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The Greatest Sentence Ever Written

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By Walter Isaacson

Publisher 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.

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 polarized times, we can use them to restore an appreciation for our common values.

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The Greatest Sentence Ever Written Reviews

3.5

Selena

Created 15 days ago

“This is an excellent, short book if you want to dive deeper into the best-known sentence of the Declaration of Independence: "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." However, this book is best aimed at those who do not already have a deep knowledge of the creation of the Declaration or the beginning of the American Revolution. I learned a great deal about this sentence as Isaacson evaluated the various ways in which each word was selected during the drafting process and how older Enlightenment publications influenced the final Declaration. Even though this was a deep dive, it often wasn't deep enough for what I was expecting. That being said, I do have a more extensive knowledge about the topic than most people, so I doubt this will be an issue for the average reader. I would recommend this book for those interested in the Declaration and how this sentence has remained relevant for almost 250 years, as it is a good introduction to the topic. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC! What did work for me: I really appreciated that Isaacson almost immediately acknowledged the inequalities present in the sentence and the hypocritical nature of the Founders and how he attempted to briefly unpack this issue. I also enjoyed the way in which other influential documents were analyzed in relation to their impact on the sentence, in addition to how this sentence has taken on a life of its own through references and re-contextualization throughout American history. The book also provides many interesting tidbits and pathways in which the reader could seek out additional books for more in-depth study (especially regarding Benjamin Franklin), although it does stop short of actually listing recommended sources, though that might be included in the final version. What didn't work for me: The chapters in the book are short and succinct, but I felt like many of them ended rather abruptly. The book could have also benefited from a more extensive introduction that provided more context about the Drafting process overall; instead, this context is included in the Appendices at the end. Thus, the reader is thrown directly into the crafting of the sentence rather than its drafting in relation to the full Declaration. I also felt that the book focused mostly on the larger Declaration and exploring modern political polarization and how we might find common ground as the Founders did 250 years ago, rather than the sentence itself. In fact, about one-third of the book focused on the drafting of the sentence, one-third focused on the Declaration's place in modern America, and the final third was Appendices, mostly excerpts and reprints of foundational documents discussed elsewhere throughout the book. Finally, there was no bibliography, which I hope is in the final version.”

Educational Engaging Thought-provoking Timely In-depth analysis Thorough Easy to follow Fragmented Too short Accessible Clear Concise Engaging Technical Misogyny Racism

About Walter Isaacson

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.