What!? So all this time I thought that the Poor Richard's Almanack was written by some poor soul named Richard. Little did I know that it was one of the many accomplishments of everyone's favorite statesman Benjamin Franklin. Franklin used a psedonym for this work which was based of a character from writings of Jonathan Swift, Issac Bickerstaff, who was an astrologer and almanac writer. It was very popular publication among the American colonists, with print runs going into the many thousands of units.For those of you don't know what the Poor Richard's Almanack was, it was a annual serialized pamphlet that ran from 1732 to 1758. It had weather forecasts, mainly for the context of planting and harvesting crops, household tips and other forms of entertainment such as word games and puzzles. Think of it as one of those glossy household magazines that you might see your mom reading, things like Martha Stewart Living or Better Homes and Gardens.
Had it existed today, it would have been largely forgettable but due to the connection with one of our founding fathers as well as the cultural significance with the people of the time, it has gained a certain popularity among people of our time.
For those that are interested, you can find it here.
