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Alexander Hamilton

4.12 of 5 stars 4.12 · rating details · 9,281 ratings · 508 reviews

In the first full-length biography of Alexander Hamilton in decades, National Book Award winner Ron Chernow tells the riveting story of a man who overcame all odds to shape, inspire, and scandalize the newborn America. According to historian Joseph Ellis, Alexander Hamilton is “a robust full-length portrait, in my view the best ever written, of the most brilliant, charisma...more In the first full-length biography of Alexander Hamilton in decades, National Book Award winner Ron Chernow tells the riveting story of a man who overcame all odds to shape, inspire, and scandalize the newborn America. According to historian Joseph Ellis, Alexander Hamilton is “a robust full-length portrait, in my view the best ever written, of the most brilliant, charismatic and dangerous founder of them all.”

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.(less)

Paperback, 832 pages

Published March 29th 2005 by Penguin Books (first published April 26th 2004)

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Nov 19, 2007 Mike Mcfarland rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone interested in the early days of the Republic.

Alexander Hamilton will make you feel bad about yourself. When he was about 19 years old, he had not only graduated from Columbia University, he was also George Washington's aide-de-camp. When he was about 30, he was already one of the most successful lawyers in New York, he was responsible for writing the U.S. Constitution, and was in the process of building the U.S. Treasury Department from nothing. He was a genuinely brilliant and astonishing man.

But, he was also a very difficult man, and tha...more

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Jun 20, 2007 Joseph rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Students of History who want to learn the truth

I don't know that I have ever read a single book that so changed my perception of history. The Author is able to truly show the brilliance and importance of Hamilton's contribution to our government.
I have always had the mistaken perception that Hamilton was a hinderance to free Government and that it was Jefferson and Monroe that were the true authors. I learned that I could not have been more mistaken. Hamilton was a man of sheer genius. Raising from obscurity to being the founder of the basic...more

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Jan 28, 2009 Suzanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, american-history

This is an exhaustive work that took me quite a while to complete. I knew very little about Alexander Hamilton when I visited Nevis a few years ago and saw signs to his birthplace. Nevis is quite proud of this fact, as they should be. His birthplace is basically in ruins, a stone shack overrun with chickens and goats. Nothing more. Just a sign. The circumstances of his birth, his early life, his mother's imprisonment for alleged adultery, his father's descent into alcoholism and his ultimate ab...more

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Mar 14, 2009 Patty rated it 5 of 5 stars

“..greed can corrupt a state and that a public official who betrays his trust “ought to feel the utmost rigor of public resentment and be detested as a traitor of the worst and most dangerous kind.””

“..paper currency issued by the Continental Congress continued to sink precipitously in value..” “During one ghastly period in 1779, the continental dollar shed half its value in three weeks.”

“The 1792 financial panic came on the heels of……”

A letter from Wolcott.. “The public affairs are certainly in...more “..greed can corrupt a state and that a public official who betrays his trust “ought to feel the utmost rigor of public resentment and be detested as a traitor of the worst and most dangerous kind.””

“..paper currency issued by the Continental Congress continued to sink precipitously in value..” “During one ghastly period in 1779, the continental dollar shed half its value in three weeks.”

“The 1792 financial panic came on the heels of……”

A letter from Wolcott.. “The public affairs are certainly in a critical state. I do not clearly see how those of the Treasury are to be managed…”

Sound familiar?

‘If Washington was the father of the country and Madison the father of the Constitution, then Alexander Hamilton was surely the father of the American government.’

I’ve finished the novel Alexander Hamilton and stand in awe of the similarities reiterated in this biography of the man who created this country’s banking system and was responsible for the two party system plan as it relates to the condition of our country today.

He was a self-made man not without faults but with a true love of this country. The sway of emotion toward him had sharp contrasts. Love or hate him, you had to admire his intelligence.

This book took me quite a while to read, but kept me intrigued until the end. For anyone who loves history as much as I should read the fascinating rendition of this founding father and learn much about how this country’s systems came to be. From the criticism of President Washington’s choice of clothes for his inauguration to the creation of the very biased newspapers for each party you will see that nothing much has changed in the political scene since our founding.

I began this book in May of ’08 at the height of our Presidential campaigns. It seemed as I read, events unfolded much as they did back then. It amazed me how little has changed in politics.

Ron Chernow has captured the very essence of Alexander Hamilton and takes you back to the time of this country’s beginning in vivid detail.
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Jun 03, 2008 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: advisory-books-2007-2008

This book was really interesing! The only reason I was reading it was because I was researching on the creation of stocks, but once I started reading I enjoyed the book. This book is not like other biography books I've seen of our founding fathers. The book showed his personal life, and how his wife and him loved each other. This book was also really detailed, the author even mention about Hamilton's wife pregnancy. His wife even create a statue for him after his death. The part I found most int...more

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Apr 16, 2008 Arminius rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

When I read a book about a great person I look to find out what made the guy or girl tick, what drove him and what did he do in order to reach his goal. Ron Chernow ,in this great detailed book, answers some of these questions. For example, why is Hamilton against an agrarian economy that Jefferson supports? The answer lies in the fact that he grew up on a farm-rich Caribbean island and yet it was so poor a country.

I get to the end of the book where he is killed in his duel with Burr and unexpe...more

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Apr 10, 2008 Chab rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: all patriots.

Shelves: history, biography

As I have grown older, -I must confess.- my opinion of Thomas Jefferson has changed radically. I still grant him enormous credit as an architect, inventor, and prose stylist; however, I have become more and more estranged from his politics and methods. And I must confess again that this most excellent biography of Alexander Hamilton has only served to harden my revised opinion of Jefferson and the political Jeffersonians.

I approached this book knowing only the current mythological cant concernin...more

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Dec 12, 2007 Michael rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone interested in whether our Founding Fathers were aliens

Shelves: alive

in bios, often the velocity depends on the subject's life. Hamilton had the life: born into a mysterious and adulterous Caribbean family, miraculously makes it out to King's College in NY, and then on to be an aid-de-camp to Washington during the Revolution. from there he marries well, sleeps around, gleefully picks enemies, authors The Federalist Papers, more or less creates our Constitution, our financial system, duels poorly with another of the Founding Fathers.

but for some reason, the book w...more

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Sep 20, 2007 Nathan rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Disillusioned bank clerks.

Shelves: biography, history, history-politics

If there is a fault with this book, it is only that it is too long. (Roughly 27,000 pages.) It is an important study and a fresh look at one of the most important of all our founding fathers. Though Hamilton never got to be president, in forming the central bank and helping script the Federalist Papers, Hamilton has had a lasting effect on this country, more durable than the legacy of the vast majorities of our commanders-in-chief, and the book proves that. It also proves that many of Hamilton's...more

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Jun 24, 2007 Grumpus rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, biography, audiobook

This review is based on the audio download from [http://www.Audible.com]

Narrated by: Scott Brick

My Hamilton (as his wife called him), you are a great American! What a life and what an influence this foreign-born patriot had upon our fledgling nation.

I learned so much from this book from his positive relationship with Washington to how vehemently he was despised by Adams, Jefferson and his lackey, Madison.

How he was able to accomplish so much before his early (and IMHO, premeditated) death at the...more

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Aug 20, 2007 Caitlyn marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: thingsigaveupon

So, I haven't read this yet. but... I was just at the National Archives and our dear Alex was up on the great mural of the rotunda. He has a sword, spurs and a great white cape. Fabulous. I decided he was a Hamilton-guy through and through.

it also made me wish we'd gotten either that sword or those spurs when we graduated. Better than the cane...

Yeah, ok ... my attention span isn't nearly long enough for this. Luckily the library lets me keep it until January. (It may take that long)

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Jan 31, 2013 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography

Thorough, detailed, excellent biography of Alexander Hamilton, one of our Founding Fathers. I never knew very much about him, and this book raised him in my estimation to the very top, right up with Pres. George Washington (of the Founding Fathers). From a bleak upbringing in Nevis and St. Croix, to school in NYC, to fighting in the American Revolution. He was George Washington's Chief of Staff, his right arm. He became the Secretary of Treasury under Washington's administration, and set our cou...more

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Mar 03, 2012 John Kelley rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm enthralled by Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton. A tremendous insight of one of the most important personalities in American history. Throughout this biography, there is a strong effort to present Hamilton as he was with his weaknesses and his strengths. His early life in the West Indies prepared him for handling any situation he encountered except the weaknesses of the flesh. It is quite strange to note that Alexander Hamilton by 1800 was politically isolated just as Aaron Burr...more

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Sep 28, 2011 Richard rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is an exhaustively researched, authoritatively written life of the person Ron Chernow calls the foremost American political figure who never attained the presidency (I'd suggest Benjamin Franklin also to share this distinction, if you were discussing Founding Fathers in general; while Hamilton was disqualified for having been born at Nevis, in the Caribbean, Franklin was elderly by the time of the first U.S. Presidential term).

Chernow had previously made a name for himself as a biographer...more This is an exhaustively researched, authoritatively written life of the person Ron Chernow calls the foremost American political figure who never attained the presidency (I'd suggest Benjamin Franklin also to share this distinction, if you were discussing Founding Fathers in general; while Hamilton was disqualified for having been born at Nevis, in the Caribbean, Franklin was elderly by the time of the first U.S. Presidential term).

Chernow had previously made a name for himself as a biographer of nineteenth century business moguls (J.D. Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan) and settled on Alexander Hamilton in order to cover new literary ground. I found an internet interview with Kenneth Jackson and Valerie Paley in which Chernow stated he managed to get through Yale college without taking a history course. His love for researching and writing history is heartfelt, and it shows in his mastery of presenting the myriad details of a complex life in a highly understandable manner.

The author also based his choice of subject on the desire to present a balanced history of one of America's most influential figures, a figure who has never received the attention his famous contemporaries received. Part of this neglect, Chernow says, is due to the sheer daunting magnitude of trying to read Hamilton's writings. Important also is the effect of his political enemies, including Jefferson and Adams, who had decades to explain their actions during the critical years of the early American Republic before their deaths, while Hamilton literally wasted his life by allowing his huge need to meet any challenge to his personal honor, and inability to compromise, to draw him into a duel with Aaron Burr in Weehawken, New Jersey, causing his death at the age of 49. Thus, it is easy to dismiss him as an elitist or monarchist for his defense of the need to have a rational federal power of taxation in order to pull the nation from the poor economic health it suffered since the Revolution; his belief in the need to maintain a permanent professional military in view of the country's need to trade with Europe and secure its borders, when Great Britain, France and Spain were still maintaining a presence in North America; his advocacy of a strong chief executive to eliminate the fractiousness of the previous government under the Articles of Confederation; and in general his pragmatic foresight of America as a capitalist superpower.

Hamilton originally provided outstanding service to his adopted country during the Revolution. Only five years after arriving in New York under a subscription raised by his fellow West Indian citizens for the precocious lad to study at Kings College (now Columbia University), he was George Washington's wartime aide de camp. From then until the end of his life, he would be witness to practically every contemporaneous, significant American historical event. After heroic service at Yorktown, he would be a prime mover, along with James Madison, in calling for a Constitutional Convention. He would exert an enormous influence as an author, along with Madison and John Jay, of the Federalist Papers. Joining the first administration as the nation's first Treasury Secretary, the master theoretician would show his formidable executive powers. He became nothing less than the chief architect of the new American government. His nationalization of state Revolutionary debt bound the states together; his exertions to build a strong economy, based on a Central Bank, countered the prevailing views against credit, banks, stock markets and the value of a manufacturing base. He established the foundations of fiscal and monetary policy in the United States.

Not that all of this work toward shoring up a fragile government went unheeded by his enemies. Hamilton's labor toward establishing a vibrant economy backed by an energetic government became the basis of a political philosophy which didn't sit well with everybody. Simply put, Hamilton was an urban pragmatist who became the leader of the political faction which became known as the Federalists; his beliefs were strongly opposed by Thomas Jefferson's Republicans, with their belief in an ideal agrarian-based society (the Jefferson Republicans are not to be confused with the modern Republican party which came into being in the 1850's; these earlier Republicans actually became the philosophical basis of the modern Democratic party under Andrew Jackson). These two parties and their rival factions came into prominence after George Washington was succeeded by John Adams in Presidential office. Hamilton would find himself in the middle of all of the nation's political turmoils until his death. He would often be the cause of those conflicts. Even within his own party, he would, as leader of the "High Federalists", be in fierce conflict with other leaders sharing his party, including especially John Adams.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book on different levels. It is a great biography; I think it will be the standard reference on Alexander Hamilton for some time. It is also an effective testament to Ron Chernow's enthusiasm for studying history and writing about it. You can read this book for the most complete overview of the Colonial, Revolutionary and Early Republic phases of the American experience you can find.

Chernow contains a small detail on page 277 in his very interesting description of George Washington's inauguration in New York on April 30, 1789. Small details abounded about this day; overall, it was one of the most unforgettable days in American history, initiating, as it did, the succession of inaugurations that we have continued to mark as periodic turning points in our political process. I was fascinated how Washington and his entourage walked down Broadway after the swearing-in to worship at St. Paul's Chapel; try repeating that casual manner of traveling between inaugural events today. This passage prompted me to want to pay my own visit to the Chapel. It is a Georgian style building dating from 1766. It is a chapel of the beautiful Trinity Church, located several blocks away, at the intersection of Wall Street and Broadway. The first Trinity was destroyed in the Great New York City fire of 1776, and replaced by the second Trinity in 1790. Thus, St. Paul's was the most likely place available in '89 for services. The current Trinity structure was finished in 1846. Its graveyard contains the remains of Alexander Hamilton.

St. Paul's became George Washington's church during the first two years of his presidency. His pew is still there. St. Paul's has been a continuous landmark and place of worship in New York. It found itself in the center of a literal firestorm in 2001, when the Twin Towers collapsed nearby. The Chapel was unharmed, except for the toppling by debris on 9-11, of a hundred-year old sycamore tree. The tree's bronzed roots are the basis of a Tree Sculpture by artist Steve Tobin, located outside Trinity Church. St. Paul's was used extensively as a place of rest and refuge by 9-11 recovery workers. It continues to be repository of many impromptu memorials of 9-11.

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Mar 07, 2010 Jose rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

Why can´t we find monuments to Hamilton in our nation´s capital?
Read this as an audio book. You hear an endless account of his rise and fall through letters and documents. I guess that´s how you do history, but it is a bit tiring when you hear it narrated.

Jefferson comes out bad in this biography, and Aaron Burr, vice president and duel killer of Hamilton, comes out as a scoundrel.

Well documented and long history of one of the nation´s fathers who hailed from New York, and like many today cam...more

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Nov 12, 2008 Brad rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Now that I have spent the last several weeks with General Hamilton, pouring over all of his extensive accomplishments, and all his amazing writings that are encapsulated within this mammoth tome, I must admit to a very palpable sorrow here, at the very end. Of course, I knew how it ended-we all know how it ends-with Hamilton cut down by a bullet from the sitting Vice President of the United States; even still, I wasn't prepared for how heartbreaking an end it truly was. Like McCullough's John Ad...more

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Feb 08, 2008 Nate Cooley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-highly-recommend

In "Alexander Hamilton," Chernow has written a masterful biography. Long overlooked as one of the most influential figures in the developmental stage of the Republic, Ron Cherhow tackled the task of sketching Alexander Hamilton's life superbly. Unlike many of the other founders, namely Franklin, Washington, Jefferson, or Adams, relatively little has been writing about Hamilton. Frankly speaking, however, Hamilton played as great a role in the development of this country when compared to some of...more In "Alexander Hamilton," Chernow has written a masterful biography. Long overlooked as one of the most influential figures in the developmental stage of the Republic, Ron Cherhow tackled the task of sketching Alexander Hamilton's life superbly. Unlike many of the other founders, namely Franklin, Washington, Jefferson, or Adams, relatively little has been writing about Hamilton. Frankly speaking, however, Hamilton played as great a role in the development of this country when compared to some of the names listed above.

Chernow expends much energy elucidating Hamilton's very close relationship with General Washington which started during the Revolutionary War and extended up until Washington's death shortly after his presidency ended. During his presidency and after, Washington both confided in Hamilton and took counsel from him, thus solidifying Hamilton's position as the foremost advisor in Washington's cabinet. This fact alone elevates Hamilton to almost preeminent status.

Furthermore, Chernow describes the politics of the period, specifically how Hamilton's promotion of a national banking system and other Treasury functions led to the formation of the party system. Most notably, a continuing theme throughout the book deals specifically with Hamilton's role as founder of the federalist party and how he constantly feuded politically and personally with Jefferson, Madison, and Monrow as founders of the Republican party of the time.

With regard to this topic and Hamilton's politics in general, Chernow has defended Hamilton much to vociferously. Instead of telling the story of Hamilton's life, Chernow has taken on the ardor of an apologist. For eaxample, during his life, Hamilton was repeatedly painted (either appropriately or inappropriately) as a monarchist by his political enemies. Chernow has spent a considerable amount of space attempting to debunk this notion. However, in the final pages of the book Chernow himself admits that Gouverneur Morris, Hamilton's eulogist, worried aloud in his own diary that Hamilton "was on principle opposed to republican and attached to monarchical government." This is not to say that Hamilton did in fact harbor outright anti-republican and anti-constitutional feelings. In fact, to the contrary, Hamilton's greatest fear on behalf of the new nation was a secessionist movement perpetrated by Republicans in the South or other politcally malevolent factions. That said, however, from time to time Hamilton did express skepticism and other less-than-confident feelings with regard to the newly ratified Constitution. Though he worked tirelessly with Madison and John Jay in publishing the Federalist essays in the New York papers, Hamilton did not share Madison's nor Jefferson's absolute intrepidity with regard to the document.

Finally, the epilogue of Chernow's book specifically covers Eliza Hamilton and her life post-Hamilton's death. It seems entirely appropriate that the summation of a book about Alexander Hamilton is dedicated to his wife. Here was a woman who ardently supported her husband even after he had been forced to sheepishly broadcast to the world his marital indiscretions with Maria Reynolds. Furthermore, one cannot help but think compassionately of Eliza and her seven children as Chernow describes that fateful morning at Weehawken, New Jersey on the banks of the Hudson River. Chernow's chapter on "The Duel" was supremely written and as captivating as any climax to any novel ever written. Yet as I sat reading it, I could not help but think of Eliza and how oblivious she must have been to her husband's impending death.

Chernow's "Alexander Hamilton" is an incredible book even if it is interjected with somewhat less of an even-handed approach to the protagonist's life. It is highly readable and flows wonderfully. (less)

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Feb 01, 2008 Justin Spring rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I had to write a review of this book because Hamilton is, by far, my favorite founding father.

In 1772, 17 yr old Hamilton was an orphaned low-level clerk on the recently hurricane-devastated Caribbean island of St. Croix. By 1789, he was the first Secretary of the Treasury, having already been a decorated Revolutionary war hero, one of two primary authors of the famous 'Federalist Papers', founded and dominated America's first organized political party, and served on the Constitutional conventi...more

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Jan 28, 2008 Suzanne Wheatley rated it 5 of 5 stars

The U.S. as we know it would not exist without Hamilton. Not only did he create the finanical system, he also created the extensive trappings of the executive branch, including the president's cabinet. Charges that he was a monarchist may have been true, and are based on his recommendations at the Constitutional Convention. At any rate, like most ambitious men of the day (including the man who killed him, Aaron Burr), he had Napoleonic aspirations that may or may not have been ended by an amazin...more

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Jan 03, 2008 Dylan rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: the-american-revolution, politicalbiography

Alexander Hamilton, as our high school history textbooks neglect to tell us, was in fact as important a founder as Washington. Indeed, without Hamilton one could easily argue that Washington's presidency and the birth of the union would not have been so successful. Yes, without the loans Adams procured from Holland the revolution would have been in dire shape; without Franklin in France Yorktown may never have happened; and without Madison's instrumental politic intelligence in 1787 there may ha...more Alexander Hamilton, as our high school history textbooks neglect to tell us, was in fact as important a founder as Washington. Indeed, without Hamilton one could easily argue that Washington's presidency and the birth of the union would not have been so successful. Yes, without the loans Adams procured from Holland the revolution would have been in dire shape; without Franklin in France Yorktown may never have happened; and without Madison's instrumental politic intelligence in 1787 there may have been no union; but Hamilton was there to guide Washington and the country when they needed him most.

As the first Treasury Secretary, under the Constitution, Hamilton went about creating the national bank; excise taxes and tariffs that worked towards paying off debt accumulated during the revolution (both domestic and foreign), and supporting government projects; and perhaps most importantly, he lay the foundation for a strong federal government with ample, rather than superficial, executive power.

Often called a monarchist by his ironically aristocratic detractors such as Jefferson and Madison, Hamilton in fact came from an impoverished and orphaned childhood in the Caribbean and amazingly rose to Washington's Aide-de-camp and chief of staff after only a few years in the country. The story of Hamilton's life is an incredible one. He achieved in 49 years what most of us can only dream of accomplishing in a lifetime. But Chernow does not paint Hamilton as an angelic figure, rather as a man whose ambition and pride often served the nation and his family so well.

I, for one, am thankful that such a talented author took the time to research and write an authoritative biography of one of our country's greatest founding fathers. Known primarily as the hot-headed dueler killed by Aaron Burr, Chernow rightly focuses on those aspects of Hamilton's public life which so greatly benefited the country and continue to to this day. This is a must read book for any citizen of this country or aspiring republican (in the democratic sense). Chernow's talents suite Hamilton's genius well. One of the best biographies written on revolutionary figures rightly focuses on one of the single most important men of that time.(less)

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Mar 28, 2007 Ted rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone interested in American history

This is a damned good big biography of one of the most interesting figures in American history. Chernow takes us from Hamilton's mysterious Caribbean childhood to his Columbia education which a moving account of a hurricane in the island paper affords him to the battlefields of the revolution and George Washington's side, an unbelievable picaresque adventure if it wasn't true. From there, the biographer of the robber barons takes us into the structuring of the American economy. Hamilton comes of...more

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Sep 05, 2007 Dan Robbins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely brilliant and a major must for anyone interested in the Revolutionary period of American history. Very readable, the author has a no holes barred approach to this remarkable man of true vision. Hamilton managed to stir up trouble where ever he went and managed to incur the wrath of Jefferson (automatically making him a hero), Adams, and Burr for his outspokenness and keen vision. It's remarkable that from his vantage point in the agrarianism of late 1700s he could visualize a banking...more

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May 24, 2008 Cassidy Cassidy rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: celebrity fanatics with long attention spans.

An incredible tale. This truly American story has combines every ingredient of classic American folklore. A bright, hard-working immigrant outsmarts and out-maneuvers his upper-class rivals to reach the pinnacle of power. On the way up, there is idealism, romantic intrigues, and the budding of a celebrity. On the way down, this shooting star maintains his idealism despite a heinous sex scandal that was disastrously handled and a growing rivalry with a striving "intriguer". And it all ends with a...more

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Mar 11, 2009 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review integrates my thoughts on two books: The Business of May Next by William Lee Miller, and Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.

The Most Influential Founding Father

My son had to write a school essay on which Founding Father has had the most lasting influence on U.S. government. Nearly everyone agrees that this is no easy choice, since there are several of them who were indispensable to the founding, and several others who were indispensable to setting the stage for the founding to begin....more

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Dec 19, 2008 David rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a book that can only be described as magisterial. Epic in length, engrossing in its details, Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton has to be the authoritative account of the great man’s life. At nearly 800 pages, it covers his unique upbringing and the insights it brought him into free trade and slavery, along with fascinating details (like how his Sephardic teacher taught him the Decalogue in Hebrew, a lifelong point of pride for the philo-Semite), and the whole trajectory of t...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Robert Laird rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is an amazingly detailed look at the personal, political and emotional life of probably the greatest American who wasn't ever president. The author made it clear that no other single individual is more responsible for how our government operates, than Alexander Hamilton. A close confidant, assistant and friend to George Washington, Hamilton's frenetic intellect was better governed by that association, and we are all the better for it. What struck me most was how very little different the po...more

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Feb 08, 2013 Ralph Hermansen rated it 5 of 5 stars

This 731 page biography is a compelling read! Alexander Hamilton had such a full and varied life, that any biographer would have his hands full to do it justice. I feel that Chernow did an excellent job of making the book read more like an exciting novel than the usual dry historical document. The young Hamilton was already demonstrating his abilities as a highly competent manager with a detailed knowledge of how any job should be done. However, it was Hamilton's excellent writing skill that got...more This 731 page biography is a compelling read! Alexander Hamilton had such a full and varied life, that any biographer would have his hands full to do it justice. I feel that Chernow did an excellent job of making the book read more like an exciting novel than the usual dry historical document. The young Hamilton was already demonstrating his abilities as a highly competent manager with a detailed knowledge of how any job should be done. However, it was Hamilton's excellent writing skill that got him off the islands and into the 13 colonies.

Hamilton worked hard to improve himself getting an accelerated education. Concurrently, the colonies were moving rapidly towards revolt against British tyranny. Hamilton sided with the revolution and was eager to join the revolutionary army. He had an affinity for military life and his excellent performance promoted him to an important post directly under Gen. George Washington. As Washington's chief aide, Hamilton made things happen, regardless of what the assignment was. Although he wanted to be fighting, his administrative abilities were essential to winning the war.

When the British were finally beaten, Washington was elected president, Adams was his vice president, and Hamilton became secretary of the treasury. He was a dynamo of activity, doing more than a team of people could do. He developed the first bank, developed and ran a tariff program, and transformed the embryonic government into a world-class operation. He almost single-handedly ran the government for Washington. Hamilton had learned that the loose Federation of states was a weak structure where states avoided their responsibilities to the nation. For example, they were woefully late and deficient in paying their troops.

Hamilton wanted to build a strong national government to replace this weak Federation of states. He was the major author of the Federalist Papers, which argued for a revised constitution giving greater powers to the nation. Thomas Jefferson fought hard and long against Hamilton's efforts in this regard. With Washington's backing, Hamilton pushed through his programs with brilliance.

We also get to see Hamilton as a human person, having extraordinary abilities but also naivety and overzealousness. One example of his naivety was when a woman in financial trouble seduced him and then with the aid of her husband blackmailed Hamilton into paying for their silence and continuing the affair. The affair was tragic in that it not only damaged Hamilton's reputation, but soiled his otherwise perfect marriage. He had a wife who was fully devoted to him and maintained that devotion for 50 years after his death.

Chernow also develops the other important characters of colonial times. We see the kind of man that George Washington was and we are helped to understand the dynamic between Hamilton and Washington. Thomas Jefferson is portrayed as a devious character constantly trying to undermine the hard tasks that Hamilton has taken on. James Madison was Hamilton's friend and collaborator, during the writing of the Federalist Papers. However, their relationship soured as Hamilton succeeded more and more to strengthen the federal government. John Adams became president after George Washington left the office. He is portrayed as a petty, egotistical and grudge-holding individual, with a special dislike for Alexander Hamilton. Despite the antagonism, Hamilton exerted his influence on the presidential cabinet, which Adams inherited and maintained. Finally Aaron Burr keeps popping up in the story even as early as Hamilton's first appearance in the 13 colonies. Aaron Burr, of course, is the one to eventually kill Hamilton in a duel.

I highly recommend this book not only for its entertainment value, but also for its rich historical value made interesting through the authors great writing talent.

Ralph Hermansen, April 4, 2012 (less)

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Jan 26, 2013 Andrew Rostan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Alexander Hamilton, who has a solid gold statue in Chicago, always fascinated me more than any other founding father because he has a picture on a very common unit of currency but was never a) President or b) a figure of magnificent mythos in the manner of Benjamin Franklin. My curiosity to know more about him led me to buy Chernow's book during my college years and found it satisfied said curiosity in spades. I decided to reread it as part of my marathon non-fiction perusal in counterpart to "T...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Susanclouse rated it 4 of 5 stars

Finally finished this 700 + pages of this book. Must have strong wrists to hold up these heavy hardback novels. Kindle is sounding better, but not there yet.
I did enjoy reading this very detailed book for several reasons: 1 It's always amazing to me how someone from such dire circumstances can overcome their poverty, lack of education and poor reputation due to his family background. 2 It was interesting to read about the peers of Hamilton. Men like Washington, Burr, Jefferson, Madison and Monro...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Regina Lindsey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

If you are interested in American History this is a MUST read, for as Chernow notes, "In all probability Alexander Hamilton is the foremost political figure in American history who never attained the presidency, yet he probably had a more lasting impact than many who did." (pg 4)

Chernow presents the facts of Hamilton's life as well as explores the psychology of the man. Although Hamilton's life was cut short, Chernow's piece is 731 pages full of incredible research that provides the best balance...more If you are interested in American History this is a MUST read, for as Chernow notes, "In all probability Alexander Hamilton is the foremost political figure in American history who never attained the presidency, yet he probably had a more lasting impact than many who did." (pg 4)

Chernow presents the facts of Hamilton's life as well as explores the psychology of the man. Although Hamilton's life was cut short, Chernow's piece is 731 pages full of incredible research that provides the best balance in a biography I've read to date.

Beginning in Nevis in the British West Indies Chernow presents Hamilton's Huguenot background and explains his illegitimate status which had more to do with his mother's determination to free herself of a vindictive man creating a conundrum for herself. She was imprisoned for adultery and granted a divorce only with the caveat that she never be allowed to remary. Thus, when James Hamilton came into the picture Rachel could not legally marry. However, Hamilton's political critics later used his birth status to denote a much more sinister background. His early years laid the foundaiton for his later life. He was bilingual (French/English), he had a strong religious background that he would return to later in life, he felt deeply the abandonment of his father, he developed a strong aversion to slavery, developed a dread of tyranny and disorder, became astute in financial matters through his job as a clerk, and gained a tireless work ethic as he worked toward leaving the island and moving to America.

Hamilton was a college student when the first signs of dissention came to bear between the Colonies and the Crown. It is during this time that his gift of pen and speech becomes noted among leaders. Although initially sympathizing with the British, Hamilton soon entered the Revolutionary cause and showed a strong penchant for military strategy as well as paternal protection over troops in his command. Hamilton soon caught the attention of George Washington and soon became Washington's most trusted Aide. This was the beginning of a relationship that would last a lifetime. In the beginning Washington served as a mentor to the young Hamilton. Although frustrated with Washington's relunctance to allow Hamilton a more active role in the military, the relationship eventually grew to one of friends on equal status by the end of Washington's life. Hamilton was at his best when under the guidance of Washington.

The trust he gained from Washington led to his appointment as Treasury Secretary where he leaves his most indelible mark. As Treasury Secretary, Hamilton created the Coast Guard, devised a plan to take care of American debt through assumption, established the first bank, created the tax system, established the Customs Service, laid the foundation for capitalism, helped establish judicial review, and allowed the US to enjoy a credit rating equal to European countries.

While accomplishments were many, controversy did follow Hamilton

1. There is a great deal of controversy surrounding Hamilton's private life. First, there is a great deal of conjecture over the true nature of his relationship with John Laurens. Hamilton was certainly devastated when Lyons was killed during the Revolutionary War. Second, there is an unusually flirtatious relationship with his sister-in-law (his wife, Eliza's sister). Finally, there is the seemingly sexual obsession he seems to have with Maria Reynolds which appears to be a set up by her and her husband resulting in a prolonged blackmail scheme that was eventually made public.

2. The feud between Hamilton and Jefferson is often credited or blamed for the creation of a strong two party system in our political process.

3. Once unchecked by Washington Hamilton could be uncontrollable and appear volatile.

Obviously, no biography on Hamilton would be complete without a comprehensive examination of his relationship with Vice President Burr and the events that led to the deadly duel that took Hamilton's life. (less)

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About Ron Chernow

Ron Chernow was born in 1949 in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating with honors from Yale College and Cambridge University with degrees in English Literature, he began a prolific career as a freelance journalist. Between 1973 and 1982, Chernow published over sixty articles in national publications, including numerous cover stories. In the mid-80s Chernow went to work at the Twentieth Century Fund...more Ron Chernow was born in 1949 in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating with honors from Yale College and Cambridge University with degrees in English Literature, he began a prolific career as a freelance journalist. Between 1973 and 1982, Chernow published over sixty articles in national publications, including numerous cover stories. In the mid-80s Chernow went to work at the Twentieth Century Fund, a prestigious New York think tank, where he served as director of financial policy studies and received what he described as “a crash course in economics and financial history.”

Chernow’s journalistic talents combined with his experience studying financial policy culminated in the writing of his extraordinary first book, The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance (1990). Winner of the 1990 National Book Award for Nonfiction, The House of Morgan traces the amazing history of four generations of the J.P. Morgan empire. The New York Times Book Review wrote, “As a portrait of finance, politics and the world of avarice and ambition on Wall Street, the book has the movement and tension of an epic novel. It is, quite simply, a tour de force.” Chernow continued his exploration of famous financial dynasties with his second book, The Warburgs (1994), the story of a remarkable Jewish family. The book traces Hamburg’s most influential banking family of the 18th century from their successful beginnings to when Hitler’s Third Reich forced them to give up their business, and ultimately to their regained prosperity in America on Wall Street.

Described by Time as “one of the great American biographies,” Chernow’s Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. (1998) brilliantly reveals the complexities of America’s first billionaire. Rockefeller was known as a Robber Baron, whose Standard Oil Company monopolized an entire industry before it was broken up by the famous Supreme Court anti-trust decision in 1911. At the same time, Rockefeller was one of the century’s greatest philanthropists donating enormous sums to universities and medical institutions. Chernow is the Secretary of PEN American Center, the country’s most prominent writers’ organization, and is currently at work on a biography of Alexander Hamilton. He lives in Brooklyn Heights, New York.

In addition to writing biographies, Chernow is a book reviewer, essayist, and radio commentator. His book reviews and op-ed articles appear frequently in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. He comments regularly on business and finance for National Public Radio and for many shows on CNBC, CNN, and the Fox News Channel. In addition, he served as the principal expert on the A&E biography of J.P. Morgan and will be featured as the key Rockefeller expert on an upcoming CNBC documentary.
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Books by Ron Chernow

Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance

The Warburgs: The Twentieth-Century Odyssey of a Remarkable Jewish Family

The Death of the Banker: The Decline and Fall of the Great Financial Dynasties and the Triumph of the Small Investor

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Quotes from Alexander Hamilton

“Perseverance in almost any plan is better than fickleness and fluctuation. (Alexander Hamilton, July 1792)” — 7 people liked it

“[Philip's death was] beyond comparison the most afflicting of my life.... He was truly a fine youth. But why should I repine? It was the will of heaven and he is now out of the reach of the seductions and calamities of a world full of folly, full of vice, full of danger, of least value in proportion as it is best known. I firmly trust also that he has safely reached the haven of eternal repose and felicity. (Alexander Hamilton letter to Benjamin Rush about the death of his 19-year old son from mortal wounds inflicted from a duel.)” — 3 people liked it

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