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The Greatest Sentence Ever Written
Brief Description
America’s bestselling biographer reveals the origins of the most revolutionary sentence in the Declaration of Independence, the one that defines who we are as Americans—and explains how it should shape our politics today. To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, Walter Isaacson takes readers on a fascinating deep...
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See moreAmerica’s biographer of geniuses breaks down the genius behind the key sentence in the Declaration of Independence—the radical one granting us our unalienable rights—and explains why it's the greatest sentence ever crafted by the human hand.
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Description
America’s bestselling biographer reveals the origins of the most revolutionary sentence in the Declaration of Independence, the one that defines who we are as Americans—and explains how it should shape our politics today.
To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, Walter Isaacson takes readers on a fascinating deep dive into the creation of one of history’s most powerful sentences: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Drafted by Thomas Jefferson and edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, this line lays the foundation for the American Dream and defines the common ground we share as a nation.
In The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, Isaacson unpacks its genius, word by word, illuminating the then-radical concepts behind it. Readers will gain a fresh appreciation for how it was drafted to inspire unity, equality, and the enduring promise of America. With clarity and insight, he reveals not just the power of these words but describes how, in these polarised times, we can use them to restore an appreciation for our common values.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781982181314
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 15 January 2026
Country: United States
Imprint: Simon & Schuster
Illustration: 4-c endpapers; one b-w image t-o
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 13.0mm
Width: 127.0mm
Height: 178.0mm
Weight: 177g
Pages: 80
About the Author
Walter Isaacson is the bestselling author of biographies of Elon Musk, Jennifer Doudna, Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs, Benjamin Franklin, and Albert Einstein. He is a professor of history at Tulane and was CEO of the Aspen Institute, chair of CNN, and editor of Time. He was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2023. Visit him at Isaacson.Tulane.edu.
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