John Sutherland

Being a printer was what Benjamin Franklin prided himself on most

Having learnt the trade as a child in London, the polymath established a thriving printing business in Philadelphia, bringing humour and enlightenment to the American millions

Portrait of Benjamin Franklin by David Martin. [History/Universal Images Group/via Getty Images]
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  • The Book-Makers: A History of the Book in 18 Remarkable Lives

    Adam Smyth

    The Bodley Head, pp. 380, £25

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