Walter Isaacson on the Greatest Sentence Ever Written
Walter Isaacson, in conversation with Max Boot, discusses his new book and what the Declaration of Independence's most famous words mean for America as it marks its 250th anniversary.
About This Event
At the heart of the Declaration of Independence is a single sentence that has defined, inspired, and challenged Americans for 250 years: "We hold these truths to be self-evident." In his new book, Walter Isaacson unpacks how those words came to be—who wrote them, how they were revised, and why they still matter. Which of the Declaration's promises have we kept, and which are we still working toward? What does it mean to reckon with those words as America marks its 250th anniversary? Join Walter Isaacson and Max Boot for a conversation on America's founding ideals, how far we've come, and how far we still have to go.
Copies of Walter Isaacson’s book, The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, will be available for sale and signing at the program.
About the Speakers
Author and Professor of History, Tulane University
Walter Isaacson is a professor of history at Tulane University. He has been editor of Time Magazine, CEO and chairman of CNN, and CEO of the Aspen Institute, and currently serves as an advisory partner at Perella Weinberg and a cohost of PBS's Amanpour & Co. A prolific biographer, his subjects have included Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs, and Albert Einstein, among others. His latest book is "The Greatest Sentence Ever Written."
Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Senior Fellow for National Security Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
Max Boot is a best-selling historian, biographer, and foreign policy analyst. He is the Jeane J. Kirkpatrick senior fellow for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and a columnist for The Washington Post. His last book, "Reagan: His Life and Legend," was named one of the 10 best books of 2024 by the New York Times.
Opening Remarks
President & Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri joined the Council in 2025 as the president and chief executive officer, after previously serving as director of the US and the Americas program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, known as Chatham House, in London. She is Professor of Practice in International Studies and Diplomacy at SOAS University of London.
Construction Alert
Please note that the Randolph Street lobby of the Prudential building, where guests enter for Council events, will be under construction from April through December.
America at 250: The Arc of Global Influence
This content is part of the Council’s America at 250 initiative, a series of high-level dialogues, expert perspectives, public and private programs, and a signature conference focused on the critical questions that will define America’s future.
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The Council's America at 250 Global Forum will convene high-level policymakers, world-class scholars and experts, business leaders, and influential thought leaders to reflect on America’s past and inform its future.
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