Book Description
Provides a basic short life of one of the major American Founding Fathers.This biography focuses equally on his personal life and public career. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good on facts, annoying on appraisal.
I'll be concise too.If you want to know about Hamilton, this book will inform you.I think it's just "okay" because it's hopelessly biased.Hamilton is a legend of the early Republic, obviously, but Mitchell's effluent praise at every page gets a little tired.My reading was that there is a constant undertone of protecting and "correcting" Hamilton's legacy from criticism that while he was a giant among the forefathers of America, he was statist, a bit of an arrogant self-promoter, and given at least to the appearance of having special affinity for the moneyed elite.Mitchell's rehabilitation of these wicked theories, that may paint Hamilton in a fairer light I might add, are denied limply at every turn, and frankly, contradict themselves and are based on subjective statements.It got old.There was a lot along the lines of, "Some say that Hamilton's work in the Treasury opened up the country to the domination of monopoly capitalism.This isn't true, because he clearly thought the country and public would benefit most from a policy favoring and using the resources of those who might do the most for the economy."I'm not sure that simply saying that makes the criticism ring hollow.My point is, over and over Mitchell states a criticism, which usually sounds pretty logical to me, and then "disproves" it by just baldly denying it and moving on.I'm not saying Hamilton was an evil man or anything silly like that.The book just could have done better to describe an historical giant of a man with all his flaws rather than deny that any could be there at all.The continual implicit critiques of Jefferson, Hamilton's philosophical opponent, got a little tiring too.Another example of contradiction:"Jefferson owned slaves, Hamilton did no such thing."See?Hamilton is clearly better in that sense.But then the book has to also note immediately that Hamilton did once buy a slave for his mother-in-law, and at any rate he wasn't running any agrarian operations that people like Jefferson used slaves in.Whoops.Or that his marriage into the Schuyler family wasn't based on trying to get a leg up in social status, clearly a marriage of love, which rang a little hollow and hyperbolic.Again, I'm not saying he was a cold-hearted philanderer, just that it seems more that Mitchell just doesn't like the sound of that idea more than he disproves any logical observation that that might be true.Or, the statement that no one did more than Hamilton in the Constitutional Convention, though Mitchell is also forced to mention that Hamilton was gone for five straight weeks during it.Hamilton wrote the Federalist Papers, and is one of the most famous founding fathers.But while Mitchell's story of Hamilton is excellent, his appraisal of the man is a little cartoonish.Hamilton in his impact on the country is a B, B+.Mitchell says it's ridiculous to think he's anything other than an A+.I have to disagree; he's not God. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Are The Reviews Correct?
I read the review made by the School Library Journal and thought that it did not give this book a fair review.This book is said to be a "dry account" and "is unlikely to spur any interest or excitement in readers".I beg to differ.As an eighth grade student, I would be at the correct age to read this book, and I believe that, although the book also reflects the negative aspects of Hamilton's life, it also portrays him as a true hero and is sure to spark any young reader's interest in the life of Alexander Hamilton. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Building on biographies by Richard Brookhiser and Willard Sterne Randall, Ron Chernow's Alexander Hamilton provides what may be the most comprehensive modern examination of the often overlooked Founding Father. From the start, Chernow argues that Hamilton's premature death at age 49 left his record to be reinterpreted and even re-written by his more long-lived enemies, among them: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Monroe. Hamilton's achievements as first Secretary of the Treasury, co-author of The Federalist Papers, and member of the Constitutional Convention were clouded after his death by strident claims that he was an arrogant, self-serving monarchist. Chernow delves into the almost 22,000 pages of letters, manuscripts, and articles that make up Hamilton's legacy to reveal a man with a sophisticated intellect, a romantic spirit, and a late-blooming religiosity.

One fault of the book, is that Chernow is so convinced of Hamilton's excellence that his narrative sometimes becomes hagiographic. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Chernow's account of the infamous duel between Hamilton and Aaron Burr in 1804. He describes Hamilton's final hours as pious, while Burr, Jefferson, and Adams achieve an almost cartoonish villainy at the news of Hamilton's passing.

A defender of the union against New England secession and an opponent of slavery, Hamilton has a special appeal to modern sensibilities. Chernow argues that in contrast to Jefferson and Washington's now outmoded agrarian idealism, Hamilton was "the prophet of the capitalist revolution" and the true forebear of modern America. In his Prologue, he writes: "In all probability, Alexander Hamilton is the foremost figure in American history who never attained the presidency, yet he probably had a much deeper and more lasting impact than many who did." With Alexander Hamilton, this impact can now be more widely appreciated. --Patrick O'KelleyBook Description
From National Book Award winner Ron Chernow, a landmark biography of Alexander Hamilton, the Founding Father who galvanized, inspired, scandalized, and shaped the newborn nation.

Ron Chernow, whom the New York Times called "as elegant an architect of monumental histories as we've seen in decades," now brings to startling life the man who was arguably the most important figure in American history, who never attained the presidency, but who had a far more lasting impact than many who did.

An illegitimate, largely self-taught orphan from the Caribbean, Hamilton rose with stunning speed to become George Washington's aide-de-camp, a member of the Constitutional Convention, coauthor of The Federalist Papers, leader of the Federalist party, and the country's first Treasury secretary. With masterful storytelling skills, Chernow presents the whole sweep of Hamilton's turbulent life: his exotic, brutal upbringing; his brilliant military, legal, and financial exploits; his titanic feuds with Jefferson, Madison, Adams, and Monroe; his illicit romances; and his famous death in a duel with Aaron Burr in July 1804.

For the first time, Chernow captures the personal life of this handsome, witty, and perennially controversial genius and explores his poignant relations with his wife Eliza, their eight children, and numberless friends. This engrossing narrative will dispel forever the stereotype of the Founding Fathers as wooden figures and show that, for all their greatness, they were fiery, passionate, often flawed human beings.

Alexander Hamilton was one of the seminal figures in our history. His richly dramatic saga, rendered in Chernow's vivid prose, is nothing less than a riveting account of America's founding, from the Revolutionary War to the rise of the first federal government. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (225)

We Need Hamiltion Now!!
Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton brings to life a man who was central to the formation of the United States, but is most often remembered, if at all, for being killed in a duel with Aaron Burr in 1804. He traces the arc of Hamilton's life from his birth in poverty on an obscure Caribbean island, to his days as a pampleteer in New York, his roles as aide-de-camp to General Washington and hero during the Revolutionary War, his authorship of most of the Federalist Papers, and his role as the first Secretary of the Treasury of the new United States government. Hamilton was a fiery writer and debater who believed in a strong central government, often quarreling with Jefferson, Madison, and other founding fathers. This intense behavior also led to an affair with a married woman whose husband blackmailed him, and his ultimate undoing in his feud with Aaron Burr. Alexander Hamilton has received mostly positive reviews. The Rocky Mountain News calls it "a book that does such a fine job, not only of bringing Alexander Hamilton to full and varied life but of providing the reader, as well, with a richly textured picture of the America that was emerging from the blood and turmoil of the Revolutionary War."
[...]

The Life of Alexander Hamilton
Chernow has brought Alexander Hamilton into the pantheon of our greatest founding fathers. Without question, one feels the purpose of his book is to give credit where credit was due, especially when considering the attention that has been given to other key founders. Perhaps Chernow is a bit too focused on this issue which tends to lead to an overly praiseworthy account of Hamilton, but I think he can be forgiven to a certain extent. Without doubt, Hamilton was a brilliant man and a major player in the creation of a strong, central federal government. We also see the family man and the notable personal attributes of Alexander Hamilton, but we see the foibles in his character and the mistakes he made. We also see the politics of his day and the nastiness of it. Notable figures are discussed at some depth, including Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Adams and Burr, but many others as well, including Hamilton's early and later acquaintances, his wife Eliza and their children and many others. In my case, I learned much to increase my appreciation of Hamilton's contributions to our nation and much to admire in his character, as well as things that weren't so admirable.

The identity problems associated with a turbulent and transient childhood are the natural focus of the beginning of this book. This becomes the backdrop to understanding the sharp contrast he creates with his own family in later years. His role in the commercial sphere of American life and the Revolutionary War play hugely important roles in the shaping of the man to become such a predominant force in American politics. The most critical relationship forged during the Revolutionary War years is without a doubt that forged with General Washington (future first president). Hamilton and Washington both shared the same critically important views on the necessities for a strong federal government. The nature of their relationship is quite acutely discussed, e.g. how each one had his own strengths and needed the talents of the other. It was during the Washington administration that Hamilton was brought onboard as the first secretary of the treasury.

He tackled the issues of the assumption of state debts incurred during the war, creating a national bank, fostering the growth of commerce, promoting those who helped to create the wealth needed for a robust economy, promoting a stronger military, creating aids to navigation and other maritime commercial needs and so forth. Hamilton's vision was one of economic diversity and growth through commerce. The competing world view for others followed the Jeffersonian model, which was more agrarian in concept and was more limited government (in a nutshell). Needless to say, you will see this clash of visions for America's future in the battles that raged between Jefferson and Hamilton and their respective supporters. Jefferson does not come off looking that good in Chernow's book. If you're looking for evaluations of some of these important founders, you'll get a good dose of it here.

The later period of Hamilton's short life takes on a dramatic turn as we see the loss of a son, the lead up to the infamous duel with Aaron Burr, and the aftermath. In trying to offer an informative, yet concise review of Chernow's book, there is much noteworthy material I've left out, but I hope the general themes of the book have been at least partially revealed. As mentioned earlier, I learned much more about the life of Alexander Hamilton than I would have otherwise known. I've gained greater appreciation for the man and his contributions. But I think the greatest lesson I've learned is that none of these founding fathers, who are so often put on a pedestal and utterly revered, were infallible. Indeed, they were all too human after all.

Most Important Founding Father?
Long, but almost reads like a suspense novel as the history of the early United States unfolds before your eyes.The brilliant Hamilton was heavily involved in the American Revolution as Washington's right hand man and in the Constitutional Convention as a primary organizer andcontributor.He was the primary author of the Federalist papers and primary apologist for the ratification of the Constitution (Chernow places Madison in 2nd place on both counts).Most importantly he was the principle organizer of the new government during the Washington administration.

An unbelievably effective and creative implementer, he knew his job and everybody else's.If one of his colleagues just suggested an idea to him, he might show up with a 100 page plan of organization within a few days, gleaned from the latest books from Europe on military matters, economics, fiscal policy, manufacturing, or government.He eventually had more staff members in his department than the President and the rest of the cabinet members put together.After he left Washington the remaining cabinet members continued to rely on him.Adams kept Washington's cabinet and Hamilton's active influence continued into that administration while he maintaining a private law practice.His policies of US assumption of state war debt, central banking, standardized currency, a customs service with coast guard, federalization of import tax, manufacturing subsidies, and liberal constitutional interpretation (among many other things) were all interrelated, creating a stronger federal government than many wanted.Once established, it would have been difficult for anyone who followed him to break down this intermeshed system.When the opposition party of Jefferson finally took over, they discovered how well Hamilton's systems worked in the strong economy they had inherited.Tinkering with his systems lost its appeal and Hamilton's influence remained intact.

Unfortunately, Hamilton was not as good a politician.As charming and endearing as he was, he consistently made enemies, becoming a major adversary in the partisan insultfests of the era. He committed many outrageous errors in judgement, particularly when not subject to Washington's moderating supervision. His idealistic thinking eventually led to his tragic death at the hands of Aaron Burr, covered in great detail by Chernow.

The downside of this book is excessive hero worship by the author, particularly before Hamilton leaves the moderating influence of Washington.In the last half, Hamilton's faults are well-covered, but if the author is to be believed, the sheer talent and energy of this man are almost superhuman.

Washington comes off well, whereas Adams is portrayed as a completely ethical but marginally effective president, tormented by a cabinet controlled by the private citizen, Hamilton. Interestingly, Hamilton and Adams agreed on most things and could have made a strong team if either had exercised a modicum of diplomatic skills. Chernow's Jefferson was devious and partisan, but effective.The trio of Madison, Monroe, and Jefferson came off poorly, though - I think because these Virginians' views were so influenced by the politics dictated by their geography.The southern states were against a strong federal government for various stated and unstated reasons, mostly revolving around perpetuating their slave-dependent economy.No wonder they opposed Hamilton, whorelentlessly strengthened the federal government.He and other former soldiers of the Revolution couldn't forget how weak the government was under the Articles of Confederation - so weak, the country couldn't afford to feed, clothe, or pay its troops...so why inflict another weak federal government on the fledgling country?

With complete attention to detail, perhaps more than the reader wants at times, Chernow slowly takes us through early US history, finishing with the duel and an epilogue aboutHamilton's exceptional wife, who lived to be 97.This book is a fine chance to learn about the history of the period and the crucial influence of this easily forgotten Founding Father.While the others spent their golden years manicuring their legacies, he didn't live long enough to spruce up his image, yet the case could be made he was the most important one.

Alexander Hamilton
An extremely entertaining, well written account of one of our greatest founding fathers (I had no clue how great before the book) who is unfortunately known not by the great things he did for our country, but for his ill-favored duel with Burr.The book made me a Hamilton-phile.

Clarke McIntosh

Engrossing.
A complex man in a complex age, deeply involved in the experiment of self governance, all Americans should be thankful for Alexander Hamilton.

Depending on the focus currently in vogue, states rights or the lack thereof, Hamilton and his nemesis, Thomas Jefferson, periodically go in and out of American History's doghouse. It is easy to take sides. It is difficult to remember today that all of the Founding Fathers were feeling their way, that the American experiment, while previously talked about, had never really been tried. With Hamilton being autocratic, seeing things in black and white, and Jefferson the master of indirectness, seldom taking a firm stand, these two had to clash.

The Founding Fathers had much at risk. They were gambling their futures. Moreover, they could only view their futures through their pasts. So it was quite natural for the leaders of the day to become personally involved and, just as we see in today's political environment, those on the extremes tend best to define the problems. Those who represent consensus never really are capable of problem definition as they do not frame the issues in an "I win, you lose manner." However, as we now understand, democracy needs all three positions, rightists, leftists and centrists. For every Jefferson, we need a Hamilton and for every Jefferson-Hamilton combination, a Washington is required.

Ron Chernow does an excellent job of helping us understand the evolution of the American Republic as we know it today. At the start, there were no parties, just former comrades in arms. But as the Nation moved forward, more and more we needed to define just what kind of nation we wanted to become. It was this self defining, more than anything else, that established the 2 party political system in the United States. Hamilton headed the rightists, the Federalists; Jefferson headed the leftists, the Republicans. Hamilton was for urbanism, Jefferson for agriculture. Hamilton was for centralization, Jefferson for decentralization. Both were necessary to the evolution of the democratic process, yet each saw the other as the arch villain of our new nation, the Devil incarnate!

No one did more for the stabilization of the United States early on than these two protagonists. And Chernow does an excellent job of sticking to the facts, presenting each in an unbiased manner, as these two Founding fathers go at it hammer and tong. Federalism and Republicanism are each called different things today and both sides, Democrat and Republican, quickly wrap themselves in the mantra of Hamilton and Jefferson whenever they can. We owe much to these two Founding Fathers and it is the ultimate compliment to each that everyone wants to claim them as there own.

This is the story of Alexander Hamilton's Federalism, why it was necessary and how, in certain instances, it went too far. But make no mistake; Federalism was necessary to our survival. Ours is a nation of checks and balances we say today. I wonder if Hamilton and Jefferson realized that was their role from 1787 until Hamilton's untimely death in 1804, that in only 17 years they framed the issues that govern our behaviors today. I doubt it, their hatred was too intense.

This is a remarkably good work.
... Read more

Book Description
The republics of Greece and Rome proved incapable of waging war effectively and remaining free at the same time. The record of modern republics is not much more encouraging. How, then, did the United States manage to emerge victorious from the world wars of this century, including the Cold War, and still retain its fundamental liberties? For Karl-Friedrich Walling, this unprecedented accomplishment was the work of many hands and many generations, but of Alexander Hamilton especially. No Founder thought more about the theory and practice of modern war and free government. None supplied advice of more enduring relevance to statesmen faced with the responsibility of providing for the common defense while securing the blessings of liberty to their posterity.Hamilton's strategic sobriety led many of his contemporaries to view him as an American Caesar, but this revisionist account calls the conventional "militarist" interpretation of Hamilton into question. Hamilton sought to unite the strength necessary for war with the restraint required by the rule of law, popular consent, and individual rights. In the process, he helped found something new, the world's most durable republican empire.Walling constructs a conversation about war and freedom between Hamilton and the Loyalists, the Anti-Federalists, the Jeffersonians, and other Federalists. Instead of pitting Hamilton's virtues against his opponents' vices (or vice versa), Walling pits Hamilton's virtue of responsibility against the revolutionary virtue of vigilance, a quarrel he believes is inherent to American party government. By reexamining that quarrel in light of the necessities of war and the requirements of liberty, Walling has written the most balanced and moving account of Hamilton so far. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Government -- Free & Strong
An exploration of the various syntheses of Hamilton's political thought, and its meaning for our institutions. Complex, as was Hamilton's mind, it is a necessary work for understanding the contributions of Hamiltonian principles beyond the manufactured absurdity of the Jefferson-Hamilton pseudo-morality play. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Aaron Burr has been villainized by historians ever since he killed Alexander Hamilton in 1804. In A Fatal Friendship, Arnold Rogow attempts to rehabilitate Aaron Burr by fully describing the context of the duel and the personal histories of the two men. All that is really known about the duel is that Vice President Aaron Burr challenged Hamilton because Hamilton had made disparaging remarks about him in a public place.No one knows what Hamilton said, and because Rogow is a very careful historian, he doesn't come to many firm conclusions here, but he does present some compelling arguments about the sources of enmity between the two men.

Hamilton may have resented Burr because they came from such different backgrounds--Hamilton was illegitimate and had to work his way up in the world, while Burr was born into money and high social status. Both men became lawyers and politicians, but while Hamiltoncowrote The Federalist Papers and authored important legislation, Burr never achieved much political influence. Hamilton did much more to mold the United States in its early years than Burr did, so it is understandable that historians have portrayed him sympathetically. In this book, Rogow suggests that Hamilton may not have been above reproach. Both men had multiple extramarital affairs, so it is possible that the duel was over a woman. Hamilton may have accused Burr of having an incestuous relationship with his daughter Theo. The problem with this book is that there is not enough evidence to support any of these theories, and there probably never will be. However, Rogow is a capable historian and this book is worth reading for its re-evaluation of these pivotal characters in American history. --Jill MarquisBook Description
A dramatic reinterpretation of the duel that shocked America.

For almost two centuries, historians have struggled to explain the extraordinary duel that killed Alexander Hamilton, our first Secretary of the Treasury, and ended Vice President Aaron Burr's political career. In A Fatal Friendship, the distinguished political scientist Arnold A. Rogow demonstrates for the first time that the roots of the fatal encounter lay not in Burr's (admittedly flawed) political or private conduct but rather in Hamilton's conflicted history and character. With his detailed archival research, his close (and unprecedented) examination of the friendship between the two heroic figures, and his bold, imaginative writing, Rogow changes forever our understanding of honor, politics, and friendship in the early American Republic.

6 Black-and-White Photographs Notes/Bibliography/Index

Arnold A. Rogow has taught at Stanford University, the University of Iowa, and the City University of New York. He is the author of many books, including James Forrestal: A Study of Personality, Politics, and Policy. He lives in New York City. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

A Complement to any Early U.S Historian's Library
Arnold Rogow's "A Fatal Friendship" does not set out to villify Aaron Burr, nor does it exhalt Alexander Hamilton unduly.
Instead, it accurately gauges parallel events of their unique relationship, as befits a historian.Readers should remember Rogow is a psychologist, first and foremost, and thus he is permitted to speculate as to Burr and Hamilton's motivations.Rogow consistently qualifies any statements he makes, without overstatements or hyperbole.Therefore, any reader who wants a simple parable of good and evil will be greatly disappointed.

While a history undergrad, I purchased this book simultaneously with Thomas Fleming's own interpretation, "Duel."I was pleased with both books, but I must say Rogow's writing satisfied more because of his more objective stance.Fleming seems to always nurture a slight, though forgivable, bias against Aaron Burr.It is refreshing to see a just assessment of that unprincipled, infuriating, but somehow likeable rogue.As for Hamilton, Rogow ably commends his great political contributions, but also reminds us of our "flawed giant"'s scandalous affair with Maria Reynolds and scurrilous smear campaigns against Federalist president John Adams.Finally, Rogow portrays Hamilton as the true instigator of the vendetta leading to Burr's final challenge and the duel of 1804.

Aaron Burr was no saint, but neither was Hamilton an angelic martyr for the Republic.Two complex historical figures with a tangled common thread. Rogow's study has helped us unravel a Gordian knot of American history.A pity "A Fatal Friendship" is now out of print.

Interesting Historical Effort
Author Rogow presents a well crafted dual biography of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, trying to piece together the events that culiminated in the duel which left Hamilton dead and Burr an outcast.More emphasis is laid on Hamilton and his life, with Aaron Burr becoming more of a cipher.Burr seems to never have committed his thoughts to paper so his stand on various political issues isn't clear.Hamilton on the other hand, wrote volumes about all facets of his political life.The two came from a very different background yet both ended up as successful attorneys in New York City.Hamilton never stopped trying to sabotage the political rise of Burr and the reasons never seemed very clear.Many political figures of the time commented on questionable ethics and morals of Burr yet Hamilton himself was immersed in one of the first major political sex scandals.

Rogow tries to analyze both men and provide various ideas about what could have led to the duel.It is interesting to note that Hamilton seemed to possess a "death wish" in the final years of his life, after his eldest son Philip had been killed in a duel.This seems to be the only context in which the duel makes any sense.Hamilton could not end his own life but dying a noble death and making Burr an outcast too boot was simply to enticing.

The book was very well done and I especially liked the fact that the author didn't seem predispose to agree or disagree with either man.The men were shown with all their faults and yet their contributions to the founding of the country is richly demonstrated.

good analysis
I originally purchased this book as a source for a term paper on the subject, and actually planned to only spot-read the book. Yet, after reading Rogow's introduction, I found his argument so intriguing that Ifelt I just had to read the whole thing. Imagine, Hamilton having"playground" issues with Burr's wealth. Its such an odd littleinterpretation of history, and its presented so well, that it not onlymakes for an interesting read, but actually does its job in convincing youof the argument. If you have a penchant for early American History, this isa must read.

An original approach
I found "Fatal Friendship" to be an original, engaging and well-written account of a fascinating and still largely unresolved incident in American history.The book was also refreshingly free of the typical"anti-Burr" bias that has been the norm from the 1800's throughFawn Brodie.Rogow did an excellent job of discussing the protagonists'differing characters in the proper historical context.History of thissort cannot be neatly tied up with simple black-and-white explanations(despite what the grammatically-challenged reviewers from Oklahoma andKansas below would seem to prefer).Rogow deserves credit for tackling aninteresting subject from a new perspective.Two very recent books,Kennedy's "Burr, Hamilton and Jefferson" and Fleming's"Duel," follow Rogow's lead in examining this period and thesetwo Founding Fathers from a new angle, and also are higly recommended.

An Historical Embellishment ...
Although a mildly useful work, the author seems content to conclude that a simpleton argument is the underlying reason for the two men's duel and fails to disclose perhaps the most revealing, yet little-known fact of allsurrounding this most famous event -- that in 1804 Alexander Hamilton hadexposed political moves by Vice President Burr, Jr. and Burr's cousin,Theodore Dwight, among others, ultimately designed to return the UnitedStates back to British rule.Like so many others here, I rate this book inthe category of "mostly fiction". ... Read more

Book Description
Of all of the Founding Fathers of the American republic none, with the possible exception of Thomas Jefferson, has evoked more passions and aroused more controversy than Alexander Hamilton.

In this absorbing new biography, eminent historian Lawrence Ka ... Read more

Book Description
This study examines Hamilton's political thought with a view to his effort of making the American regime function more effectively than it had under the Articles of Confederation. Contents: Revolutionary Leadership and the Problem of Power; Hamilton's Plan of Government and the Resuscitation of Republicanism; Hamilton's Understanding of the American Constitution; Jefferson's Understanding of the American Constitution; Hamilton's Report on Manufactures and Political Philosophy; Hamiltonian Statesmanship and the Washington Presidency; The Political Thought of Hamilton's Statesmanship; The Peculiar Distinctiveness of the American Constitution; Appendix: The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions and the Crisis of the Constitution. ... Read more

Book Description
Alexander Hamilton was many things: student, soldier, and perhaps most famously, founding father. Young readers will learn the story of Alexander Hamilton, from his early childhood years to his becoming one of the most important figures in US history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

My 7 year old and his classmates loved this book!
I read this to my son's classroom and they found it fascinating. It's not as fun as some books I have read, but it is an inspirational book.

Hey, kids! Read this before Hamitlon disappears from the $10
The name of Alexander Hamilton has been in the news recently because one of the tributes some admirers of the late Ronald Reagan are advocating is that the face of the 40th president should replace the that of the first Secretary of the Treasury on the face of $10 bill (there are some who say the $20 instead of the $10, and/or the dime, as well as those who want Reagan on Mount Rushmore).The change may or may not happen, but at least most of these stories mention why Hamilton deserved the honor in the first place, so Hamilton is getting some press.For young readers who want to find out a bit more about the young Founding Father who was killed in a celebrated duel by the Vice President, this new volume from the Our People series on "Alexander Hamilton: Soldier and Statesman" will do the trick.

Written by Pam Rosenberg, this volume follows the standard format of all of the Spirit of America volumes, breaking Hamilton's life down into four chapters to show why he is remembered for the important role he played in developing the United States government and establishing a national economy: (1) An Intelligent Boy tells how Hamilton grew up in the Caribbean as the son of unwed parents who was running a shipping business at the age of 17; (2) From Student to Soldier traces Hamilton from his time as a college student to his early involvement in the Sons of Liberty; (3) Distinguished Service covers both Hamilton's role as General George Washington's aide-de-camp and his brief command of troops in the field, as well as his writings in support of the new Federal government and his time as the nation's most influential Secretary of the Treasury; and (4) A Life Cut Short focuses on the circumstances leading to Hamilton's death in a duel with Aaron Burr.

The balance of this particular juvenile biography seems a bit off to me.The things for which Hamilton is remembered, in establishing the national economy and consequently the Federalist party, are reduced to the second half of one chapter in the book.Rosenberg's approach devotes half the book to Hamilton's youth, which may engender something of a sense of identification for young readers, but forces her to cram a lot of significant accomplishments and important political ideas into a few pages.

The volume provides both contemporary photographs and historical illustrations and there are sidebars devoted to the island of Nevis, Hamilton's guardian in America, Hercules Mulligan, and his wife, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton.Young readers will also find that margins filled with Interesting Facts, such the United States national debt situation in 1790 and the death of his son in a duel three years before Hamilton's own.A Time Line of Hamilton's life is provided in the back of the volume, along with Glossary Terms from "constitution" to "slandering," books and other sites For Further Information, and an index.

Ironically, one of the Interesting Facts provides the inscription on Hamilton's tombstone: "The patriot of incorruptible integrity, the soldier of approved valour, the statesman of consummate wisdom, where talents and virtue will be admired by grateful posterity long after this marble shall have moldered into dust."We will have to keep an eye on the news to see if that admiration continues to include Hamilton's face on the $10 bill. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Too Expensive!
This is a very small (62 pages, including index) book that cost me $25!When I has a child, American Heritage published historical works, but they were large, a brimming with information.This was pretty meager for the price. ... Read more