Rosen, Jeffrey

The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America

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ISBN 13:: 9781668002476
author:: Rosen, Jeffrey
format:: Hardback
publisher:: Simon & Schuster
language:: English
Publication Year:: 2024
Pages:: 368
Dimensions:: 22.9 x 15.2 x 2.5 centimetres (0
Genre:: Biography, Historical, History,
Condition:: New
Availability:: Item usually sent within 5 working days

£21.36

Current Stock: 5

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Description

Description

The Pursuit of Happiness: A New Exploration of the Founders' Quest for Virtue In this thought-provoking book, Jeffrey Rosen delves into the lives of six influential Founders, exploring how their pursuit of happiness shaped their lives and defined America's democracy. The Declaration of Independence's famous phrase, "the pursuit of happiness," is one of our unalienable rights, alongside life and liberty. Rosen profiles Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton, tracing the impact of classical Greek and Roman moral philosophers on their understanding of happiness. He reveals how these Founders viewed happiness as a lifelong quest for virtue, encompassing habits like industry, temperance, and sincerity, which they believed were essential for personal growth and self-mastery. Through this insightful examination, Rosen sheds light on the complexities of the Founders' pursuit of happiness, revealing how it was often at odds with the institution of slavery, a contradiction that continues to resonate today.

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