James Srodes was an American journalist and author. In 2015 and 2016, the Virginia Press Association awarded Srodes its first prize for critical writing for his series of book reviews for The Washington Times.
Seasoned journalist Srodes (Allen Dulles: Master of Spies) charts Benjamin Franklin's "evolution from striving craftsman to daring diplomat, spy, and national master builder" in an account that situates Franklin as the "essential American." While acknowledging that the successful businessman, scientist, philosopher and social activist had his share of critics during his lifetime and after (D.H. Lawrence, for example, pronounced him "a sexual monster"), Srodes tends to grant such claims little time. Franklin's "malleable" temperament and the many talents he developed over his long life suited him well for his role as a catalyst for progress, Srodes writes: to Franklin, "the idea, not the sponsor, should be the point." When situating Franklin within the context of the conflicting public sentiments with which he had to deal New England and Virginian patriots, who disdained men from the middle colonies; William Penn's heirs, whom Franklin had to coax to share the cost of the French and Indian War; and the Quaker merchant elite, who considered Franklin's challenges to their ordered society dangerous Srodes approaches a more balanced portrait. Ultimately, the author contends, while other scientists and philosophers paralleled and even outdistanced Franklin, his greatest accomplishment was that he was the "ingredient that made change happen" and a man whose "best skills were to plot strategy in private and to write documents for public purposes." An extensive bibliography, some of it annotated, will assist interested readers in locating valuable primary and secondary sources for further study. (Apr.) Forecast: Regnery has a couple of big titles lately, and perhaps the enthusiasm for John Adams will spill over into demand for another founder. Still, this has to compete with last year's comprehensive The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin, by H.W. Brands. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
A journalist and author of Allen Dulles: Master of Spies, Srodes presents a biography of Benjamin Franklin in mostly favorable terms. He incorporates some heretofore neglected archival materials and concludes that Franklin was of much greater importance to the founding of an independent America than previous scholars have recognized. While his biography is enjoyable to read, the author's conclusions are overstated. Clearly, Franklin had a significant role in pre-Revolutionary America, especially as he encouraged the people to consider independence from England and as a member of the committee that drafted the Declaration. But his was not the only voice championing independence nor was it the most effective. Likewise, his presence at the Constitutional Convention was valuable, but he was not a critical player in the drafting of the document. Franklin was indeed a brilliant, energetic, and complex man, and one too often overlooked for his political accomplishments, which Srodes illuminates in a compelling fashion. Franklin may not be quite as great as Srodes portrays him, but neither is he as corrupt or self-important as his detractors suggest. The truth obviously lies somewhere in between. For those who have read David McCullough's John Adams, Srodes's Franklin provides an interesting complement. Libraries that already hold several other Franklin biographies might not need this one; however, if the other biographies are very dated, this is a fine way to upgrade holdings in this area. Thomas J. Baldino, Wilkes Univ., Wilkes-Barre, PA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
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