Is there any way to make Thunderbird sort mail so that unread mail is always at the top *and* the e-mails are sorted by date in descending order persistently? Maybe an add-on that someone can recommend?

I can get the desired sort order by first clicking the "Date" header to order by date, then click it again to get descending order, then click the "Read" header to order by unread status, then click it again to get descending order. After I restart Thunderbird, while the unread messages are still on top, the date order has reverted to ascending.

This annoys me no end as it causes a major disconnect between the mail that has just arrived (or that I've intentionally left [or market] unread) and the other recent mail as well as messages I've only just read.

I've only been trying Thunderbird again for a day or after trying it years ago and disliking it. The program has improved tremendously and I would consider switching permanently, though the sorting order is a deal-breaker for me.