“In this biography, Munson (Tesla: Inventor of the Modern) focuses on Founding Father Benjamin Franklin’s scientific creativity rather than his political and diplomatic achievements, illuminating his research on electricity, heat, ocean currents, and weather patterns. Munson shows Franklin as an experimenter and innovator who still has modern relevance.”

“Science, Munson writes, is best understood as ​‘the through line’ of Benjamin Franklin’s legacy. This account touches on his various experiments on electricity, water temperature and demography, while explaining how the field influenced his political life.”

“Five of the hottest books we can’t wait to read in November. There have been plenty of doorstopper biographies of statesman Benjamin Franklin (as well as an extraordinary look at the brilliant sister who lived in his shadow, ​‘Book of Ages’). That’s not what this is. Instead, in only 200 or so pages, Munson — who was director of the Environmental Defense Fund — narrows his scope to Franklin’s work as a scientist. The book, beginning with a fun anecdote about Franklin flying that key attached to a kite, proceeds to demonstrate how much we still owe to his explorations in botany, meteorology, physics, chemistry and more.”

Benjamin Franklin isn’t simply a skilled political thinker, diplomat, and satirist in Richard Munson’s biography. Here, the Founding Father is a veritable poster child for irrepressible curiosity and joyful problem-solving. It’s inspiring stuff. Thanks to Franklin’s experiments with electricity, ​“He converted a mystery into a wonder.”

A November 2024 Must read. The dramatic story of an ingenious man who explained nature and created a country.

“Electrifying portrait. … Munson proves there’s reason yet to revisit the much-studied statesman.”

“In this incisive and rich account of Benjamin Franklin’s life and career, Richard Munson recovers this vital part of Franklin’s story, reveals his modern relevance, and offers a compelling portrait of a shrewd experimenter, clever innovator, and visionary physicist whose fame opened doors to negotiate French support and funding for American independence.”

“[S]plendid…Munson’s absorbing narrative biography guides us expertly through Franklin’s extraor­dinary life. Page after page, Ingenious shows how one person with little formal education made an impact that still has relevance today. For readers of history, biography and science (or simply those in search of an outstanding book about Franklin that is not too long), Ingenious is an excellent choice.”

“Munson deftly navigates Franklin’s myriad accomplishments. An engaging, fully dimensional portrait of Franklin, his empirical mindset serving as an example for our fact-challenged era.”

“Engaging narrative. … This will appeal to history buffs, biography fans, and book clubs.”

Benjamin Franklin: As much scientist as statesman. Richard Munson considers the founding father’s long-overlooked passion for scientific inquiry.