Intelligent Quotes

Poor Richard’s Almanack

Poor Richard’s Almanack stands as perhaps the most influential periodical in colonial America, embodying Benjamin Franklin’s genius for marrying practical wisdom with commercial success. Published annually from 1732 to 1758, the almanac reached into virtually every American household, selling some 10,000 copies yearly, an extraordinary circulation for its time.

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Summary

Franklin’s masterstroke lay not merely in providing the usual astronomical data and weather predictions, but in seasoning his pages with pithy aphorisms that became embedded in the American consciousness. “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise” and “God helps those who help themselves” weren’t mere platitudes but reflected Franklin’s systematic philosophy of self-improvement and material advancement.

The almanac served as Franklin’s laboratory for testing ideas about industry, frugality, and virtue that would later crystallize in his autobiography. More significantly, it democratized learning, bringing Enlightenment rationalism to common farmers and tradesmen. Through Poor Richard’s homespun voice, Franklin created a distinctly American literature—practical, optimistic, and entrepreneurial.

The publication’s success established Franklin's fortune and reputation, funding his later scientific and political careers. In retrospect, Poor Richard’s Almanack helped forge the American middle-class ethos, proving that in the New World, wisdom could be both profitable and popular.

Quotes from Poor Richard’s Almanack

“Experience keeps a dear school, yet fools will learn in no other.”

Benjamin Franklin (verified)

Details

Title: Poor Richard’s Almanack

Author: Benjamin Franklin

Type: Book

Publisher: Benjamin Franklin

Publication time: 1732-1758

Publication place: Pennsylvania, United States

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