RT Book, Whole DB /z-wcorg/ DS http://worldcat.org ID 56420374 LA English T1 Stealing God's thunder : Benjamin Franklin's lightning rod and the invention of America A1 Dray, Philip., PB Random House PP New York YR 2005 SN 140006032X 9781400060320 AB A biography of Benjamin Franklin viewed through the lens of his scientific inquiry and its ramifications for American democracy. Today we think of Franklin as a founder of American independence who also dabbled in science. But in Franklin's day it was otherwise--long before he was an eminent statesman, he was famous for his revolutionary scientific work, especially his experiments with lightning and electricity. Pulitzer Prize finalist Dray uses the evolution of Franklin's scientific curiosity and empirical thinking as a metaphor for America's struggle to establish its fundamental values. Set against the backdrop of the Enlightenment and America's pursuit of political equality for all, the book recounts how Franklin unlocked one of the greatest natural mysteries of his day.--From publisher description.