Atlantic Cousins: Benjamin Franklin and His Visionary Friends

So much has already been written about Benjamin Franklin that authors are hard-pressed to understand and discuss his life in new and meaningful ways. Yet, by examining the intellectual relationships of some of the great liberal minds of the late 17th century, this volume from Fruchtman, a professor of political science at Towson University, breathes new life into Franklin's story. Fruchtman divides the book into three parts-America, England and France-each of which Franklin called home for extended periods of time. In so doing, the author introduces readers to Franklin's so-called ""Atlantic cousins,"" people who alternately influenced and were influenced by Franklin, accounting for a century-long progressive dialogue on topics as varied as slavery, medicine, religion, political theory and human rights. Franklin's Atlantic cousins included, among others, Anthony Benezet, an early abolitionist whose influence may be seen in Franklin's own evolution from slave owner to abolitionist; Reverend Richard Priestley, a liberal dissenter in England who, like Franklin, favored the separation of church and state; and the Marquis de Condorcet, who ""devoted his life to enhancing equality based on class, race, and gender."" Fruchtman asserts that these overlapping ideologies were the product of an unprecedented exchange of progressive ideas, with Franklin at the center of it all. With its rich portraits and skillfully woven narrative, this surprisingly fresh look at Franklin and his contemporaries is a welcome addition to the Franklin library.