Nick L. (nluciano3) - reviewed on 7/20/2017 + 5 more book reviews

Enjoyable book. A dual biography of Dr. Franklin and his son William, the Colonial Governor of NJ. Shows not just the lovable, witty side of Ben Franklin, but his ruthlessness in business, politics and family matters. I found particularly interesting, the military record of both Franklins. You don't think of Ben as a military man, but both he and William had strong military credentials, and were the colony's knowledgeable experts in military and native American affairs. Through William's story, is told the lack of NJ officials and citizens to support the revolution, making William the last working governor of a colony. With William's military experience, name and popularity, it is interesting to think about what would have happened had William supported the revolution, as did Connecticut's royal governor Johnathan Trumbull.

The book details how the decision for independence came about, how little by little the loyalists and those willing to reconcile were fewer and fewer until there was no other alternative. It was almost impossible to stay on the sideline.

My being a Graduate of William Paterson University, I was disappointed to see the the author fell into the common trap of misspelling its namesake "Paterson" by using "Patterson".

I found the last few chapters the best, as I knew a permanent break-up was building. This is one family destroyed by loyalties, but it was all too common in 1776.

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