A New York Times Bestseller and one of the best historical fiction books of 2016 and 2017!“A juicy answer to Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton… Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler, from passionate and tender beginnings of their romance to his fateful duel on the banks of the Hudson River.
Hamilton was a bastard and orphan, raised in the Caribbean and desperate for legitimacy, who became one of the American Revolution’s most dashing–and improbable–heroes. Admired by George Washington, scorned by Thomas Jefferson, Hamilton was a lightning rod: the most controversial leader of the new nation. Elizabeth was the wealthy, beautiful, adventurous daughter of the respectable Schuyler clan–and a pioneering advocate for women. Together, the unlikely couple braved the dangers of war, the perils of seduction, the anguish of infidelity, and the scourge of partisanship that menaced their family and the country itself.
With flawless writing, brilliantly drawn characters, and epic scope, The Hamilton Affair tells a story of love forged in revolution and tested by the bitter strife of young America, and will take its place among the greatest novels of American history ever written.
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Love learning about Hamilton since buying the music from the play of the same name. Have read the biography and was pleasantly surprised in reading the Hamilton Affair, as it brings him and Eliza to life and still follows the important tenets of their history. Highly recommend!
The story was interesting at times and disappointing at others. It made me wonder how much of it was historically accurate. I was frustrated by the title and some of the descriptions . The parts that were probably most historically accurate were a little boring.
Historical Fiction at its best!
I learned a lot about Hamilton that I hadn’t known before.
I have always been a history lover. Give me a factual, scholarly, historical tome or a historical fictional story of a time, place or person and I can sit and disappear into that time or place for hours.
Due to the Broadway musical “Hamilton” many people are being introduced or reintroduced to one of the brilliant founding architects of our republic and THE HAMILTON AFFAIR by Elizabeth Cobbs is an enjoyable historical fiction overview of Alexander and Elizabeth Hamilton’s lives and their love.
The beginning of the book alternates between Alexander’s harsh life on St. Croix as a boy. He and his brother were declared bastards as they were born into a second marriage by his mother. He refused to let anything stop his ambitions and arrived in the colonies to educate and better himself after his mother’s death. In the alternate chapters we get to meet Elizabeth “Eliza” Schuyler and her privileged family of wealth. From her life on the family farm and love of animals to her very open and honest opinions.
When the two come together in marriage, the book follows the couple through the remainder of the Revolutionary War and the author does an informative, yet entertaining, job of describing the establishment of our federal government with all of Hamilton’s achievements and also all of the political intrigue and mud-slinging. This is balanced well by the author’s descriptions of the Hamilton home life, children, extended family and friends. Hamilton’s affair that almost destroyed his marriage and most definitely put a stop to his further political ambitions is also covered.
I really enjoyed this book. It is well written and covered Alexander and Elisabeth’s lives in an easy to read historical fiction format.
Made me understand that today’s headlines are just “politics as usual.”
If you don’t want the depth of Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton, this will allow you to briefly touch the surface of this early American giant.
It paints a picture of Alexander Hamilton and his beginnings that was very interesting.
read it in 2 m03 seatings.
Learning history in an entertaining format is a win/win!
Fiction, but very close to the facts.
Great review of early history of the United States
I loved the character of Eliza Hamilton. Such wisdom in one so young. But then I believe people matured much faster back then. It was hard for me to completely understand why there was so much antagonism towards Hamilton. He was such a gigantic historical person of great importance.
What a delightful way to learn about history and the characters behind the now so-popular Broadway hit: Hamilton!
I had known little about Alexander Hamilton. After reading this book I felt enlightened. Also interesting was the struggle in the formation of a new nation. I had been naive about that. But duels were so barbaric. It surprised me that they existed in the early 19th century. i am looking forward to seeing Hamilton, the play.
I enjoyed the book as it breathed life into historic characters while remaining spot on to true events from that timeline.
I enjoyed revisiting history! Author made it come alive,
This historic biography was human and engaging without the dryness of most historic writings. This made me interested in more biographies of revolutionary founders.
Always thought I’d like to meet Jefferson, but after reading this book, my fave time-travel meet would now be Alexander Hamilton. All based on history, but with some historical fiction added to make it seem real, not dry.
Educational!