This book corrects a monstrous historical injustice: for the first time, it introduces to the domestic reader the legacy of one of the most remarkable minds of mankind, a statesman and public figure, diplomat, scientist, inventor, writer, philosopher, and businessman—Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790). His face is familiar to everyone—it is the portrait replicated countless times on the main US banknote; his aphorism, “Time is money,” is known even to those who know nothing; and his “Autobiography” has long been a reference book for the majority of successful people, many of whom have already entered the cohort of great personalities. . . “If you want excellent advice on how to deal with people, manage yourself, and improve your personal qualities,” Dale Carnegie once said, “read the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin—one of the most fascinating life stories.” Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and the only one to sign the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Versailles, and the Constitution—three documents that shaped the history of not only the United States but the entire world. Franklin also invented the lightning rod, the rocking chair, the potbelly stove, the kitchen stove, daylight saving time, and many other useful things. In addition to the first complete Russian translation of his autobiography, this edition includes works by Benjamin Franklin from various years: from 'A Treatise on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain,' written by the young author at age 19, to the satirical pamphlet 'On the Slave Trade,' which the great American completed three weeks before his death at age 84. And finally, the publication's true highlight is its hundreds of magnificent illustrations, which guarantee the reader an immersive experience in the era in which Benjamin Franklin lived and worked.