About this title: Stacy Schiff tells the fascinating tale of Benjamin Franklin's years-long mission as special emissary to France, as he attempts to enlist the French on the side of the colonists in the Revolutionary war. Schiff follows the 70-year-old Franklin as he defines the job of ambassador and negotiates in our interests, despite being undermined back home by his enemies and abroad by English agents. We see him as a Yankee in the French court, as a canny ambassador, as a sometimes bewildered American abroad, as a man of many foibles--and sometimes as a humorous character, vain, fearful, reckless. But ...
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Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 528 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. read more
Description: Good. Purchasing this book supports the King County Library System Foundation. Thriftbooks and KCLSF have partnered to help raise additional funds for the library system. Ex-Library book-will contain library markings. Almost in new condition. Book shows only very slight signs of use. Cover and binding are undamaged and pages show minimal use. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Very Good. Former Library book. Great condition for a used book! Minimal wear. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
Date Published: 2006-01-10
ISBN-13:9780805080094ISBN:0805080090
Description: Like New. May be shiny, in some instances dust jackets are not included, no missing pages, no damage to binding, may have a remainder mark. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
Date Published: 2006
ISBN-13:9780805080094ISBN:0805080090
Description: Very Good with no dust jacket. 0805080090. 1.1 x 8.2 x 5.5 Inches; 528 pages; No spine creases; pages in nice shape. Cover has shelf wear; remainder mark on pg block. Quick shipping w/delivery confirmation; bubble mailers. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
Date Published: 2006-01-10
ISBN-13:9780805080094ISBN:0805080090
Description: Very Good. Binding is tight and square. Text is clean and bright. Careful packaging and fast shipping. We recommend EXPEDITED MAIL for even faster delivery! read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
Date Published: 2006-01-10
ISBN-13:9780805080094ISBN:0805080090
Description: New. Pre-release ARC book with same cover and publisher stickers. New, unread, unused & in perfect condition with no damaged or missing pages. Great Copy. Ships Lightning Fast. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Owl Books
Date Published: 2006
ISBN-13:9780805080094ISBN:0805080090
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Edition: Illustrated.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Date Published: 2005
ISBN-13:9780805066333ISBN:0805066330
Description: Very good in very good dust jacket. HC. This is a new book with some handling wear which includes: DJ with some edge wear; scratch on back of DJ. Remainder dot on bottom page edge. Book and cover are clean and bright with tight binding. Very Good. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 512 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. Satisfaction guaranteed. Domestic orders shipped daily using Media Mail rates from USPS with Delivery Confirmation. W/E and holidays orders shipped next business ... read more
"A history book on the time Ben Franklin was in Paris waiting out the French to jump in and back America for our Independence.
Unfortunately seven years of excruciatingly oblique politics does not make for a major pleasure of a read. It seems politics is eternal, you never know what is ever the truth, what of the 1,000 motivations are going to lead, or are ever sure what is behind what is going on; past, present, or future.
I am also not sure that you can push history into being a novel. The events may write themselves but they do not edit themselves unfortunately.
The history of the time itself is interesting, the contemporaries that are in France at the same time as Franklin- Marie Antoinette, Jefferson, Voltaire. Its also nice to just have a picture of the times, to read about the vogue of hot air balloons, the neighborhood, now Passy, then just a rural area with giant country estates.
I can see why Schiff though this would be a good book to write. There are so many angles of self-interests, and things that hinge on timing. Unfortunately it left me with a feeling of how boring politics is, how motivations of self-interest, a whole gaggle of people playing games for their own self-interest, is pretty bleak and boring ground indeed. It just kind of boils down into the same gray stew.
Although if you're a cynic you may find an unending hall of mirrors, that ends in your (America's) favor, is satisfying. And too if you are a cynic you will never get over the thrill that it was the King of France and Marie Antoinette who bankrupted their country by helping us, by funding our revolution, and brought a revolution onto themselves. They lost their aristocracy and their heads by helping us to our liberty. That's the kind of irony that would make a cynic dance. They were blamed for being too lushly indulgent with themselves; Marie Antoinette was blamed, when it was with America really that they were too lush. And we did not pay them back. Can anyone say default credit swap options.....
And of course no one is sure if Ben Franklin is a scoundrel or a genius.
Schiff is at times a little bit too punctilious in a sotto voce snobbish sort of way. Like any backdoor stuff that is going on 'closest to the salt' makes it of interest. She comes off as at times an Upper East Side lady who believes one is privileged to get one small honest nod towards any tidbit of the real workings of power. I, unlike Schiff, do not find 'power' scintillation."
"Baejamin Franklin in Paris - fascinating history with a good dollop of high tone 18th Century gossip. Some cool tidbits about the playwright, Beaumarchais, who was somewhat instrumental in securing France's aid to American during the Revolution, as well as a royal pain in the ass.
Stacy Schiff is a hell of a writer. Looking forward to her upcoming biography of Cleopatra."
"I learned to appreciate Franklin as more of a *real* person from this and realize that the Founding Fathers were not always a cohesive whole. The author presented some thoughts that I hadn't thought of before but made complete sense. It was also refreshing to see a little bit of the French side of being America's allies, back when the French seemed to care about those that were not French."
"Enjoyable read about Franklin's peace treaty work with the French. It's not a rosy picture read, Franklin is definitely presented warts and all, but he was apparently the best man for the job, by a large margin. John Adams is usually my favorite founding father, but he shows to bad advantage as a diplomat to a Monarchy. :) It's amazing that the French to give us as much support as they did."
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