Alexander Hamilton

By Ron Chernow

Book Overview

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.

A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Century

"Grand-scale biography at its best--thorough, insightful, consistently 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.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1594200092
• ISBN13: 9781594200090
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: Penguin Press
• Length: 832 Pages
• Weight: 2.83 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.1" x 6.6" x 9.5"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

An excellent author

Chernow is an exceptional author and this book about Hamilton is overflowing with the account of Hamilton’s Life. An American founder that our nation owes a great debt for all the work he did behind the scenes.

Stamp Act

Psychology power and political movement. I’ve visited few museums in Manhattan, and I must say I am not happy with the museum. I do recommend whoever visits New York museum should be aware about the staff members who are working in the museum. They may engage with activist and other political members. Also, the real states are destroying the democracy by building fake English victorian homes to make profit for the political leaders. This democracy is going with toxic oligarchy people who are continuing the same political trend by using Asian social justice to enhance political votes. The government continues to protect by allowing low income, tenants to rise, and use social justice. This is why we have the worst law enforce who are serving today. They continue to advocate and go to peoples neighborhood to help radical protesters, and the government with social issues. They use radical law-enforcement to complete this type of job and help political leaders get elected. However, I do not support the law-enforcement in New York City. My son was assaulted by a fake media and African American pedophile mob in the street. The social service people needs to be fired, and the building needs to be shut down. This package coming from Dallas does not help me with my issue.

Read while listening to the OBCR

I actually read this book before seeing the Broadway musical. Then I listened to the soundtrack. The first chapter lines up with the first song in the musical. It made me appreciate what information Lin included in the musical. The book is meticulously researched. It made me want to read more books by Ron.

In depth study of one of the founders

Chernow is one of the top biographers going today. This book does not disappoint and Chernow leaves no stone unturned in trying to show us the man Alexander Hamilton was. You would be hard pressed to find a better biography of Hamilton.