Book of Ages

April 15, 2014
While Benjamin Franklin became one of the most famous men of the 18th century, his younger sister Jane suffered an obscure life of poverty and unending childbearing (12 children), despite being an intelligent and perceptive commentator on events of the time. Although only a few of Jane's letters remain of the lifelong correspondence between the siblings, historian Lepore ("New York Burning") reconstructs much of Jane's life from her hand-stitched "Book of Ages," her brother's letters, and other recently discovered materials. The result is a fascinating account of American colonial life with riffs on the early meaning of history and commentary on gender discrimination in the 18th century. Narrator Robin Miles's clear, pleasant voice is just right. VERDICT Listeners interested in early American history and gender issues will savor this work. ["This book is an important, inspiring portrait of a determined and faith-filled woman who just happened to be the sister of a big shot," read the starred review of the Knopf hc, "LJ" 9/15/13.]--Nancy R. Ives, SUNY at Geneseo

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 5, 2013
Younger sister of the estimable Benjamin, Jane Franklin was born in Boston in 1712 and passed 82 years later. Doting brother Ben tutored the little girl in reading and writing—until he ran away from home at age 17—and she learned housewifery from her mother while getting a primer on the candle-making business from her father. At 15 and possibly already pregnant, Jane married Edward Mecum, a saddler so poor that he moved into the Franklin family home after the wedding. Ben Franklin, busy with the politics of the Revolution, seldom returned to Boston, and Jane, immersed in childrearing, rarely left it. Still, they remained close through correspondence, discussing current events as well as family business. Historian Lepore (The Mansion of Happiness), who has a knack for crafting a beautiful, inventive, and accessible story, has delicately and creatively pieced together a biography of Jane Franklin, despite a lack of surviving letters—Jane wrote little else, except for a small hand-stitched book in which she recorded the births and deaths of her 12 children. Lepore, in revealing the affectionate, respectful relationship between Ben and Jane, provides an invaluable view of the lives men and women led in 18th-century America.