A Fatal Friendship: Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr
by Arnold A. Rogow
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In A Fatal Friendship, Arnold Rogow offers a readable account of the conflicted and ultimately fatal relationship between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, a dramatic story with a bang-up ending. The book circles in on that final deadly encounter, discussing the two men's youth, Revolutionary War service, and families and friends, then progressing through the 1780s and 1790s, taking us ever nearer to July 11, 1804. Final chapters detail the duel and its aftereffects, and an epilogue glances show more at the two men's treatment at the hands of history. As this rapid stride through two lifetimes might suggest, the book is more a character study than a chronological history, focused on the development and emotional evolution of its two protagonists in relation to their final encounter. As Rogow himself explains it, his book suggests that "the deeper causes of the duel are to be found in the dark recesses of their relationship and in the personal histories that shaped both their characters and that relationship" (p. xi). In the final outcome, Hamilton garners much of the responsibility for his duel with Burr. In Rogow's words, Hamilton's "character structure was more impaired than Burr's, and that as a consequence he was more at fault in bringing their relationship to a violent end" (p. xiv)--From a book review by the historian Joanne B. Freeman on H-Net. show lessTags
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A look at the difficult and ultimately tragic relationship between two of America’s founding fathers.
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Founding Father
104 works; 11 members
Best U.S. History Books (1754-1828)
363 works; 18 members
Author Information
9 Works 155 Members
Arnold A. Rogow has taught at Stanford University, the University of Iowa, and the City University of New York
Common Knowledge
- People/Characters
- Alexander Hamilton; Aaron Burr
- Important events
- Burr-Hamilton Duel (1804-07-11)
Classifications
- Genres
- History, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir
- DDC/MDS
- 973.4 — History & geography History of North America United States Constitutional period (1789-1809)
- LCC
- E302.6 .H2 .R64 — History of the United States United States Revolution to the Civil War, 1775/1783-1861 Biography (Late eighteenth century)
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 99
- Popularity
- 325,690
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (4.33)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 2
