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

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars | 94 ratings

Price: 17.05

Last update: 07-05-2024


Top reviews from the United States

Tracy Brotherton
5.0 out of 5 stars Significant book for our times...
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2024
Fascinating, well written and researched. I'm reading it slowly because there's a lot to ponder. The world would be a far better place if the current pursuit of happiness was similar to the way character and virtue was considered by classical writers and those who founded our country. I'm enjoying the biographical information and making changes to the way I think and live. Tracy Brotherton
Joseph May
5.0 out of 5 stars Well done
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2024
Well researched, cited and written authoritatively. The understandings and context of the day back then were quite different, leading to a differing interpretation of Founding Fathers wrote. Also, their hypocrisy wanting to end international slavery while keeping domestic slavery intact. This book is eye opening and gives an appreciation of our Founding Fathers as people trying to create a better citizenry--albeit, one segment of the population at a time.
Frank
5.0 out of 5 stars Frank Martin: A Decade of Delusions
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2024
Jeffrey Rosen's latest book arrives with impeccable timing, offering a cultural retrospective just as America approaches its quadrennial referendum in November. As the president and CEO of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Rosen's credentials speak volumes, making him a fitting guide through the labyrinth of American constitutional history.
In these tumultuous times, where public discourse is often drowned out by the clamor of television and social media, Rosen's decision to delve into the world of books is a refreshing change. He recognizes the importance of revisiting the foundations of our democracy, understanding that the framers of the Constitution existed in an era devoid of the distractions we face today.
Through profiles of luminaries such as Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, Rosen paints a vivid picture of an age where enlightenment was sought not through entertainment but through intellectual rigor and moral reflection. Their pursuit of happiness was not merely about fleeting pleasures but about the cultivation of virtue and the common good.
Rosen's book serves as a timely reminder of these timeless ideals, offering a condensed history of classic thought on what it truly means to be American. As we stand on the cusp of another pivotal moment in our nation's history, "The Pursuit of Happiness" invites us to reflect on the values that have shaped our collective identity and to consider how we can uphold them in the face of modern challenges.
Intriguing, insightful, and impeccably timed, Rosen's latest offering is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the enduring relevance of America's founding principles in today's world.
Colleen
4.0 out of 5 stars Thought provoking
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2024
The Pursuit of Happiness by Jeffrey Rosen is a fascinating and thought-provoking deep dive into a subject that is often misused and or even misunderstood.

Mr. Rosen presents an interesting investigation into some of our Founding Fathers and their quest for all of us in the Pursuit of Happiness. Their search for the Pursuit of Happiness was not to be happy in the short term themselves but the pursuits that lead doing good for others, more of a spiritual nature than immediate personal gratification. These men read the Bible, and writings that can be traced back to ancient Roman and Greek thinkers. Rosen after much research details how these thoughts, and ideas influenced our Founding Fathers.

It would appear that the Pursuit of Happiness is also tied to virtue, meaning behavior showing high moral standards, a quality considered morally good or desirable in a person. I think many of us want our children to be inspired by teachers, people of authority and therefore they themselves are inspired to good and be good people.

I was impressed by the depth of the information, and insightful manner was presented that gave me pause on what I believed the phrase to mean. The Constitution is a written document that is often misused to justify rights and freedoms. But in a time where the founding fathers thought and spoke differently, we cannot take the words used in a literal meaning. There is a broader and deeper meaning for the chosen words than we non-scholars understand.
tabebooks
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Read
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2024
After hearing the author in an interview on NPR, I immediately ordered a copy via Amazon. Only a couple chapters in, and I am looking forward to more! Very well written, engaging, well researched, and provocative. Setting to task my own pursuit of happiness following the virtues. Highly recommend!
Maggie P
5.0 out of 5 stars highly recommended
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2024
enjoyed by 4 family members. well written and researched
Albert M. Schwartz
5.0 out of 5 stars Well written non fiction
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2024
Excellent treatise on the importance of virtue in enjoying a happy life and how virtue shaped how our Founding Father's thought about what is most important for the citizenry
Matthew Lee
3.0 out of 5 stars Good book when it stays on topic
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2024
I appreciate the deep dive into the libraries and thought patterns of the founding fathers of the United States. To see how philosophy shaped the beginnings of the country was extremely appealing to me, and I found alot of fulfilment reading about it. When the author went off topic bringing up Donald Trump I lost interest, strictly because of a biased opinion and the fact that he was neither a philosopher or a founding father. Those parts could have been omitted and I would give this read 5 stars.

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