In 2006, One Book, One Philadelphia is joining Ben Franklin 300 Philadelphia to celebrate the tercentenary (300 years) of Franklin’s birth.

Franklin’s interests were diverse and wide-ranging. Countless volumes have been written about him. The challenge for the One Book program was to choose works that would adequately capture the true essence of the man and his times. Because of the complexity of this year’s subject, and in order to promote the widest participation possible, One Book, One Philadelphia has chosen to offer not one, but three books about Franklin. This year’s theme will be “Three Books for One Founding Father.”

The featured books are:

	The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin (various editions) – a primary text in Franklin’s own words.
	Ben and Me by Robert Lawson (1939, Little, Brown & Company) – a children’s book authored by “Amos” the Mouse (selected to engage families in a shared reading and programming experience).
	Franklin: The Essential Founding Father by James Srodes (2002, Regnery Publishing, Inc.) – a lucid biography that encompasses the full span of Franklin’s life set against historical background.