Richard Munson's "Ingenious"

Richard Munson is an author and clean-energy advocate. His books include Tech to Table: 25 Innovators Reimagining Food, Tesla: Inventor of the Modern, From Edison to Enron, Cardinals of Capitol Hill, and Cousteau: The Captain and His World.

Munson applied the "Page 99 Test" to his new book, Ingenious: A Biography of Benjamin Franklin, Scientist, and reported the following:

Page 99 of Ingenious describes Benjamin Franklin’s efforts after the French and Indian War to advance a union between England and the American colonies. It states:

As the war wound down, Franklin weighed in on the peace negotiations to suggest that England assume control over Canada rather than Guadeloupe, arguing that the British Empire needed to secure North America’s northern and western frontiers. He asserted that settlements in the Mississippi valley and Quebec would offer substantial benefits to the mother country, providing an immense outlet for British industry.

The Page 99 Test doesn’t work that well because by page 99 (of 197) Franklin is still loyal to the British king, even suggesting Americans would not “unite against their own nation [England], which protects and encourages them.” That page also does not address Franklin’s science, which this biography asserts is the throughline that integrated Benjamin’s diverse interests.

I argue that historians have highlighted certain of Franklin’s actions – particularly diplomacy – and ignored others – particularly science. One of the most cited biographies devotes only 30 of its 500 pages to Benjamin’s experiments and observations, and an encyclopedia maintains that “Franklin never thought science was as important as public service.”

I disagree. With all due respect to Franklin’s public service, we wouldn’t be discussing his diplomatic prowess were it not for his fame as a leading scientist, which opened doors for him in France, Britian, and the colonies.

Franklin gave us practical advances – including lightning rods, efficient stoves, and bifocals – as well as innovative research on electricity, heat, chemical bonds, weather patterns, and so much more.

Benjamin also used his science politically. Believing Americans would be recognized by European elites only if they could demonstrate technological and scientific strength, he created a scholarly association dubbed the American Philosophical Society, which was one of the first efforts to have representatives from all the then fiercely independent colonies work together.

Ingenious argues we don’t know Franklin as well as we believe nor as richly as he deserves. It concludes by suggesting Benjamin’s continued relevance:

"As a vocal set of modern-day activists reject science and dismiss fact, Benjamin (one of our nation’s founders) highlights the importance of verifiable analysis. As zealots impose their religious beliefs, he makes the case for tolerance. As censors ban books and limit debate, he defends printers and free speech."

Visit Richard Munson's website.

--Marshal Zeringue