And the Pursuit of Happiness

August 1, 2009 11:35 AM

Maira Kalman (previously - 1 | 2 | 3) on Benjamin Franklin.
posted by ericb (16 comments total)

...and other inventors.
posted by ericb at 11:38 AM on August 1, 2009

(Disclosure: I am a co-founder of the Rubber Band Society.)

Shameless product placement there.
posted by twoleftfeet at 12:23 PM on August 1, 2009

I heart her handwriting. I wish I could type in it. And, of course, Max Makes a Million. I wonder how soon a collection of these beautiful blogposts (ugly word) will be available in book form.
posted by emhutchinson at 12:33 PM on August 1, 2009

Oh. hells. yes! She did that wonderful piece on Jefferson and amazing illustrations for a new edition of the Elements of Style and now she's been so kind as to add Franklin to the mix! Hot damn! If her next project is a mini-bio of Jack Kirby, then I shall have confirmation that she's somehow figured out who all my personal heroes are and is illoblogging about them one by one! Kalman's the greatest - may her brushes never go dry for long.
posted by EatTheWeek at 12:39 PM on August 1, 2009

For what it's worth, I'm pretty sure Franklin cribbed most of "Poor Richard" from other sources.
posted by nasreddin at 12:46 PM on August 1, 2009

Having recently read David McCullough's John Adams, it's hard for me to be much of a fan of Franklin right now. But that was a neat post, nonetheless.
posted by Shohn at 1:18 PM on August 1, 2009

In 1845, in England, the rubber band made its appearance.

OK, who shot that at England?
posted by dhartung at 1:53 PM on August 1, 2009 [1 favorite]

I interviewed Kalman when she illustrated an edition of The Elements of Style. Awesome, awesome lady.
posted by YoungAmerican at 2:10 PM on August 1, 2009

He also didn't event The Odometer.. maybe AN odometer.
posted by empath at 2:57 PM on August 1, 2009

When her husband, Tibor, was dying from non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 1999, Maira took him to a resort in Puerto Rico. There was an end-piece article in the New Yorker (or, was it New York Magazine?) that covered her loving care for him in his final days. As well, the staff of the resort was there to provide him with comfort and care. I've Googled for the article, but can't find it.
posted by ericb at 4:03 PM on August 1, 2009

Having recently read David McCullough's John Adams, it's hard for me to be much of a fan of Franklin right now.

Let me suggest Walter Isaacson's Benjamin Franklin: An American Life.
posted by ericb at 4:18 PM on August 1, 2009

yay! love this one, thanks.
posted by ms.jones at 7:05 PM on August 1, 2009

Having recently read David McCullough's John Adams, it's hard for me to be much of a fan of Franklin right now.

Did he knife John Adams in a Phladelphia alley or something?
posted by blucevalo at 8:09 PM on August 1, 2009

Adams and Jefferson had a contentious relationship. In their later years they reconciled and corresponded with each other until their deaths. As you may be aware, they both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
posted by ericb at 11:07 AM on August 2, 2009

Regarding Franklin and Adams, they, too, were not considered friends. As portrayed in the HBO series John Adams, based on McCullough's book, the two men had differences, particularly when they went to France to secure financing and support for the Revolutionary War and then later when negotiating the Treaty of Paris (1783).
posted by ericb at 11:19 AM on August 2, 2009

John Quincy Adams Tweeting Thanks To Mass. Society.
posted by ericb at 4:33 PM on August 4, 2009