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Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin

by Jill Lepore

Published: 2013-10-01
Hardcover : 464 pages

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Recommended to book clubs by 1 of 2 members

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Introduction

National Book Award Finalist

From one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of Benjamin Franklin’s youngest sister and a history of history itself. Like her brother, Jane Franklin was a passionate reader, a gifted writer, and an astonishingly shrewd political commentator. Unlike him, she was a mother of twelve.

Benjamin Franklin, who wrote more letters to his sister than he wrote to anyone else, was the original American self-made man; his sister spent her life caring for her children. They left very different traces behind. Making use of an amazing cache of little-studied material, including documents, objects, and portraits only just discovered, Jill Lepore brings Jane Franklin to life in a way that illuminates not only this one woman but an entire world—a world usually lost to history. Lepore’s life of Jane Franklin, with its strikingly original vantage on her remarkable brother, is at once a wholly different account of the founding of the United States and one of the great untold stories of American history and letters: a life unknown.

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Discussion Questions

Suggested by Members

What is history and how should it be written?

What was life like, especially for women during this time period?

What can we learn about change, especially for women over time? How far have we gotten for women rights and why should we appreciate those rights today?

by mrblock (see profile) 11/02/16

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Book Club Recommendations

Recommended to book clubs by 1 of 2 members.

Member Reviews

Overall rating:

by Susan F. (see profile) 10/11/17

"Could not finish it...."by Lee M. (see profile) 09/26/17

I tried several times to read this book. It was too much like a textbook for me and I didn't feel that I learned anything more about Jane Franklin. Very disjointed.

by Kathy H. (see profile) 09/26/17

A different way of looking at the lack of history and historical information about women in our country. The book was very well researched. The especially stark sentence that lets us know no one knows... (read more)

"LIFE & OPINIONS OF JANE FRANKLIN"by Gwen M. (see profile) 01/20/17

WELL-RESEARCHED BUT I HAD TO FORCE MYSELF TO READ IT & FINISH IT. LIKE A DOSE OF BITTER MEDICINE. MOSTLY GUESSING, CONJECTURE & WONDERING ABOUT JANE FRANKLIN; DIDN'T REALLY LEARN MUCH ABOUT HER BECAUSE... (read more)

by Paula B. (see profile) 01/20/17

"The Book of Ages"by Richard B. (see profile) 11/02/16

From the hype I was hoping for much more information on Jane Franklin, but got more about her brother Franklin instead. But, having said that for what little information the author had to work with she... (read more)

by ingrid m. (see profile) 06/24/15

"Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin"by Helen D. (see profile) 01/20/15

Amazingly researched and written, very interesting but not an entertaining read. Didn't produce much of a discussion. Was passed on by several members but considered worthwhile by those who read it.

"Admire her attempt but..."by Harriet D. (see profile) 04/01/14

I would have enjoyed this book for a history class but it was dry & somewhat dull for a book club read. I appreciate what the author was attempting, in part to comment on the lack of material, but the... (read more)

"Book of Ages"by Michaelene M. (see profile) 02/20/14

It draws a picture of the hard life of women in the early years of our country. There was too much about Ben Franklin and not enough about Jane's life. It does picture the close relationship of sister... (read more)

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