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4.58 AVERAGE
4.58 AVERAGE
As a musical theatre lover, and Hamilton lover - I loved this!! no surprise there!
I have followed and loved Hamilton for a long time and this book was everything I wanted it to be! Learning behind the scenes storys and the story of how it became what it is<3 If you are a Hamilton fan you would love this!
I loved seeing how much of Lin´s heart and soul went into Hamilton and this book made me appreciate it even more, even though I already have seen a lot of interviews and more about it! Something I really love reading about was the meaning behind wait for it! My favorite song from the musical. I also loved reading the footnotes of all the songs and how Lin wrote them and chose specific words etc
I really love the layout too and seeing the photos that were inside!
I have followed and loved Hamilton for a long time and this book was everything I wanted it to be! Learning behind the scenes storys and the story of how it became what it is<3 If you are a Hamilton fan you would love this!
I loved seeing how much of Lin´s heart and soul went into Hamilton and this book made me appreciate it even more, even though I already have seen a lot of interviews and more about it! Something I really love reading about was the meaning behind wait for it! My favorite song from the musical. I also loved reading the footnotes of all the songs and how Lin wrote them and chose specific words etc
I really love the layout too and seeing the photos that were inside!
*Originally published on book blog Will Read for Feels.
With the Tony Awards scheduled for today, I couldn’t not pay tribute even in some small way to my current obsession, Hamilton: An American Musical. I can’t count the number of times I’ve listened to the soundtrack in the past week or two, but it was only this week that I started reading the book for it, Hamilton: The Revolution, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (the genius behind the book, lyrics, music, and titular performance for Hamilton) and his co-author Jeremy McCarter (who is also director of the Public Theater, where Hamilton was staged before moving to Broadway).
By the time I read this, the lyrics to the songs were nothing new to me, but I really appreciated the annotations by Miranda (and a few from McCarter), as they let me look at each song in a new light, and I found myself experiencing the feels all over again, and magnified at that, thanks to the context provided by those notes. It took me three days to read this book because I kept stopping to listen and re-listen to the songs.
And that’s not all. Between the annotated song lyric pages were chapters that explored Lin-Manuel Miranda’s writing and development process as well as all the work everyone involved in the production, from the director to the choreographer to the actors and more. Little details about what each person brought to make the story come alive onstage but also in terms of the words and music. Things like personal triumphs and tragedies and how they affected those who helped put the musical together made each song, each photo mean so much more, even though the lyrics held a rainbow of feels even without that additional information.
Being over 8,000 miles from New York, I haven’t had a chance to see the Broadway musical myself, nor will I have one in the immediate future, but somehow the descriptions of the direction and choreography really helped me solidify it in my imagination. And some of the details the authors shared about the decisions made for the choreography were things I felt would enrich the understanding and appreciation of someone who did see the musical, maybe even multiple times.
The overall result? The Hamilton soundtrack alone still chokes me up even after I’ve listened to it dozens of times, but several parts of Hamilton: The Revolution had me blubbering all over again, while others had me giggling or hugging myself in what we Filipinos call kilig (romantic sort of thrill). And there were enough notes on Miranda’s efforts to keep things historically accurate and the instances in which he departed from the facts that I’m now determined to read the book that inspired the musical, Alexander Hamilton, the Founding Father’s biography written by Ron Chernow, as well as his Washington: A Life. I’ve also decided to rewatch a bio-documentary I watched a few years ago, called The Real George Washington, as well as HBO’s John Adams miniseries. Which is more American history than I’ve had since the seventh grade!
In the end, Hamilton: The Revolution helped me understand that this musical tells of at least three revolutions: the historical one fought between the Americans and the Brits, for sure, but also the revolution in thought that created the United States of America and that still exists in and helps define it today. Thirdly, the revolutionary nature of this play in music and in theater, and the way it plays notes to a song we won’t hear the whole of for years to come. And that song? That same revolution in thought and burning ambition that keeps people like Hamilton inspiring people of today.
With the Tony Awards scheduled for today, I couldn’t not pay tribute even in some small way to my current obsession, Hamilton: An American Musical. I can’t count the number of times I’ve listened to the soundtrack in the past week or two, but it was only this week that I started reading the book for it, Hamilton: The Revolution, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (the genius behind the book, lyrics, music, and titular performance for Hamilton) and his co-author Jeremy McCarter (who is also director of the Public Theater, where Hamilton was staged before moving to Broadway).
By the time I read this, the lyrics to the songs were nothing new to me, but I really appreciated the annotations by Miranda (and a few from McCarter), as they let me look at each song in a new light, and I found myself experiencing the feels all over again, and magnified at that, thanks to the context provided by those notes. It took me three days to read this book because I kept stopping to listen and re-listen to the songs.
And that’s not all. Between the annotated song lyric pages were chapters that explored Lin-Manuel Miranda’s writing and development process as well as all the work everyone involved in the production, from the director to the choreographer to the actors and more. Little details about what each person brought to make the story come alive onstage but also in terms of the words and music. Things like personal triumphs and tragedies and how they affected those who helped put the musical together made each song, each photo mean so much more, even though the lyrics held a rainbow of feels even without that additional information.
Being over 8,000 miles from New York, I haven’t had a chance to see the Broadway musical myself, nor will I have one in the immediate future, but somehow the descriptions of the direction and choreography really helped me solidify it in my imagination. And some of the details the authors shared about the decisions made for the choreography were things I felt would enrich the understanding and appreciation of someone who did see the musical, maybe even multiple times.
The overall result? The Hamilton soundtrack alone still chokes me up even after I’ve listened to it dozens of times, but several parts of Hamilton: The Revolution had me blubbering all over again, while others had me giggling or hugging myself in what we Filipinos call kilig (romantic sort of thrill). And there were enough notes on Miranda’s efforts to keep things historically accurate and the instances in which he departed from the facts that I’m now determined to read the book that inspired the musical, Alexander Hamilton, the Founding Father’s biography written by Ron Chernow, as well as his Washington: A Life. I’ve also decided to rewatch a bio-documentary I watched a few years ago, called The Real George Washington, as well as HBO’s John Adams miniseries. Which is more American history than I’ve had since the seventh grade!
In the end, Hamilton: The Revolution helped me understand that this musical tells of at least three revolutions: the historical one fought between the Americans and the Brits, for sure, but also the revolution in thought that created the United States of America and that still exists in and helps define it today. Thirdly, the revolutionary nature of this play in music and in theater, and the way it plays notes to a song we won’t hear the whole of for years to come. And that song? That same revolution in thought and burning ambition that keeps people like Hamilton inspiring people of today.
As Hamilton, the book of the musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda, it earns 5/5 stars- an unassailable masterpiece.
As “Hamilton the Revolution,” a historical and thematic exploration of the process that brought Hamilton the musical to life, it earns 4/5 stars. The unfortunate fact is that while everyone deserving gets their due here, certain aspects of the creation of something like this (lighting, costuming, etc) are simply less interesting than others, even if they’re just as integral to the cumulative effect of the show. And this is nothing if not a thorough retelling of the birth of one of our great dramas, so the author spends a decent amount of time on people who deserve recognition but don’t foster entertaining reading. Alas, that’s the only downside.
The upside is that the rest of the book - a rather clever chronological and thematic interweaving of the show’s origins and the show’s songs - is fascinating and inspiring. Even for a show as widely seen and consumed and pored-over as this, there are innumerable fun stories and crazy collaborations and generally unbelievable tales of the show’s long gestation period that only add to its mythological legacy. It turns out the way something as unbelievably impressive as Hamilton is made is equally as unbelievable.
It’s easy work for the author to draw themes from the show and connect them to each of its principal contributors, both because of the universality (not at the cost of insightfulness) of the show’s themes and the autobiographical nature of its creation. That was one of my favorite aspects of the book: learning how much Lin and his co-conspirators and cast mates all bounced off one another in a particle collider of pure creativity until the shape of the show....showed itself. Even better than that is reading all of Lin’s annotated lyrics, getting the inside scoop on nuances you’d never catch listening and discovering about 250 internal rhymes, references, and wordplays you never noticed.
Ultimately this is the most Hamiltonian book available, and it honors Lin and the show by honoring Lin and the show, throughly and specifically and effusively. If that’s not for you, it’s not for you and you already know if that’s the case. If, like me, you found yourself sort of dumbstruck by the so-clever-it’s-obvious-in-hindsight genius of painting a historical story with a contemporary palette, then this will only add to your considerable appreciation for all things Hamilton. It’s the authentic, original, authorized show companion and it fulfills that role with aplomb. OH and the whole thing is typeset like an old book and it looks sick in a library. Invest!
As “Hamilton the Revolution,” a historical and thematic exploration of the process that brought Hamilton the musical to life, it earns 4/5 stars. The unfortunate fact is that while everyone deserving gets their due here, certain aspects of the creation of something like this (lighting, costuming, etc) are simply less interesting than others, even if they’re just as integral to the cumulative effect of the show. And this is nothing if not a thorough retelling of the birth of one of our great dramas, so the author spends a decent amount of time on people who deserve recognition but don’t foster entertaining reading. Alas, that’s the only downside.
The upside is that the rest of the book - a rather clever chronological and thematic interweaving of the show’s origins and the show’s songs - is fascinating and inspiring. Even for a show as widely seen and consumed and pored-over as this, there are innumerable fun stories and crazy collaborations and generally unbelievable tales of the show’s long gestation period that only add to its mythological legacy. It turns out the way something as unbelievably impressive as Hamilton is made is equally as unbelievable.
It’s easy work for the author to draw themes from the show and connect them to each of its principal contributors, both because of the universality (not at the cost of insightfulness) of the show’s themes and the autobiographical nature of its creation. That was one of my favorite aspects of the book: learning how much Lin and his co-conspirators and cast mates all bounced off one another in a particle collider of pure creativity until the shape of the show....showed itself. Even better than that is reading all of Lin’s annotated lyrics, getting the inside scoop on nuances you’d never catch listening and discovering about 250 internal rhymes, references, and wordplays you never noticed.
Ultimately this is the most Hamiltonian book available, and it honors Lin and the show by honoring Lin and the show, throughly and specifically and effusively. If that’s not for you, it’s not for you and you already know if that’s the case. If, like me, you found yourself sort of dumbstruck by the so-clever-it’s-obvious-in-hindsight genius of painting a historical story with a contemporary palette, then this will only add to your considerable appreciation for all things Hamilton. It’s the authentic, original, authorized show companion and it fulfills that role with aplomb. OH and the whole thing is typeset like an old book and it looks sick in a library. Invest!
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
This book had everything that I hoped it would have: an in-depth look at Hamilton which I love, and an in-depth look at how it was made. Really strongly recommend this to anyone who knows and loves Hamilton
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
The first time I listened to Hamilton, I thought it was amusing and interesting. The more I listened to it, the more I started picking up on little things: musical and lyrical themes, the historical accuracy of the numbers, etc. But after reading this book, I have to conclude that Hamilton is truly a masterpiece.
From the start, I was fascinated by the in-depth look at the process of making Hamilton what it is, from a single song rapped at the White House to a full-fledged musical. Lin connected with so many people, asked for and was given advice, got inspiration in the most random places. Watching the creative processes behind it was amazing—everything was thought-out and purposeful, which Lin's side notes like to point out to you. The articles were equally intriguing, telling the story of the musical as a whole, but focusing simultaneously on the different people who made it happen: the cast, the music director, the costume designer, the choreographer, the set designer, even the lights people. Every little thing had a purpose.
Another things that stuck out to me is that Lin is really knowledgeable about rap. Like, my brothers won't listen to Hamilton, presumably because it's Broadway rather than "real rap," but there were so many places where Lin's hip-hop knowledge left me in the dark (admittedly, not hard to do). But this wasn't someone like me making a rap musical, it was a dude who really knows rap, who can point out the different influences in his lyrics, internal rhyme, different plays on words that rappers really excel at. He made the musical and wrote the lyrics to intentionally blend modern hip-hop with history, to make diverse actors play a historically white cast, further unifying Hamilton's world with today's world in a brilliant way.
(Side note: I didn't give the book 5 stars because the book really just points out the amazingness of the musical; it isn't necessarily amazing in and of itself.)
From the start, I was fascinated by the in-depth look at the process of making Hamilton what it is, from a single song rapped at the White House to a full-fledged musical. Lin connected with so many people, asked for and was given advice, got inspiration in the most random places. Watching the creative processes behind it was amazing—everything was thought-out and purposeful, which Lin's side notes like to point out to you. The articles were equally intriguing, telling the story of the musical as a whole, but focusing simultaneously on the different people who made it happen: the cast, the music director, the costume designer, the choreographer, the set designer, even the lights people. Every little thing had a purpose.
Another things that stuck out to me is that Lin is really knowledgeable about rap. Like, my brothers won't listen to Hamilton, presumably because it's Broadway rather than "real rap," but there were so many places where Lin's hip-hop knowledge left me in the dark (admittedly, not hard to do). But this wasn't someone like me making a rap musical, it was a dude who really knows rap, who can point out the different influences in his lyrics, internal rhyme, different plays on words that rappers really excel at. He made the musical and wrote the lyrics to intentionally blend modern hip-hop with history, to make diverse actors play a historically white cast, further unifying Hamilton's world with today's world in a brilliant way.
(Side note: I didn't give the book 5 stars because the book really just points out the amazingness of the musical; it isn't necessarily amazing in and of itself.)
This is a very charming and insightful look at what it takes to make a Broadway musical happen. From ideas to execution, each song (or set of songs) is introduced, and then the full text comes after, with annotations by Miranda. The annotations are a joy, as they cover things from musical influence to cast direction to just jokes or information he wants to share. A must read for anyone who loves Broadway, or history, or the convergence of the two.
I saw Hamilton in Chicago with little to no information about it and was absolutely blown away. This incredibly detailed inside look at it helps to explain why it has that same effect on so many: the complete musical genius of Lin-Manuel Miranda, among other things. I loved getting insight into his thought processes and absolutely devoured this book while simultaneously reliving the experience through the soundtrack. Love, love, love this book and the musical!
notes that I found cool and screenshotted
- “Of course, the actors who play Mulligan and Lafayette fight with him as friends in Act One and fight with him as his enemies, Madison and Jefferson, in Act Two. It's also true of Laurens/Philip, who “dies for him" in both acts.” -
- “Of course, the actors who play Mulligan and Lafayette fight with him as friends in Act One and fight with him as his enemies, Madison and Jefferson, in Act Two. It's also true of Laurens/Philip, who “dies for him" in both acts.” -