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alexa_gee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
The best narration ever!
Marked as finished (I think I've listened to the whole thing by now) but I'll honestly just pop on any chapter when I'm driving or doing housework.
Easy to get in to, very informative.
I would break this up by reading other stuff at the same time.
In terms of actual content: just excellent. Ron Chernow clearly has a great respect for Hamilton and writes very well.
It is academic in style but not too dry.
Marked as finished (I think I've listened to the whole thing by now) but I'll honestly just pop on any chapter when I'm driving or doing housework.
Easy to get in to, very informative.
I would break this up by reading other stuff at the same time.
In terms of actual content: just excellent. Ron Chernow clearly has a great respect for Hamilton and writes very well.
It is academic in style but not too dry.
aceinit's review against another edition
5.0
Incredibly detailed and vividly written to bring life not only to its subject, but to the other Founding Fathers and denizens of Hamilton's world. Don't let the size of this volume intimidate you. It is easily one of the most engaging biographies I have ever read, and it has me excited to read more of Chernow's work.
art3mis9's review against another edition
3.0
Ok I admit I only got through about half but I have read enough. Interesting, but long winded. Putting this book to bed.
purplepierogi's review against another edition
4.0
finished this!! i actually really enjoyed it. you know the broad strokes from high school, of course, but it was neat to dive into the details and compare notes w the musical. Lin Manuel Miranda brought Ron Chernow on as the historical consultant for Hamilton, so, lol. it is funny how some things were lifted verbatim for Hamilton lyrics -- I mean, we're drawing from one well it seems, but I still respect it! the cabinet battles, especially, I was surprised to hear mirrored the exact arguments and considerations were really at stake. Lin is genuinely so talented.
overall I do have more respect for the LMM's storytelling abilities, in seeing just how much had to be edited and condensed down into cohesive narratives and themes. Burr seems more human and developed in the musical (in this telling he seems peripheral and so conniving. also as an aside he really was best friends with his daughter Theodosia and would write her letters about his lovers and comment on their appearances, ah!). of course there were many political battles that just didn't make the musical -- one striking thing is how Hamilton personally interrogated members of the whiskey rebellion for upwards of two days (eep!) and how upon his death he left Eliza and 7 children in v dire financial straights, to the pt that his friends had to come together and pool money to help them survive. there's other stuff like how Hamilton had a healthy dose of skepticism about democracy and expected the constitution to fail, and it seems like they were about to have a civil war every couple of years lol.
overall I do have more respect for the LMM's storytelling abilities, in seeing just how much had to be edited and condensed down into cohesive narratives and themes. Burr seems more human and developed in the musical (in this telling he seems peripheral and so conniving. also as an aside he really was best friends with his daughter Theodosia and would write her letters about his lovers and comment on their appearances, ah!). of course there were many political battles that just didn't make the musical -- one striking thing is how Hamilton personally interrogated members of the whiskey rebellion for upwards of two days (eep!) and how upon his death he left Eliza and 7 children in v dire financial straights, to the pt that his friends had to come together and pool money to help them survive. there's other stuff like how Hamilton had a healthy dose of skepticism about democracy and expected the constitution to fail, and it seems like they were about to have a civil war every couple of years lol.