Few documents are as universally recognized – and as deeply revered – as the Declaration of Independence. Yet, for all its familiarity, the story of its creation remains veiled in secrecy. Robert Watson, in this remarkable book, illuminates the mysteries surrounding the painstaking process and deliberations that went into crafting this timeless document, highlighting the often-overlooked human dimension, and in so doing reminds us that even our most celebrated national documents still have mysteries to explore.

Richard M. Yon, United States Military Academy at West Point

Watson has produced one of the best works in recent memory on the development of the Declaration of Independence and its centrality to the founding of the United States. More significantly, the author compellingly demonstrates how the values and principles of the founding document transcend the political divides that have come to dominate contemporary America.

Tom Lansford, University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Coast