FRANKLIN: The Life of an Optimist

A competent but not particularly inspired biography of Benjamin Franklin written for young people by a famous French biographer. Unfortunately he falls into the pitfall that too often attends such ventures and is inclined to moralize and write down to his audience. As for content -- he covers the known facts of Franklin's life, compresses a surprising amount of fact, thinly fictionized with snatches of conversation and anecdotal material, into brief compass. Franklin is always a rich subject, but Maurois has not made significant contribution to knowledge of the man, Didler has made an effective looking book, with full pages and double spreads in color by Howard Simon.