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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Tedious
This book is L O N G, so I took it on a four month journey and enjoyed it immensely. I learned a lot of US History; not really inside information, but interesting tidbits about early-nation politics.
If you are planning to see the Broadway production of Hamilton,read the book first. They did a fabulous job in the play covering the events of his life.
It is a long book but the reading flows easily. You will have a new appreciation for all that Alexander Hamilton did for this country.
Definitely read it before you see the show! makes the show much more understandable.
I was fascinated by the life of Alexander Hamilton. I liked learning the politics and about the culture of the time. I read it before I saw the Broadway show, and I think it’s so important to know his story and learn every word of the score before you see the show. Of course, when you really know the story, you’ll bawl yur eyes out at the end. I saw it twice. I was the only one who cried, so I guess no one else really understood how truly sad the second act was.
A slow starter but fascinating read, I learned so much
Wonderful work of history!
Great man, a great account of his life. very readable and always interesting.. I wish all biography were at this level
One of the best biographies I have ever read
This is the best non-fiction book I’ve ever read! The story is so compelling that learning about Hamilton’s life sinks in easily. I highly recommend reading this book before seeing the play, which is based on the book.
More astounding than the best fiction
An excellent read about one of our founding fathers life. An immagerent who can here leagely and made a difference.
Tough read at first because of the amount of historical info. Improves as it goes. Definitely an amazing story which gives understanding to how we came to our present system of government. Great historical read about an amazing man who helped shape so much of our government.
A must read for persons interested in early American history.
Chernow is a marvelous story-teller, makes history come alive in his daunting books.
Great book for history lovers.
Fascinating Hamilton. One of the great figures in forming the United States
A necessary story about a key figure in the creation of the United States of America.
Read before I saw play. Made play much more enjoyable!