Alexander Hamilton in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Sep 29, 2015 Renata rated it it was amazing

Shelves: nonfiction, history, grownup

Best Bestsellers bonus episode: http://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers...

Is this getting a bonus star because of inspiring Hamilton the musical? YES PROBABLY my reviews are all subject to personal WHIMSY.

Anyway, I never would have picked this up if it weren't for Hamilton the musical. But Hamilton the musical wouldn't exist if it weren't for this book!

Chernow does a great job of fleshing out Hamilton as a smart, scrappy, irritating human being (with an A++++ wife, also a human being) as opposed t ...more

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Feb 22, 2016 Ryan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, nonfiction, 2016

An incredible piece of American history that is deftly told despite its length. fans of the musical will be especially interested in discovering lyrics pulled from actual letters and records.

That said, next time I decide to listen to a 40 hour audiobook, remind me that I can read 700+ pages in far less time than that.

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Jun 15, 2016 Shelley rated it liked it

Shelves: 2016, history, nyc

3.5? 3.75? The life and times of Alexander Hamilton. I didn't exactly love this, but I also couldn't put it down. And when I finished, I felt a little bereft without him, wishing there was more to read. It was, as others note, interesting to see what Lin-Manuel Miranda chose to include in the musical, seeing lines that became songs and chapters that were ignored. I think this is a good, comprehensive look at A.Ham--obviously sympathetic, but also showing his paranoia, the chips on his shoulder, 3.5? 3.75? The life and times of Alexander Hamilton. I didn't exactly love this, but I also couldn't put it down. And when I finished, I felt a little bereft without him, wishing there was more to read. It was, as others note, interesting to see what Lin-Manuel Miranda chose to include in the musical, seeing lines that became songs and chapters that were ignored. I think this is a good, comprehensive look at A.Ham--obviously sympathetic, but also showing his paranoia, the chips on his shoulder, etc. I'm sure he was insufferable at many times, even as he was also gentle and wonderful (or feminine, as many contemporaries said). I found myself infuriated with Madison, Monroe and Jefferson, though, and I don't think the view of them was particularly comprehensive, very rarely showing any good or intelligence in them at all. Chernow also seemed to use Maria and James Reynolds' lack of writing ability as shorthand for their lack of intelligence, though he had already mentioned Eliza had similar issues with spelling and grammar. By the time we hit the end and he said that Burr's sexual appetite may have been enhanced by killing Hamilton, I knew I couldn't trust his perspective on any other person he'd written about besides Hamilton and maybe Eliza and Angelica. Come on, seriously? He also tried to tie things back to Hamilton's mother in many instances where I think it was really unwarranted, especially in regards to his romancing women. He likes that bit of psychological stuff a lot, but denied that a man calmly putting his affairs in order and spending his final days happy with friends and family is actually very common in people who have decided they will die and it's finally going to be over soon.

Let's see, specifics: the bits on Angelica and Laurens were super interesting. You have to wonder what would have happened had he and Laurens been able to work together on the government, giving Hamilton a true political partner and friend. Hamilton's swooning over Eliza was adorable His forethought, and working on learning about governing while still fighting in the war was impressive. All the major precedents he set into place blew me away. The idea that parties were thought to be monarchical and to be avoided (until, of course, they couldn't) was fascinating. It was infuriating to realize that politics haven't changed in 250 years--our partisan 24 hour news channels are no different from the partisan newspapers then. Politicians are just better at hiding their identities when they give information to them to slam their counterparts. (All of the pseudonyms were hilarious and bizarre!) Also, dude, Hamilton sockpuppeted himself. Many times. Seriously--nothing has changed in 250 years. We just find new mediums to do the same horrible things.

One conclusion Chernow made resonated with me--about 24 years of slave holding presidents, and how these three were seen as voices of the people, while self-made abolitionist immigrant Hamilton was seen as an apologist for privilege and weath. All of Eliza's 50 years of work couldn't erase their work discrediting him. No wonder Hamilton was depressed in his final years, with the constant attacks on him. I seriously loved how Eliza refused to forgive Monroe when he tried to mend fences without apologies 30 years on. Eliza, you rock. ...more

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