Benjamin Franklin's Bastard
Benjamin Franklin's Bastard by Sally Cabot is an absorbing and compelling work of literary historical fiction that brings to life a little-known chapter of the American Revolution -- the story of Benjamin Franklin and his bastard son, and the women who loved them both.
William Franklin, the son of Benjamin and his favorite mistress, Anne, is raised by Deborah, Benjamin's wife. A steadfast loyalist, he and his father cannot reconcile their wildly disparate views, causing a rift in the bond both thought unbreakable.
Fascinating and heartbreaking, Benjamin Franklin's Bastard is a gripping tale of family, love, and war, set against one of America's most fascinating periods of history.
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Reviews for Benjamin Franklin's Bastard
[Benjamin Franklin’s Bastard] . . . mesmerizes us with characters that are like us in so many ways but so different . . . It brings us face to face with the truths that are the most profound in any era. This is a superb novel. Don't miss it."
— William Martin, New York Times bestselling author of Cape Cod and The Lincoln Letter
"Cabot shines in her descriptions of colonial life, in her fictionalized rendition of Ben Franklin's charismatic personality and wide-ranging intellect, but especially in interpreting Franklin the man through Anne, a fully-realized, memorable character . . . Intriguing historical fiction; a laudable interpretation of colonial life."
— Kirkus Reviews
"Cabot laces her assured novel with Shakespearean overtones as the characters continually misconstrue one another’s motives. From Franklin’s intense intellectual curiosity to Anne’s stubborn insistence on leading an independent life, this memorable cast makes for spellbinding reading."
— Booklist
"[Cabot’s] descriptions of the cultural mores of [colonial times] are as riveting as the stirrings of the American Revolution. Her account of the unsinkable Anne clawing her way up from a prostitute to a respectable business owner, while yearning for her lost son, is unforgettable."
— Shelf Awareness