Ben & Me: From Temperance to Humility--Stumbling Through Ben Franklin's Thirteen Virtues, One Unvirtuous Day at a Time

By Cameron Gunn

Book Overview

Thirteen weeks. Thirteen virtues. Cameron Gunn considered himself a regular guy-a pretty good husband, father, attorney, and friend. But was there room for improvement? A reader of history and a fan of Ben Franklin (and weary of self-help advice that never seems to offer much help), Gunn decided to try a little experiment. He would attempt to live by Franklin's thirteen virtues, a list of lofty ideals the Founding Father held dear, as enumerated in his famous autobiography. Would Gunn's plan to improve his life, Citizen Ben-style, prove to be a brilliant reinvention of the self-help movement or a boondoggle of revolutionary proportions? By turns heartfelt, hilarious, and more than a little humbling, Gunn's adventure takes this ordinary man way outside his comfort zone and into a thicket of not-so-modern values. The result is an engaging mix of humor and history-with perhaps a lightning bolt of inspiration or two along the way. Prepare to get up close and personal with everyone's favorite Founding Father. Temperance * Silence * Order * Resolution * Frugality * Industry * Sincerity * Justice * Moderation * Cleanliness * Tranquility * Chastity * Humility

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399536078
• ISBN13: 9780399536076
• Release Date: September 2010
• Publisher: Penguin Adult Hc/Tr
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher