You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
saxifrage_seldon's review against another edition
4.0
While I really liked the book, most are familiar with it in that it is the main inspiration for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 2008 Broadway adaptation of it, entitled "Hamilton." The biography not only charts Hamilton’s entire life but also his family lineage both in Scotland and the Caribbean. Moreover, it ends not so much with Hamilton’s death at the hands of Aaron Burr but instead with his wife, Eliza, and how she and her sons worked in preserving Hamilton’s legacy throughout the early half of the nineteenth century. The book highlights all of the notable moments of Hamilton’s life, whether it was his hard upbringing in the Caribbean, how he came to New York, his role in the American Revolution, his relationship with George Washington, and the fact that he feuded with just about every other Founding Father, his various writings including "The Federalist Papers," his scandalous affair with Maria Reynolds, and his death.
In addition to hitting all of the central moments of Hamilton’s life, Chernow also focuses on his temperament and his own inner character. He presents Hamilton as extremely complex, both publicly and personally. First off, Chernow paints Hamilton as someone who, as they aged, became less constrained in their temperament. He seemed to be driven by his sense of honor, and if he felt that honor had been violated, he wasn’t one to back away from a fight. He wasn’t just reactionary, however, but also perpetrated multiple feuds, whether in print (which seemed to be his favorite medium for attacking others), or publicly. Secondly, Chernow notes that Hamilton was deeply devoted to his wife, especially as he became older. However, this didn’t stop him from engaging in an affair with the married Maria Reynolds, nor did it stop rumors of numerous other illicit affairs Hamilton had with others, including his sister-in-law Angelica, or even his close friend, John Laurens. Thirdly, Chernow doesn’t deny that Hamilton was driven by power and ambition. However, Chernow also argues convincingly that Hamilton, despite the charges of many of his contemporaries, was not an agent for the British Crown, and that he never profited from his time in office. In fact, the central reason Hamilton gave up his role as Treasury Secretary under the Washington administration was because he had no money to support his family and needed to go back to practicing law. Fourth, this can also be seen in Hamilton’s view on slavery. Hamilton was a fierce abolitionist, who not only argued against slavery but regularly chided other Founding Fathers, like Thomas Jefferson, even writing, “Who talks the most about freedom and equality? Is it not those who hold a Bill of Rights in one hand and a whip for affrighted slaves in the other? Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature.” That said, despite his personal misgivings, Hamilton never pushed the issue much while in government, particularly with his mentor, the slave-owning George Washington. Moreover, Hamilton even purchased slaves for family members.
Despite this, Chernow seems to have written this book not only as a biographical work but also as a narrative. Just like Miranda’s Broadway hit, Hamilton is presented as “young, scrappy, and hungry,” and emblematic of the American dream, whose star rose from the ashes of a tragic childhood to become one of the most powerful men in the young United States. Moreover, it can be seen with other structural choices. The most notable of these is how Chernow doesn’t present Hamilton’s life as a series of moments but instead as relationships. Even though Aaron Burr doesn’t play a major role in Hamilton's life until near the end of it, Chernow constantly makes sure to track the seemingly parallel rise of Burr throughout the book as a means of foreshadowing what is to come. This is also shown through Hamilton’s other feuds, whether it be with Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, or John Adams. Each of these feuds stems from a mini-biography of each of these individuals.
To conclude, Chernow sets out to showcase the vast importance of Alexander Hamilton in the construction of the United States. To Chernow, Hamilton was extremely flawed, but at the same time extremely ambitious, industrious, and smart. While Hamilton seemingly looked out for the good of both his country and family, he also succumbed to petty feuds and carnal pleasures that not only imperiled them but also his reputation. By the end of this book, whether you come away loving Hamilton, hating him, or you’re somewhere in the middle, you cannot leave this book without acknowledging his historical importance. It is for these reasons that I would recommend this book.
In addition to hitting all of the central moments of Hamilton’s life, Chernow also focuses on his temperament and his own inner character. He presents Hamilton as extremely complex, both publicly and personally. First off, Chernow paints Hamilton as someone who, as they aged, became less constrained in their temperament. He seemed to be driven by his sense of honor, and if he felt that honor had been violated, he wasn’t one to back away from a fight. He wasn’t just reactionary, however, but also perpetrated multiple feuds, whether in print (which seemed to be his favorite medium for attacking others), or publicly. Secondly, Chernow notes that Hamilton was deeply devoted to his wife, especially as he became older. However, this didn’t stop him from engaging in an affair with the married Maria Reynolds, nor did it stop rumors of numerous other illicit affairs Hamilton had with others, including his sister-in-law Angelica, or even his close friend, John Laurens. Thirdly, Chernow doesn’t deny that Hamilton was driven by power and ambition. However, Chernow also argues convincingly that Hamilton, despite the charges of many of his contemporaries, was not an agent for the British Crown, and that he never profited from his time in office. In fact, the central reason Hamilton gave up his role as Treasury Secretary under the Washington administration was because he had no money to support his family and needed to go back to practicing law. Fourth, this can also be seen in Hamilton’s view on slavery. Hamilton was a fierce abolitionist, who not only argued against slavery but regularly chided other Founding Fathers, like Thomas Jefferson, even writing, “Who talks the most about freedom and equality? Is it not those who hold a Bill of Rights in one hand and a whip for affrighted slaves in the other? Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature.” That said, despite his personal misgivings, Hamilton never pushed the issue much while in government, particularly with his mentor, the slave-owning George Washington. Moreover, Hamilton even purchased slaves for family members.
Despite this, Chernow seems to have written this book not only as a biographical work but also as a narrative. Just like Miranda’s Broadway hit, Hamilton is presented as “young, scrappy, and hungry,” and emblematic of the American dream, whose star rose from the ashes of a tragic childhood to become one of the most powerful men in the young United States. Moreover, it can be seen with other structural choices. The most notable of these is how Chernow doesn’t present Hamilton’s life as a series of moments but instead as relationships. Even though Aaron Burr doesn’t play a major role in Hamilton's life until near the end of it, Chernow constantly makes sure to track the seemingly parallel rise of Burr throughout the book as a means of foreshadowing what is to come. This is also shown through Hamilton’s other feuds, whether it be with Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, or John Adams. Each of these feuds stems from a mini-biography of each of these individuals.
To conclude, Chernow sets out to showcase the vast importance of Alexander Hamilton in the construction of the United States. To Chernow, Hamilton was extremely flawed, but at the same time extremely ambitious, industrious, and smart. While Hamilton seemingly looked out for the good of both his country and family, he also succumbed to petty feuds and carnal pleasures that not only imperiled them but also his reputation. By the end of this book, whether you come away loving Hamilton, hating him, or you’re somewhere in the middle, you cannot leave this book without acknowledging his historical importance. It is for these reasons that I would recommend this book.
sharknado_21sussy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
samw623's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. I've been wanting to read this tome for over a decade, and now I've at last completed it.
A delightfully detailed read of a flawed Founder. Adored learning of this man's impressive, abbreviated life.
A delightfully detailed read of a flawed Founder. Adored learning of this man's impressive, abbreviated life.
longtimewish's review against another edition
4.0
"Alexander Hamilton never needed to worry about leading a tedious, uneventful life. Drama shadowed his footsteps."
Una vez leí a alguien decir que Chernow no podría escribir una lista de supermercado sin llegar a las cinco mil palabras. Creo que es la descripción más perfecta de la prosa de este autor. Y creo que es más que apropiado que un historiador que nunca se queda corto de palabras haya escrito una biografía sobre un hombre que simplemente no podía parar de escribir.
Recién este año llegué al hype de Hamilton, y como soy una nerd, después de haber leído un par de cosas sobre él y compañía en internet, lo primero que hice fue buscar una biografía del tipo. Esta biografía es muy buena y muy completa, Chernow investigó a fondo y se nota. Algunas de sus especulaciones me parecieron interesantes, otras estuve de acuerdo, y con un par en contra (como cuando especula que Hamilton tal vez nunca le puso a una hija Rachel porque le tenía bronca a la madre... y mirá solo tuvo dos a las que nombró como las mujeres más cercanas a él, andá a saber como le hubiera puesto a una tercera hija). Y sí, no me molesta que un historiador especule mientras deje en claro que esas son sus propias opiniones y no las trate de disfrazar como hechos o verdades absolutas.
La mayor contra de este libro es que Chernow a veces desarrollaba algunos temas demasiado (por ejemplo en el capítulo de The Federalist Papers, por un lado me alegra que haya explicado varios puntos para tener una mirada a las ideas políticas de Hamilton, por otro lado si quisiera leer The Federalist Papers, habría leído The Federalist Papers), y tenía una capacidad para irse por las ramas y estirar un tema que habría hecho sentir a Hamilton orgulloso. Aún así, es una buena lectura que me enganchó, y solo tardé más de dos meses en leerla porque pausaba mi lectura por semanas porque pasaron cosas.
Alexander Hamilton fue un hombre muy interesante, con una vida increíble llena de idas y venidas. Disfruté mucho conociendo su historia a fondo (aunque a veces me perdía un poco por mi desconocimiento de historia estadounidense, tengo que buscar algún libro sobre su revolución ayer). Despido este año con una buena lectura (que tal vez TAL VEZ me hizo llorar).
PD: Todavía no puedo creer que Lin-Manuel Miranda leyó este libro y pensó "Alto musical se puede hacer con esto" his miND
Una vez leí a alguien decir que Chernow no podría escribir una lista de supermercado sin llegar a las cinco mil palabras. Creo que es la descripción más perfecta de la prosa de este autor. Y creo que es más que apropiado que un historiador que nunca se queda corto de palabras haya escrito una biografía sobre un hombre que simplemente no podía parar de escribir.
Recién este año llegué al hype de Hamilton, y como soy una nerd, después de haber leído un par de cosas sobre él y compañía en internet, lo primero que hice fue buscar una biografía del tipo. Esta biografía es muy buena y muy completa, Chernow investigó a fondo y se nota. Algunas de sus especulaciones me parecieron interesantes, otras estuve de acuerdo, y con un par en contra (como cuando especula que Hamilton tal vez nunca le puso a una hija Rachel porque le tenía bronca a la madre... y mirá solo tuvo dos a las que nombró como las mujeres más cercanas a él, andá a saber como le hubiera puesto a una tercera hija). Y sí, no me molesta que un historiador especule mientras deje en claro que esas son sus propias opiniones y no las trate de disfrazar como hechos o verdades absolutas.
La mayor contra de este libro es que Chernow a veces desarrollaba algunos temas demasiado (por ejemplo en el capítulo de The Federalist Papers, por un lado me alegra que haya explicado varios puntos para tener una mirada a las ideas políticas de Hamilton, por otro lado si quisiera leer The Federalist Papers, habría leído The Federalist Papers), y tenía una capacidad para irse por las ramas y estirar un tema que habría hecho sentir a Hamilton orgulloso. Aún así, es una buena lectura que me enganchó, y solo tardé más de dos meses en leerla porque pausaba mi lectura por semanas porque pasaron cosas.
Alexander Hamilton fue un hombre muy interesante, con una vida increíble llena de idas y venidas. Disfruté mucho conociendo su historia a fondo (aunque a veces me perdía un poco por mi desconocimiento de historia estadounidense, tengo que buscar algún libro sobre su revolución ayer). Despido este año con una buena lectura (que tal vez TAL VEZ me hizo llorar).
PD: Todavía no puedo creer que Lin-Manuel Miranda leyó este libro y pensó "Alto musical se puede hacer con esto" his miND
kail97's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
Read more like a narrative then a biography. I used it as professional development in how to work effectively in government
stevelawler's review against another edition
5.0
An amazing life, well-told. Also, a captivating recap of the history of the Revolution and the early days of the Republic. My view of Jefferson is forever changed.
cornmaven's review against another edition
4.0
Very good, but I couldn't focus enough with the audio to get enough out of it.
lindzlovesreading's review against another edition
4.0
I have watched the Muscial Hamilton multiple times as soon as it arrived on Disney +. That and the soundtrack has been my balm for 2020. So I have songs like Waiting, My Shot, Satisfied and Who Tells your Story constantly in my head as I read it's source material. And I was absoutley trying to it Renee Elise Goldsberry's notes, I sound like a strangled cat. What was interesting was I could see the beats and moments that Lin-Manuel Miranda lifts from the Ron Chernow biography. It was intersting to see the adation.
The book itself is great. It's incrediably readable, and the book really plays around with how much of a Drama Queen Alexander Hamilton was. It felt from Ron Gernow's view of Hamilton he thrived on the competion and the drama it created. Him and Jefferson it seemed like to play in Parisan Politics almost for the hell out it, purely because of the debate and argument and the other person will no win. It feels like the running theme of American Poltics that the $10 Founding Father without a Father helped usher in. Well that and the modern banking system. But more importantly drama.
The book itself is great. It's incrediably readable, and the book really plays around with how much of a Drama Queen Alexander Hamilton was. It felt from Ron Gernow's view of Hamilton he thrived on the competion and the drama it created. Him and Jefferson it seemed like to play in Parisan Politics almost for the hell out it, purely because of the debate and argument and the other person will no win. It feels like the running theme of American Poltics that the $10 Founding Father without a Father helped usher in. Well that and the modern banking system. But more importantly drama.
lesserjoke's review against another edition
5.0
This definitive biography of America's controversial Founding Father is meticulously-researched, exhaustively-detailed, and above all engaging to read. It really brings the past to life, especially in relating the political struggles that took place after the Revolution as Alexander Hamilton and other patriots pursued different visions of what was best for the new country. Although history has not always viewed our first Treasury Secretary favorably, author Ron Chernow shows him as a man of genius who made an incredible positive impact in his few short years shaping America. The tragedy of Hamilton's life and death makes for a great Broadway musical, but this book that directly inspired the play is well worth reading on its own.