2026 Centennial lecture "The Greatest Sentence Ever Written" with Walter Isaacson and ASU President Michael M. Crow
At Barrett, the Honors College, we believe that great questions and great conversations, have the power to change the way we see the world. For the 2026 Centennial Lecture, Barrett and ASU have the privilege of bringing together two remarkable thinkers.
Walter Isaacson has spent his career illuminating the lives of history's most influential innovators and visionaries through bestselling biographies of Leonardo da Vinci, Elon Musk, and many others. His newest work, The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, turns his attention to a different kind of genius- exploring how a single sentence can capture profound truths about humanity, creativity, and the enduring power of words.
Joining him in conversation is Arizona State University President Michael Crow, whose visionary leadership has transformed ASU into one of the nation's most innovative public universities. President Crow has long championed the idea that universities should expand opportunity, advance discovery, and tackle society's most pressing challenges. His commitment to curiosity, interdisciplinary thinking, and the exchange of ideas makes him the perfect partner for this event.
Together they will explore not only the inspiration behind The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, but also the broader questions it raises about storytelling, history, innovation, and the ways language shapes how we understand ourselves and our world.
