Americas Path The Pursuit Of Happiness In Times Of War

The Pursuit of Happiness in Times of War, by Carl M. Cannon (Rowman & Littlefield, 318 pp., $24.95)

In this exceptionally friendly book, journalist Carl Cannon explores what the word “Happiness” means in the famous phrase, “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,” found in the Declaration of Independence. Much of the conceptual power of this phrase derives from its linkage of the three: Life is necessary to liberty, and liberty to the pursuit of happiness. Cannon examines the sources of these words, deep in the traditions of Enlightenment political reflection, and the ways they have reverberated in American history since 1776, used by warriors and presidents, including Washington at Valley Forge.

About the Author

Jeffrey Hart

Jeffrey Hart is a contributor to National Review.

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American History

Declaration of Independence

The Pursuit of Happiness in Times of War, by Carl M. Cannon (Rowman & Littlefield, 318 pp., $24.95)

In this exceptionally friendly book, journalist Carl Cannon explores what the word “Happiness” means in the famous phrase, “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,” found in the Declaration of Independence. Much of the conceptual power of this phrase derives from its linkage of the three: Life is necessary to liberty, and liberty to the pursuit of happiness. Cannon examines the sources of these words, deep in the traditions of Enlightenment political reflection, and the ways they have reverberated in American history since 1776, used by warriors and presidents, including Washington at Valley Forge.