The #1 New York Times bestseller, and the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical Hamilton!Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow presents a landmark biography of Alexander Hamilton, the Founding Father who galvanized, inspired, scandalized, and shaped the newborn nation.“Grand-scale biography at its best—thorough, insightful, consistently fair, and superbly written . . . A genuinely great … fair, and superbly written . . . A genuinely great book.” —David McCullough
“A robust full-length portrait, in my view the best ever written, of the most brilliant, charismatic and dangerous founder of them all.” —Joseph Ellis
Few figures in American history have been more hotly debated or more grossly misunderstood than Alexander Hamilton. Chernow’s biography gives Hamilton his due and sets the record straight, deftly illustrating that the political and economic greatness of today’s America is the result of Hamilton’s countless sacrifices to champion ideas that were often wildly disputed during his time. “To repudiate his legacy,” Chernow writes, “is, in many ways, to repudiate the modern world.” Chernow here recounts Hamilton’s turbulent life: an illegitimate, largely self-taught orphan from the Caribbean, he came out of nowhere to take America by storm, rising to become George Washington’s aide-de-camp in the Continental Army, coauthoring The Federalist Papers, founding the Bank of New York, leading the Federalist Party, and becoming the first Treasury Secretary of the United States.Historians have long told the story of America’s birth as the triumph of Jefferson’s democratic ideals over the aristocratic intentions of Hamilton. Chernow presents an entirely different man, whose legendary ambitions were motivated not merely by self-interest but by passionate patriotism and a stubborn will to build the foundations of American prosperity and power. His is a Hamilton far more human than we’ve encountered before—from his shame about his birth to his fiery aspirations, from his intimate relationships with childhood friends to his titanic feuds with Jefferson, Madison, Adams, Monroe, and Burr, and from his highly public affair with Maria Reynolds to his loving marriage to his loyal wife Eliza. And never before has there been a more vivid account of Hamilton’s famous and mysterious death in a duel with Aaron Burr in July of 1804.
Chernow’s biography is not just a portrait of Hamilton, but the story of America’s birth seen through its most central figure. At a critical time to look back to our roots, Alexander Hamilton will remind readers of the purpose of our institutions and our heritage as Americans.
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Being as I’m a huge fan of the Broadway version this book, it was a given that I’d read it. I wasn’t disappointed. A brilliantly written biography that stresses the humanity of one of our founding fathers. Too often, they’re portrayed as deserving of being put on a pedestal. I love that Chernow shows Hamilton as the man he truly was, warts and all.
Chernow is an outstanding biographer who details Hamilton’s life and its numerous contributions to the establishment of the United States of America.
I chose to read this book because of its ties to the hit musical. I found it to be an interesting read about the life of Alexander Hamilton, as well as giving insights into many of the other founding fathers. The reader should definitely have a good amount of background knowledge about the American Revolution and the early years of the United States or they may be lost.
Very entertaining but also very clearly written history about the foundations of our government. Alexander Hamilton deserves more credit and acclaim than he has been accorded.
Brought Alexander Hamilton to life for me in a story-telling, not boring way.
Well-researched and authoritative; a balanced and realistic portrait of one of the key figures in the drafting and adoption of the Constitution.
This tome was highly informative and well written. Other than knowing he was on the $10 bill and killed in a duel, I knew little about his extraordinary life and impact on the founding of our country. His role in the Revolutionary War as Washington’s chief aide, his role as the prevailing author of the Federalist Papers, and the sophistication of the monetary system he developed that enabled this fledging country to survive were surprises. The play, Hamilton, has brought him long overdue recognition and it started with this biography. I enjoyed the book although at times it became tedious. It should be required reading for all Americans.
This is not a light read, but definitely interesting and informative. Our founding fathers were not saints, but very human indeed. Wonderful for a good understanding of our country’s infancy.
This is an enjoyable, informative history. The tension between our original prominent personalities was interesting, and demonstrated how there is really nothing new under the sun. There were the same type of conflicts then as is presently found in our dysfunction units of government. The fighting was equally intense at that time. Hamilton’s genius was portrayed well. I hope you enjoy this book as much as my wife and I did.
Ron Chernow really brought Alexander Hamilton and the age in which he lived to life for me. At just over 800 pages, it really is quite a tome, but I enjoyed every single one of them.
This book should be used as a text book for every high school American history class. I took AP history in school. I thought I knew quite a bit about the early history of our country and the formation of our government. This book showed me how lacking my knowledge was–but no more!
I started this book reluctantly. I knew that the reviews were rave and the musical was inspiring, but I wasn’t sure I was up for 3,000 pages rehashing high-school American history.
I shouldn’t have worried. As just about every review here points out, Alexander Hamilton is an extremely well-written book. Most biographies of this scope are bloated with stretches of excruciating detail. Next to those tomes, this one seems lean and well-edited.
For me, the greatest reward for the two months I spent with Alexander Hamilton was perspective on today’s politics. If you find yourself discouraged by today’s polarization and dishonesty, you may be relieved to know that the 1790s were equally polarized and dishonest. Chernow’s book shows how extraordinary people like Hamilton and Washington can cut through this discouraging default state of politics and leave a lasting positive impact. After finishing Alexander Hamilton I find myself looking for the Hamiltons and Washingtons of our era.
Hamilton is a long read at over 800 pages, but well worth it. Although Chernow makes Hamilton more heroic that perhaps wise for a historian, the man was certainly remarkable.
What was unexpected is Hamilton teaches history of the founding of The United States I never knew. Political mud slinging of today was nothing compared to the early days of the republic, even from greats like Thomas Jefferson.
But what I recognized most is the timing of our country’s founding. The industrial revolution and the invention of the corporation coincided with our country’s founding, and it obviously took hold.
Take the time. Read it.
Wonderful. Learned lots of things I had never heard or read.
I really enjoyed Hamilton. Alexander Hamilton lived an amazing life – a real “rags to riches” story. Mostly self taught, he had extraordinary gifts as a writer and orator. He was easily one of the most intelligent, influential and effective founding fathers. The arc of his life is almost a perfect Greek tragedy. He was born poor. Through luck, hard work and brilliance he became a war hero and even though he was younger than many other founding fathers – he eventually became one of the most powerful men in the US (he was one of the architects of the Constitution and the US Federal government and the early US economy). His life is almost mirrored by an “evil twin”, i.e., Aaron Burr. And finally, his hubris was his undoing – first, his affair with Mrs Reynolds and second, his fatal duel with Burr. And Chernow does not forget to make the story of Hamilton’s life engaging while providing the historic context necessary to understand Hamilton’s life and achievements – as well as his failures. Definitely recommended.
I enjoy history and additionally, had tickets to see Hamilton on Broadway so I wanted to learn more about this founding father that so inspired Lin-Manuel Miranda. At times, I found the minutiae daunting but the overall story of AH, from orphan from Nevis through to his position as first Secretary of the Treasury of the U.S, and beyond to be compelling.
One of the best historical biographies I have ever read. Hamilton was much more of a hero than my previous history schooling lead me to believe. Absolutely riveting, although long at 814 pages. Our book group made it a summer read or I’d never have even tried it.
This book, though an excellent historical biography is not at all dry or boring. It reads like a good story teller telling us a great tale.
For those interested in American history, the stories behind the ‘story’, this is a masterpiece about one of the most important founding fathers of America. The humble origins of Mr. Hamilton, and his rise to the pinnacle of power in America is a compelling story that deserves to be experienced fully. The author is first-rate, scholarly, but in an engrossing and well-developed manner. Daniel C. Stettner, Ph.D.
A fascinating account of the founding of the nation with fresh looks at historical figures you think you know!