Who can resist a book with this title, especially if it is written by world-class biographer Walter Isaacson? For those who think the sentence is “May the Force be with you,” please move to the back of the class and read this short volume, which explores in fascinating detail just how the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence came to be composed. As it turns out, even Thomas Jefferson, who initially wrote, “We hold these truths to be sacred … ,” needed an editor, in this case Benjamin Franklin, who scratched out “sacred” and replaced it with “self-evident.” Isaacson deftly and engagingly explains how and why changes were made to the sentence that ends with “the pursuit of Happiness,” and offers context for why the thoughts contained in these 34 words reflected their revolutionary times. What better way to celebrate America’s upcoming 250th anniversary than by reading this book? You can watch Star Wars any old time.
Jim Kelly is the Books Editor at AIR MAIl. He can be reached at jkelly@airmail.news
