Written during the most eventful years of Benjamin Franklin's life (1771-90), the autobiography is one of the most influential memoirs in history. This newly revised Norton Critical Edition includes an introduction that explains the history of the autobiography in the broader context of life writing as well as the history of fame. The text is accompanied by new and expanded explanatory notes, a map, an illustration, and six facsimiles.

The contexts provide a broader view of Franklin's life with a diary entry from a trip in 1726, correspondence, a contribution from Poor Richard on ambition and fame, Franklin's views on self-improvement, as well as his last will and testament.

The criticism draws on a wealth of materials that reflect both the wide range of Franklin's achievements and the global impact of his life and memoirs. New international voices in contemporary opinions include Immanuel Kant, Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, Comte de Mirabeau, José Antonio de Alzate y Ramírez, and José Francisco Correia da Serra. Nineteenth-century opinions include Humphry Davy on Franklin's discovery of electricity as well as a poem inspired by Franklin from the Japanese Empress Shoken. Finally, the section on Modern Opinions features important contributions: I. B. Cohen on Franklin and the significance of the autobiography for science, Michael Warner's theoretical interpretation of the practices of writing and printing and what they tell us about Franklin, and Peter Stallybrass's insightful and engaging perspective on the history of the book regarding Franklin's writing in general and the autobiography in particular.

A chronology of Franklin's life, a selected bibliography, and an index are also included.