The 18th century doctor, civic leader, and renaissance man Benjamin Rush was one of the youngest signers of the Declaration of Independence, edited and named Thomas Paine's Common Sense, implemented medical practices that helped the Continental Army win the Revolutionary War, made sure Benjamin Franklin attended the Constitutional Convention, and shaped the medical and political landscape of the newly formed United States.
Yet despite his outsized influence, the varied and interesting life he led, and the close relationships he had with other founding fathers like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams, Rush is hardly remembered today. That's because of just how close his relationship with those other founders was. Rush was a personal physician to them and their families, and after his death, they suppressed his legacy, not wanting the intimate and unflattering details he had recorded in his letters and journals to be publicized. In fact, his memoir was considered too dangerous to be published and wasn't found for nearly 150 years.
My guest will re-introduce us to this forgotten figure. His name is Stephen Fried, and he's the author of Rush: Revolution, Madness, and Benjamin Rush, the Visionary Doctor Who Became a Founding Father. Today on the show, Stephen takes us through Rush's fascinating life, from his self-made rise out of inauspicious childhood, to how he was able to reconcile an estranged Jefferson and Adams before his death, and what Stephen has learned from studying a character who lived through very fraught and not totally unfamiliar times.
Do You want to Be Rich or Wealthy? (And Why the Difference Matters)
Why We Get Sick
The Confucian Gentleman
Do You Need to Take a Dopamine Fast?
What the Labors of Hercules Can Teach You About Life and Masculinity
How to Get Time, Priorities, and Energy Working in Your Favor
The Power of Talking to Strangers
The Exercise Prescription for Depression and Anxiety
Life's 10 Biggest Decisions
Rewild Your Life
The Character Traits That Drive Optimal Performance
Being a Man in the Lousy Modern World
College — What It Was, Is, and Should Be
Could Sleeping in Separate Beds Improve Your Relationship?
The Conquering Father Who Made an Empire-Building Son
How Moral Grandstanding Is Ruining Our Public Discourse
What a Man With 60,000 Books Can Teach You About Lifelong Learning and Building Your Home Library
Tips From a Top TED Talker on How to Be Heard
A Futurist's Guide to Building the Life You Want
The Hell-Raising Leader of WWII's Filthy Thirteen
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Maverick Show with Matt Bowles