Benjamin Franklin's Last Bet

The Favorite Founder's Divisive Death, Enduring Afterlife, and Blueprint for American Prosperity

By: Michael Meyer

Narrated by: Donald Corren

The incredible story of Benjamin Franklin’s parting gift to the working-class people of Boston and Philadelphia—a deathbed wager that captures the Founder’s American Dream and his lessons for our current, conflicted age.

Benjamin Franklin was not a gambling man. But at the end of his illustrious life, the Founder allowed himself a final wager on the survival of the United States: a gift of two thousand pounds to Boston and Philadelphia, to be lent out to tradesmen over the next two centuries to jump-start their careers. Each loan would be repaid with interest over ten years. If all went according to Franklin’s inventive scheme, the accrued final payout in 1991 would be a windfall.

In Benjamin Franklin’s Last Bet, Michael Meyer traces the evolution of these twin funds as they age alongside America itself, bankrolling woodworkers and silversmiths, trade schools and space races. Over time, Franklin’s wager was misused, neglected, and contested—but never wholly extinguished. With charm and inquisitive flair, Meyer shows how Franklin’s stake in the “leather-apron” class remains in play to this day, and offers an inspiring blueprint for prosperity in our modern era of growing wealth disparity and social divisions.

Another explanation of Franklin’s genius

Excellent example of Ben Franklin’s abilities. Some of the stories I’m familiar with but they add to the overall history of the last bet he made on society. He had similar thoughts on the working man to what Mike Rowe has today. Too bad politics and money hungry idiots limited the true impact that could have been felt. Great book though.

Marvelous!

Franklinophiles will delight in this very well told reprise of the man, about whom much has been written and said. The author then picks up the thread of his “afterlife” which will astound all, no matter your level of Franklin scholarship. He makes connections that have been hiding in plain site, but took the pursuit of a relentless detective to discover and organization for us in a most enjoyable fashion.

Very well done. Tom W

Franklin at His Best

This is largely a recap of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin with a few stories thrown in for color. Not bad, but not the best book I have read this year.

Donald Corren does a good job narrating.

Many things I did not know

Benjamin Franklin’s wife operated his business for the 10 years he was out of the country. One out of five businesses were owner operated by women. TIAA college retirement was started by Carnegie. A great school in Boston remains as the unique tribute to Ben Franklin. This book weaves back-and-forth about his life. President Adams was not a fan. What a great life. Ben Franklin was the first person to run a franchise.