I'm really prejudiced when it comes to Ken Burns. I know that certain groups are angry with him for the subject matter he chooses, but I think he is as good a story teller as has ever come down the pike. Here he lays out the time in Franklin's life, leading up to the revolution. He shows us the guy, warts and all. In addition to humble roots and a severely religious upbringing, he challenged himself to be one of the most influential people of all time. And while he was in most respect unselfish (foregoing patents on his inventions and discoveries), he had a harsh side when it came to certain members of his family, including a wife who held his estate together while he traipsed through Europe. Granted, she chose to stay behind. What is great here are the explanations for his fascination with the science of electricity. His creativity in the printing world. His willingness to stick his neck out for a cause. We get a view of his son and his accomplishments which we seldom hear about. Built into this is a very adept explanation of the causes of the American Revolution. Franklin could as easily have stayed in England but the British made some serious mistakes in their treatment of him. The next episode, I assume, will cover the Declaration of Independence and his role as a founding father.
6 out of 6 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink