In grammar school—and as new to American history as to the American tongue—I nevertheless puzzled through several junior biographies of Franklin because young Ben's ambition magnified my own. I kept lists in those years of the books I read. I recognized the yearning to escape the limits of family— a strong inclination for the sea —as well as some more vertical yearning: a boy becomes a man by gaining wisdom; each book a rung therefore; each rung a classical tag. I weighed the shame of the sordid candle shop where Franklin was forced to work for his father against the optimism of old New England.


Brown : The Last Discovery of America (2003)

Richard Rodriguez Quotes

In grammar school—and as new to American history as to the American tongue—I nevertheless puzzled through several junior biographies of Franklin...

In grammar school—and as new to American history as to the American tongue—I nevertheless puzzled through several junior biographies of Franklin...

In grammar school—and as new to American history as to the American tongue—I nevertheless puzzled through several junior biographies of Franklin...

In grammar school—and as new to American history as to the American tongue—I nevertheless puzzled through several junior biographies of Franklin...