Benjamin Franklin's Bastard: A Novel
Written by Sally Cabot
Narrated by David Colacci
4/5
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About this audiobook
Benjamin Frankiln’s Bastard by Sally Cabot is an absorbing and compelling work of literary historical fiction that brings to life a little-known chapter of the American Revolution — the story of Benjamin Franklin and his bastard son, and the women who loved them both.
William Franklin, the son of Benjamin and his favorite mistress, Anne, is raised by Deborah, Benjamin’s wife. A steadfast loyalist, he and his father cannot reconcile their wildly disparate views, causing a rift in the bond both thought unbreakable.
Fascinating and heartbreaking, Benjamin Franklin’s Bastard is a gripping tale of family, love, and war, set against one of America’s most fascinating periods of history.
Sally Cabot
Sally Cabot lives in Brewster, Massachusetts, with her husband, Tom. A lifelong resident of New England, she is active in the local historical society and creates tours that showcase the three-hundred-year history of her village. Writing as Sally Gunning she has authored three critically acclaimed historical novels set in New England during the tempestuous years that led up to the American Revolution: The Widow's War, Bound, and The Rebellion of Jane Clarke.
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Reviews for Benjamin Franklin's Bastard
38 ratings5 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5FInely tuned phrasing and interesting characters. How curious that Franklin's son, sired a child out of wedlock and essentially followed in his father's footsteps. Great idea this author had, to take well known characters and explore this aspect.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A great imagining of Franklin's relationships with his wife, with a lover and and with his illegitimate son.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Although, as Cabot admits at the epilogue of this book, this novel leans more heavily towards fiction than history, I found it thoroughly entertaining, well-paced, and well-written. There were lagging moments when William grew up and became involved in politics--I am not interested in politics, so that was a bit boring for me, but otherwise the dynamic between Benjamin, William, Anna, and Debbie was fascinating.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Cabot's newest novel offers insight into the lives of Ben Franklin and William, his illegitimate son. Told through the stories of Ben's mistress Anne and common-law wife Deborah, this highly readable novel sent me to the encyclopedia again and again to learn even more about the people and places involved. I found the novel to be well researched and riveting. I have lately become a big fan of this genre of stories - fictionalized accounts of actual historic characters. Recent favorites include Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, The Paris Wife, The Aviator's Wife, Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, and Above All Things. Readers who enjoy any of these stories should love this one. Recommended highly for readers of women's historical fiction!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5What sets this one apart from other Franklin books is that it is almost entirely about his personal life. Only the last third of the book centers on his other activities, although they are lightly touched on in other parts. The last part of the book explains what was true and what was made up, I liked that many of the conversations were taken from letters and other Franklin source material. I have to say that after reading this, I did not see what kept Franklin with Deborah. Although I felt sorry for her at times, I think she gave Franklin a rough time. Although Annie was a made up character, William's mother in this book, I really liked her and thought Franklin would be much better off with someone like that. William's birth mother has never been known. Well written, well researched and the author captured the tone and atmosphere of the times remarkably well.