Among other things, Franklin was a printer, philosopher, inventor, statesman and, not least, a writer. Franklin's autobiography captures the essence of his spirit. In it we can see him as a product of the 18th century enlightenment, a type of Yankee statesman who could use the language of Addison, Steele, Swift and Defoe. In the Autobiography Franklin asks himself, "Who am I, how did I come to be, and why am I a human being as I am?" and he answers with the honesty, wit, and charm that have made his possibly the most famous of all autobiographies.