The Greatest Sentence Ever Written

To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, acclaimed author Walter Isaacson takes readers on a fascinating deep dive into the creation of The Greatest Sentence Ever Written. That monumental line from the Declaration of Independence reads: “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 thoughtfully edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, this singular line established the bedrock for the American Dream and forged a common identity for a rising nation. In The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, Isaacson carefully unpacks the genius of these words phrase by phrase, illuminating the revolutionary ideals that inspired a country and continue to challenge and unite us today