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dhillinck's review against another edition
4.0
I've been reading "Young Benjamin Franklin" alongside of another seemingly unrelated book, "AI Superpowers: China, the United States and the New World Order," by Kai-fu Lee. The latter emphasizes distinct advantages that China enjoys in the race to develop artificial intelligence as both a source of profit and an instrument of geopolitical power. These advantages include a culture of aggressive entrepreneurial competition, a treasure trove of data, a skilled army of well-educated engineers and a supportive government. Reading Bunker's biography of Franklin's early life (up to the year 1747, when he began his electrical experiments in earnest, I'm struck by how much conditions in early 18th century British North America mirror those in early 21st century China. Franklin's rivalry with another Philadelphian printer, Andrew Bradford, provided the competitive context for the exploitation of a wealth of data emerging on both sides of the Atlantic in the form of new publications and scientific papers. Artisans like Franklin himself, an ingenious tinkerer, had the skills to tackle the difficulties of experimentation with rudimentary and poorly understood apparati. Patrons like James Logan and Andrew Hamilton spurred on the quest for knowledge with political and financial support. Franklin would famously declare upon the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in 1787 that the framers had created "a republic, if you can keep it." As our country takes on the growing challenge of global competition with China, a look back at Franklin's early career can serve as a source of inspiration and example.
rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
3.0
Thorough book that traces Franklin's family to its British roots, offers a glimpse of how his family members helped shape his ideology, and follows Franklin as he becomes a printer's apprentice and a renowned printer. It actually goes a bit further than that.
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