Alexander Hamilton

I really enjoyed reading about the life of Alexander Hamilton. Chernow gives great historical detail about Hamilton's life. It's a long book, but the rich vocab keeps the reader turning the pages of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys United States history during this period of time. ( )

I listened to the unabridged audio book from Audible, but I can't find an ISBN for that. Also, late 2007 was my second read/listen of this book -- I first listened to it in late '05. Here's the review I wrote for it on Facebook's "I'm Reading" app:

Fan-freakin'-tastic biography! Hamilton is by far the most fascinating of the 5 core founders in my opinion. I've listened to the 37 hour audiobook twice, now. Hamilton was incredibly intelligent, important, prolific, complex, flawed and in the end, dangerous. He's probably the only one of them who accurately envisioned America as we have become. He also royally pissed off both Jefferson and Adams, so that the only thing the two of them could agree on for much of their lives was that Hamilton was a villain -- thus, (see John Adams by David McCullough) we have a large body of correspondence between them trashing Hamilton (often justified) while Jefferson, also a deeply flawed man and possibly America's greatest hypocrite, improbably comes out smelling like a rose.
( )

Excellent biography on all counts. Covers the many contradictory facets of this figure and dazzles you with the force of his achievements, yet also makes you sympathize with him, from his rise from obscurity to his sudden fall. ( )

After winning many accolades for biographies set during America's Gilded Age, Ron Chernow turns his attention to the revolutionary times of the early American republic with "Alexander Hamilton." In a lengthy volume, Chernow attempts to solve the riddle of the enigmatic figure whose powerful arguments likely secured the ratification of the Constitution and whose financial system as the first Secretary of the Treasury laid the foundation for, and seemingly still guides, the wildly successful American economy.

Of those most prominent in early American history, Hamilton surely is the most unlikely founding father. Born to an unwed couple in the Caribbean, Hamilton arrived in New York an apparent orphan in 1774. Though he began courses at what is today known as Columbia University, he withdrew from school to focus on the difficulties with Britain, eventually joining the Continental Army. The ambitious Hamilton was recommended for George Washington's personal staff, eventually rising to the rank of colonel.

After the war, Hamilton pursued a law career in New York City. However, his interest in politics commanded most of his attention. Named a delegate to the convention charged with reviewing the Articles of Confederation, Hamilton became a tireless worker in helping to craft a new basis for the fledgling American government. After the Constitution was written, he worked tirelessly for its ratification, especially in his home state of New York. Toward this end, he teamed with John Jay and James Madison to write a series of newspaper articles explaining and defending the document; in short order, Hamilton wrote the majority of the essays, now known as "The Federalist Papers."

Based on the recommendation of Robert Morris, the Philadelphia merchant who frequently coordinated the funding for the Continental Army, Hamilton was Washington's unlikely candidate to head the new Treasury Department. To the close working relationship forged with Washington during the war and at the Constitutional Convention, Hamilton added an impressive financial acumen and solid political instincts that made him the first president's most trusted advisor. This prestige, though, made Hamilton a target, leading to political investigations and accusations that hounded Hamilton until his untimely death in a dual with then sitting vice-president Aaron Burr.

As might be imagined, Chernow finds much to relate in Hamilton's incredibly eventful life. Of special interest to Chernow is Hamilton's prodigious output of pseudonymous newspaper articles, government reports, political advice, and personal correspondence. Partially, this is because Hamilton was a man of ideas that have shaped American history; partially, though, it seems that Chernow is utterly amazed at how quickly Hamilton could write, sometimes turning out several polished pieces in a week. Alongside this, Chernow gives great attention to Hamilton's consistent honesty and his complex family relationships, including the strains he introduced to those relationships by admitting to an affair while serving as Secretary of the Treasury.

If there is one disappointing aspect of this immensely fine biography, it is that Chernow, like others before him, is unable to explain in much detail exactly how Hamilton gained such a sophisticated knowledge of economic philosophy, though he reports that the precocious young man read such treatises during his spare time while serving in the Army during the Revolutionary War. To his credit, though, Chernow deftly describes and contextualizes Hamilton's political and economic arguments. Beyond that, he draws on extensive research to offer a compelling portrait of this essential brilliant figure in United States history. ( )

What I really love about this book is that it is well-written. The author was able to present the events in Alexander Hamilton's life in a manner that excites the reader. The author was able to effectively impress upon the reader the hardships that he faced throughout his life and how he overcame them through sheer force of will. The author was also able to give us a unique insight in Hamilton's mind through his letters especially on the days before the infamous duel. The only comment I have for this biography, is that throughout the book, the author seems to transform from a neutral observer into an apologist defending Hamilton's worst mistakes. Overall however, I love this biography of Alexander Hamilton and I highly recommend it. ( )