In praise of... Benjamin Franklin

I've just finished a biography called, "The First American - The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin" by H.W. Brands, which I really enjoyed. Being English I didn't get much information about Franklin at school, other than the (dangerous) experiment with the kite and lightening and that he had some involvement with the American war of independence and the constitution. So I was really surprised to discover what a truly remarkable man Franklin was. His accomplishments were considerable: entrepreneur, writer, satirist, scientist, philosopher, inventor, civil servant, diplomat...the list is impressive. Brands' book is excellent, easy to read and very informative, but for the highlights Wikipedia has an extensive entry. Franklin has now become one of my heroes.