took awhile to get into this. Lepore is not writing a typical biography, mostly because not enough survives to flesh out the minute details of Jane Franklin Mecom's life, so instead Lepore shares what does exist and uses the lack of source material to discuss the study of history - what life in general was like in the 1700s in Boston, why so many of Jane's papers likely didn't survive, and how her famous brother is likely the reason any record of her survives at all.
I nearly gave up because I was miffed that this wasn't what I expected. However, once I got on board with what is going on here, I became a fan. A bit of a challenge, but worthwhile.
I nearly gave up because I was miffed that this wasn't what I expected. However, once I got on board with what is going on here, I became a fan. A bit of a challenge, but worthwhile.
bookysue's review against another edition
4.0
As enjoyable and breezy to read as a novel. Loved the story and the style - Brought me to both laughter and the verge of tears several times. Fantastic read.
Don't neglect the appendices! They're (mostly) fascinating.
Don't neglect the appendices! They're (mostly) fascinating.
mg_in_md_'s review against another edition
3.0
To be rated/reviewed closer to this month's book club meeting
I felt like the book's title was a bit of a misnomer, as the book did not focus solely on Jane Franklin. It presented a glimpse into life just before the American Revolution, during the war, and after. I went into the book with the expectation that it would focus on Ben Franklin's youngest sister Jane and the letters "Benny and Jenny" wrote to one another; however, given the dearth of existing documentation about Jane's life and this period of history in general, it was broader in scope. It was interesting to learn more about this period of history and about how Ben Franklin encouraged his sister to learn to read and write despite having no formal education opportunities. The author was clearly taken with Jane Franklin and did an admirable job of researching her subject given the roadblocks she encountered. However, I felt like Jane got a little lost in the filler material, which was interesting but seemed to stray from the primary theme of the book. Perhaps if the book's title had been different or some of the filler material omitted to bring the focus more clearly on Jane Franklin, I would've connected with the material sooner in the reading experience.
I felt like the book's title was a bit of a misnomer, as the book did not focus solely on Jane Franklin. It presented a glimpse into life just before the American Revolution, during the war, and after. I went into the book with the expectation that it would focus on Ben Franklin's youngest sister Jane and the letters "Benny and Jenny" wrote to one another; however, given the dearth of existing documentation about Jane's life and this period of history in general, it was broader in scope. It was interesting to learn more about this period of history and about how Ben Franklin encouraged his sister to learn to read and write despite having no formal education opportunities. The author was clearly taken with Jane Franklin and did an admirable job of researching her subject given the roadblocks she encountered. However, I felt like Jane got a little lost in the filler material, which was interesting but seemed to stray from the primary theme of the book. Perhaps if the book's title had been different or some of the filler material omitted to bring the focus more clearly on Jane Franklin, I would've connected with the material sooner in the reading experience.
johndiconsiglio's review against another edition
3.0
A game effort, but there's just not enough narrative to sustain a book. Astute observations about the barriers to 18th century women's enlightenment. Why was Franklin celebrated while his equally sharp sister toiled in anonymity? The book can be quite moving about Jane Franklin's hunger for reading & writing. It's no easy task to write a bio of someone about whom so little is known. But far too much is conjecture or filler.
coffee_reads's review against another edition
3.0
Because of books like this, I wish that goodreads offered rating options in addition to stars. Gleaning as much information as she did from the limited information available about Jane Franklin really was an astonishing feat. I would like to give Jill Lepore 5+ stars for research and insight. I gave it three stars overall because it is tedious to read and the emphasis on the life of Jane's brother, Ben Franklin (not surprisingly) is overly emphasized. Honestly, I would have preferred more commentary about the lives of women in colonial times. This is an important book and an excellent springboard for discussion about gender roles throughout US history.
amycrea's review against another edition
3.0
There are parts of this book that I'd give a much higher rating. I love the premise, a kind of real-life version of Virginia Woolf's "Shakespeare's sister" theory. Here the sister is Jane Franklin, the real-life sister of Benjamin Franklin. What might she have become if she'd had access to the same education and opportunities as her brother? We'll never know, because she didn't, and the differences in their two lives are striking.
That said, author Lepore admits it's hard to write a bio of Jane, because there's so little verifiable material. Unfortunately, that means often the book reads more like a bio of Ben, which is not what the book's premise suggests. It might have been better if the author had spent more time comparing and contrasting Jane's life with other women of the time. She briefly mentions Anne Bradstreet, Phyllis Wheatley, and Abigail Adams, and I found myself wishing to read more about them than about Ben.
That said, author Lepore admits it's hard to write a bio of Jane, because there's so little verifiable material. Unfortunately, that means often the book reads more like a bio of Ben, which is not what the book's premise suggests. It might have been better if the author had spent more time comparing and contrasting Jane's life with other women of the time. She briefly mentions Anne Bradstreet, Phyllis Wheatley, and Abigail Adams, and I found myself wishing to read more about them than about Ben.
ceroon56's review against another edition
4.0
More than I expected. It was quite interesting to follow a key time in US history from a different perspective and through one so connected to key figures and events. Lepore is an engaging historian. Looking forward to reading her latest.
gjmaupin's review against another edition
4.0
This was my second and after this I feel like I'd read a Jill Lepore book about her own left elbow. Her integrity/respect for my intelligence/ refusal to speculate without making a thing of how much speculation is part of being a historian - all these things - make her a pleasure to read.