I'm John Batchel with Richard Munson.

The new book is Ingenius, a biography of Benjamin Franklin, scientists.

Yes, we've got the kite experiment ahead of us, but we've got to get him there.

He arrives in Philadelphia at 17.

In 22 years, he turns into an independently wealthy experimenter with a fine house on

market street. It's an amazing transformation, including several, a tour in London as a man who was

living, as a young man who was living hand to mouth in printing shops. But printing, Richard, I came to

understand that printing was the high tech of the age and that Franklin's, Benjamin Franklin's

invention in that printing shop in London was frontier, was edge thinking. Do I read that correctly? Very correctly. I mean, printing required a good

deal of science. It required the mixing of various materials to make ink. You had to figure out with

different types of paper what ink would be appropriate. He came up with also watermarks that would

ensure that money could not be counterfeited.

He came up with invisible ink.

So, yes, there was a lot of science that was involved in trying to make inks and paper.

And he was incredibly successful at it.

He returns to Philadelphia after his apprentice in London,

familiar with the London streets,

especially the hard knocks part of the London streets.

However, he quickly moves into being a printer again.

He's taken advantage of by an older man.

He does finally find the investors so he can send for equipment.

And remember how fast he goes now. He has a vision. And Richard, you emphasize that a driving

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