“From a child I was fond of reading, and all the little money that came into my hands was ever laid out in books. Pleased with the 'Pilgrim's Progress,' my first collection was of John Bunyan's works in separate little volumes.”

A polymath and Founding Father of the United States, Benjamin Franklin’s career spanned politics, science, and publishing. He is best known for his contributions to early American democracy, including the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, as well as his pioneering work in electricity and his influential writings on self-improvement. His wit and practical philosophy remain widely influential today.