Alexander Hamilton: American

Interesting, because of its interesting subject. However, it could have been better written, especially the opening chapters. Hamilton was a man of ideas and words, and these are not coherently portrayed until late in the work. Ultimately, though, it is of great interest, with particularized, insightful portraits of Hamilton, Burr, Jefferson, Washington, Adams, Monroe and others.

Not a bad, short book on Hamilton's life, but I thought it started off far stronger than it ended. Richard Brookhiser has a nice, airy style early on, but as the book progressed, he got a bit more academic. I think too, that some of Hamilton's positions could've been fleshed out a bit more.

About half way through the book, I decided Mr. Brookhiser is not as enamored with Alexander Hamilton as he is with other Founders. I didn't find the same passion in his writing. Upon further reflection, I realized my interest was not as piqued with Mr. Hamilton as it is with other Founders.

I found that more and longer comparisons to other contemporaries of Mr. Hamilton were made. Frequently, other pen-friendly Founders earned several pages of coverage; often, nary a mention of our first Secretary of Treasury was made. This is understandable. Very little is known of Hamilton's youth and correspondence with his wife was burned by her after his death. Richard Brookhiser does note Hamilton as being the most prolific Founder, but his show more missives tended to be for the public consumption and topical not personal.

Alexander Hamilton could easily be the most interesting Founder. His story incorporated a shrewd mind for rights and governance with a healthy dose of licentiousness. He strove to institute a central bank that would entail more government involvement in personal life, but he was also an unabashed abolitionist. His death combined honor and illegality.

I appreciate this book for providing Hamilton's biography. I understand what I considered tangents, were necessary to provide social context. And I greatly enjoy Richard Brookhiser's matter-of-fact conveying information without excusing or admonishing his subject. My enthusiasm for this book waxed and waned, depending on what was being discussed at the time. show less

Enjoyable, concise - nice balance of the personal and the historical context.

Not as good as Chernow's, but still a decent bio of Hamilton (and slightly less extensive).

A good, insightful look into the life of a very interesting fellow, indeed. It's short and to the point.

Here's my favorite Hamilton quote contained in the book:

"At all times, men are disposed to forward principles to support themselves . . . We have been careful that when one party comes in, it shall not be able to break down and bear away the others . . . To watch the progress of such endeavors is the office of a free press. To give us early alarm and put us on our guard against the encroachments of power . . . To make the people exercise their own functions. Never can tyranny be introduced into this country by arms; these can never get rid of a popular spirit of inquiry. . . It is to be subverted only by a pretense of adhering to all show more the forms of law, and yet by breaking down the substance of our liberties." show less

Brookhiser, of National Review fame, present a slim and survey look at Hamilton. Good quick read, at times comes across as necessarily academic.