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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Ebook was loaned from library had to return it.
informative
slow-paced
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
i feel like i would have enjoyed this more if my native language was english
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Such a pertinent book to the current times.
informative
slow-paced
I’m seeing Hamilton in less than a week so obviously I gotta read the book that literally inspired Lin to write the musical! And wow this was a hefty book!! 700 pages and very small lettering and it’s non fiction so like very much not binge reading worthy but eh, I did it!!
1) Lin read this on vacation at the beach and uhm idk how he did that cause this is so not a beach read lol
2) There were some things that the musical changed or left out (I mean duh). But there’s more than just 3 Schuyler sisters! Haha nothing changed THAT much but it was cool to read and be like oooh I know more than the normal theater kid about Hamilton!
3) Burr is like BARELY in this book. It’s crazy cause the musical is like almost solely about Hamilton and Burr’s relationship and uhm Burr was mentioned maybe twice until page 600 (of 700). Like obviously he’s a big character at the end cause he killed Hamilton but idk the musical made it seem like they were buddies for a long time and that’s just not true. They had the same circle of “friends” for a while but never had any sort of partnership/friendship at all.
4) The duel at the end was interesting cause in the musical you’re seeing it in Burr’s POV and he think Hamilton is actually gonna kill him cause he’s putting on his glasses and whatnot. But actually, Hamilton had told multiple people he was gonna shoot in the sky like he didn’t even tell his fam about the duel. Also in the musical it says Hamilton is shot between his ribs like in my head that means he’s shot like in the heart but in the book/actuality, he’s shot above his hip.
5) speaking of duels THEY ARE SO DUMB. Like seriously idk how that was a thing in the 1800s like THAT WASNT THAT LONG AGOO!!! Anyways yeah it was so annoying reading about his death cause it was so incredibly avoidable. Also the whole duel started cause Hamilton was saying shitty things about Burr in the newspaper like BRO THATS IT?? Hamilton literally wrote a whole freaking pamphlet about how horrible John Adams was lol but there was no dumb duel for that?!?!
6) Jefferson. Man. He was a BIG player in the book and I mean he’s important in the musical but not as big as you should’ve been. I swear half of this was about Jefferson. Honestly most of his arguments with Hamilton were so freaking boring I def lost focus. But mannnnn they were head butting for like 300 pages!!!
7) it’s weird seeing the musical first and then reading the book cause I kept imagining Phillipa Soo and Lin Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr and Daveed Diggs and Oak whenever their “characters” were mentioned. Halfway through the book there were the actual paintings that people made of them and I was like nnooooo that’s not what they look like🤣🤣
8) Hamilton’s a hoe. Sorry I said what I said. He was definitely getting freaky with Maria Reynolds and idk i think after reading his letters he was also fooling around with Angelica and John Laurens. Like bro was crazy in that sense and it didn’t help his political life or her personal life AT ALL.
9) I have mixed feelings about Hamilton in general. Like he’s an important guy don’t get me wrong. He was CRUCIAL in early America specifically the financial state of the nation. BUT that guy had no chill. He was way too brash, slammed like 10+ people in the newspaper multiple times and I mean don’t get me started on the whole Reynold’s Pamphlet BS. I mean how stupid can you get?!?!?!
10) also kind of screw James Madison cause he used to be buddies with Hamilton and they wrote the federalist papers and were cute writing friends and then BOOM straight enemies.
11) it was cool to see how some direct quotes made it straight from real life to the musical!
okay slightly running out of thoughts. In conclusion, this book was hefty and I mean it’s non fiction which isn’t my thing. But it was good enough. If it wasn’t for Hamilton though I probably wouldn’t have read it. If you want to learn about Hamilton, I’d suggest you just listen to the musical. Cause this took up HOURSSS of my time and idk nothing beats rapping about history.
1) Lin read this on vacation at the beach and uhm idk how he did that cause this is so not a beach read lol
2) There were some things that the musical changed or left out (I mean duh). But there’s more than just 3 Schuyler sisters! Haha nothing changed THAT much but it was cool to read and be like oooh I know more than the normal theater kid about Hamilton!
3) Burr is like BARELY in this book. It’s crazy cause the musical is like almost solely about Hamilton and Burr’s relationship and uhm Burr was mentioned maybe twice until page 600 (of 700). Like obviously he’s a big character at the end cause he killed Hamilton but idk the musical made it seem like they were buddies for a long time and that’s just not true. They had the same circle of “friends” for a while but never had any sort of partnership/friendship at all.
4) The duel at the end was interesting cause in the musical you’re seeing it in Burr’s POV and he think Hamilton is actually gonna kill him cause he’s putting on his glasses and whatnot. But actually, Hamilton had told multiple people he was gonna shoot in the sky like he didn’t even tell his fam about the duel. Also in the musical it says Hamilton is shot between his ribs like in my head that means he’s shot like in the heart but in the book/actuality, he’s shot above his hip.
5) speaking of duels THEY ARE SO DUMB. Like seriously idk how that was a thing in the 1800s like THAT WASNT THAT LONG AGOO!!! Anyways yeah it was so annoying reading about his death cause it was so incredibly avoidable. Also the whole duel started cause Hamilton was saying shitty things about Burr in the newspaper like BRO THATS IT?? Hamilton literally wrote a whole freaking pamphlet about how horrible John Adams was lol but there was no dumb duel for that?!?!
6) Jefferson. Man. He was a BIG player in the book and I mean he’s important in the musical but not as big as you should’ve been. I swear half of this was about Jefferson. Honestly most of his arguments with Hamilton were so freaking boring I def lost focus. But mannnnn they were head butting for like 300 pages!!!
7) it’s weird seeing the musical first and then reading the book cause I kept imagining Phillipa Soo and Lin Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr and Daveed Diggs and Oak whenever their “characters” were mentioned. Halfway through the book there were the actual paintings that people made of them and I was like nnooooo that’s not what they look like🤣🤣
8) Hamilton’s a hoe. Sorry I said what I said. He was definitely getting freaky with Maria Reynolds and idk i think after reading his letters he was also fooling around with Angelica and John Laurens. Like bro was crazy in that sense and it didn’t help his political life or her personal life AT ALL.
9) I have mixed feelings about Hamilton in general. Like he’s an important guy don’t get me wrong. He was CRUCIAL in early America specifically the financial state of the nation. BUT that guy had no chill. He was way too brash, slammed like 10+ people in the newspaper multiple times and I mean don’t get me started on the whole Reynold’s Pamphlet BS. I mean how stupid can you get?!?!?!
10) also kind of screw James Madison cause he used to be buddies with Hamilton and they wrote the federalist papers and were cute writing friends and then BOOM straight enemies.
11) it was cool to see how some direct quotes made it straight from real life to the musical!
okay slightly running out of thoughts. In conclusion, this book was hefty and I mean it’s non fiction which isn’t my thing. But it was good enough. If it wasn’t for Hamilton though I probably wouldn’t have read it. If you want to learn about Hamilton, I’d suggest you just listen to the musical. Cause this took up HOURSSS of my time and idk nothing beats rapping about history.
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
It's hard to find the words for how impressive and enjoyable this book was. I cannot imagine the research and organization it took to bring it all together. But Ron Chernow brings it together in a compelling, interesting and readable book about the guy who became the subject of the play. The hostility between our founders is amazing, as is Hamilton's life. How does a bastard, orphan etc etc etc become such a leader and integral part of our nation's founding? Chernow brings it together. Yes, there are parts that are a bit dry, but overall the impact of this book is immense. Yes, we know the ending. Yes, I loved the musical. Yes, I'm a few years late getting on board with the book. But I'm immensely happy I picked it up and finished it. It's as compelling and well written a book and biography as I've read. Has to be in the top five list of personal favorites.