An excellent biography on the most convertersial, and one of the most important, founding fathers. The book covers nearly every aspect of Hamilton's life and shows how brilliat he really was. It gives a fair and balanced view of the great man. Although Chernow uses some very difficult words, I would reccomend this to anyone.

There is not much I can add to the other effusive reviews. This really is as good as biography gets. If you are a fan of McCullough and Ellis, you will love this book. Perhaps even more. I did. This is a near-800-page page-turner. I could not put this book down. It is the best of the modern Founding Father biographies. I bought multiple copies in hardcover and gave them to all in my family.

The book arrived as advertised, and the content was as advertised, too. Have read much about Hamilton, it's a shame the congressmen/women and wall streeters haven't done that. As our Premier Banker he saw most of the future ills that we have created with worthless paper, worthless stocks, backed by terrible credit loans, along with no gold standard. I also enjoyed reading about the Founders and their struggles to give us what we cavalierly pour down the drain. The wall street mess, only from a 1700's perspective, makes woeful reading. Whenever there is Market trouble, I ask my stock jobber friends to read.."Extraordinary Delusions and the madness of Crowds." They never do. There will be a John Law in every generation.
Jack Flobeck

Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton is as fun to read as any work of fiction. Chernow's style is readable, but elevated enough to do justice to his topic. He touches upon all aspects of Hamilton's life: his amazing and tragic youth, his military exploits during the Revolution, the development of his broad intellect, and his turbulent political career.

If the book has a fault, it is that Chernow is too obviously biased against Jefferson in describing the enmity between the two men.

Anyone seeking to understand the origins of American government and politics should read this book.

Ron Chernow has written another well detailed and well researched biography of a man who is indeed not as well known in the formation of the government of the United States.
It seems Chernow's writings lean toward people who are often misunderstood. Such is the case on his biography of John D. Rockefeller.
Although Mr. Chernow is not an academic historian, he does the due diligence of an historian. As stated in Janet Mislin's New York Times Book Review, Mr. Chernow actually visited the jail cell in St. Croix where Hamilton's mother was imprisoned for adultery.
Also in Chernow's prologue of this book, we find out that Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, the widow of Alexander Hamilton was still alive into the 1850's. The last of a generation who was at the birth of the United States.
The author goes into the remarkable career of a bastard child who later became a man so crucial in the formation of our government. His exploits as a young officer during the Revolutionary War serving George Washington are well detailed by Chernow. His prominence as a key figure in the writings of the Federalist Papers which help to debate and form the Constitution of the United States is indeed apparent in Chernow's prose. Later Hamilton was responsible for the lasting effects of the formation of the U.S. Treasury. His plan of Assumption of the States debts and the formation of the Bank of the United States are the result of Hamilton's work.
Hamilton was opinionated and very aggressive in all his dealings. He indeed was a thorn in the side of Thomas Jefferson and also fellow Federalist John Adams. He was brilliant and verbose. He was indeed an agitator.
His hubris and beliefs led him to the plains of Weehawken where he was shot by Aaron Burr, the Vice President of the United States, and subsequently died.
That ended that! At the age of 49 Alexander Hamilton died of wounds suffered in a duel with Mr. Burr on July 12, 1804. Thirty-one hours later Mr. Hamilton passed away in New York City.
Chernow's book is excellent. Bully for him. Five Stars!!! If I could give six stars I would!!!!

Takes forever to read (or listen to as I did) but by the end, the reader has not only a fantastic understading of the subject, but for the entire maelstrom from which this country sprang.

This is the first full-length biography about Alexander Hamilton that I have read. My only exposure to him has been in general history books, short biographical sketches and references to him in biographies of the other founding fathers. I had just finished watching the John Adams miniseries from HBO and had read his biography by David McCullough. In it Hamilton was depicted as quite fanatic. I wanted to get a broader picture of his life and had heard good reviews of this book. It was available in audio book format and I grabbed a copy to listen to on my commute. It turned out to be a fascinating listening experience.

The narrator was Scott Brick and his voice was perfect for a biography of this type. He has a clear and pleasant voice, and the time listening went by quickly.

I knew that Hamilton had contributed a lot to our countries early history, but had no idea how much he had contributed. I wasn't aware of how he was such a key part of George Washington's career as general and president. I didn't know that Hamilton was the key author of Washington's farewell address, considered one of his greatest speeches. I also didn't know his role in the federalist papers was so key. He was clearly a visionary and was way ahead of his time. It was interesting to get another perspective on the other founding fathers, especially Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe.

Hamilton also had plenty of weaknesses and Chernow points those out freely. There is a lot for us to learn from him. It's tragic that Hamilton's life was cut short. It would have been interesting to see what else he would have accomplished if he had lived longer.

I highly recommend this book for all to read. The subject is fascinating and well written. It caused me to reflect on the importance of looking at both sides of a story and realize that even people with flaws can accomplish great things.

I find tremendous inspiration in these stories of "dead white guys"(and I probably should read the bio of Frederick Douglass and others to round it out) who spent every minute of their adult life, up to their death, providing for their families AND building a country out of nothing. In addition, because of the lack of modern communication(phone/email_ as well as the lack of leisure time they journaled every thought and action they experienced in order that we may learn from them. Their idea of a fun event was maybe being at an inn while working and someone playing a fiddle as the hummed along. We need to get inside thier heads and find out what combination of mental, physical, and spiritual energy they experienced to undertake this monumental task when just staying alive and providing for a family took every waking moment of everyone's life.

Clearly the author grew to respect the role Hamilton played and felt that maybe the average reader may have been unaware(as I was) as to the various debates going on between Federalists and Republicans re: city v. country, farm v. industrialization, support of Britain v. France, etc.and Hamilton's influence (through Washington) on these events. He tried to capture the sense of adventure the young Hamilton experienced(in Nevis, then NYC, the catupulted into Washington's inner circle), the conflict between his family life(with Eliza who comes across very well here), and finally the events that drove his descent into a fatal resignation and eventually death.

All in all a LONG read (took me 3 weeks at 1-2 hours a day) but a worthwhile read.

Long, but an easy interesting read for anyone interested in the founding fathers and seeing our current problems of today were the same ones they strugled with.

I fond this book to be pleasantly refreshing in its scope and style. In almost every page is a new insight into the main characters life. A complete course in American History, and a must read among American History enthusiast.

I absolutely loved this book. The research and detail was amazing, and I found it to be well balanced. It's not a short book by any means and is in no way a "quick read." It took me a few weeks to finish. The biggest obstacle for me was the language used in the 18th century that is no longer used today. I am an avid reader and a college graduate, but I found many words I had not seen before (such as "hegemony" and "shibboleth"). I ended up buying a small Merriam-Webster Dictionary that I kept handy while reading this book.

I have a much greater respect and understanding of Hamilton than I did before, despite his many flaws. Also, I am much more disappointed and not overly fond of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson after reading this biography. After I read "American Sphinx" by Joseph Ellis, I wasn't that enamored of Jefferson. Now I understand why in more detail.

You'll be amazed at Hamilton's abilities and accomplishments after reading this book.

This is a terrific biography of a fascinating founding father, largely overlooked in history books. The NYC vs VA perspective of Chernow is particularly insightful and refreshing. One of the best history books I have read.

And he wasn't even born here. This is the amazing story of an incredible intellect. Arriving on the shores of this country, and immediately putting his past behind him, this wunderkind went on to do some truly remarkable things. Here are the main things that truly amazed me about Hamilton:

Our constitution was not a done deal.

The Republicans, led by Jefferson preferred that powers be vested in states: foreign policy, currency and they viewed states' economies as agrarian based.

The Federalists, led by Hamilton believed in a strong central government which subordinated states. They believed in a manufacturing base to the economy. The federal government would determine foreign policy; create a single currency etc. to wit, the Constitution. In order to explain this document to the lay person, Hamilton, Madison and Jay undertook the writing of the Federalist Papers, probably 75% of which were written by Hamilton. The Federalist Papers were published in the newspapers of the day. They worked and the Constitution was ratified. If he had stopped there, Hamilton's contributions to the cause would have been some of the greatest, and I haven't even mentioned his valiant performance at George Washington's right hand during the Revolutionary War.

Hamilton read and studied voraciously and learned everything he could on the subjects of economics and international finance and with great foresight set about to create the American banking system and was appointed as first treasury secretary. This man, almost single-handedly, bequeathed to us the greatest financial/capitalist system the world has ever known.

These two things: defending the Constitution through the Federalist Papers, and the creation of this new financial system seem to me to be so vastly different, require such different skills, that it doesn't seem possible, and yet they come from the mind of one man. That was what blew me away.

We would not be the country we are today, if not for Hamilton.

In his telling of this tale, Chernow paints the revered Jefferson in a less than flattering light. Fearing direct confrontation Jefferson almost always acted through a proxy, most often Madison. He allowed Madison to do all his dirty work, and for years the two heaped bitter and vile criticism upon Hamilton, yet Hamilton never missed a beat. Hamilton won, and they lost, and we are all better off for it.

I won't say anymore except to say that this is one of the best, most complete books on the subject of our nation's founding, that I have read and I highly recommend it. Happy reading.

From what I learned of American history as a schoolboy, Hamilton was certainly considered as one of the founding fathers, but he was relegated to the periphery among the founders; and he and the Federalists, according to this teaching, needed to be constantly restrained by the wisdom of Thomas Jefferson or else they would have reverted the country back to a monarchy. After reading this book, I still think there is truth to the need for Jefferson's restraint, but overall, I think that my education was prejudiced and myopic. As the author notes, because Jefferson, Madison and Adams all became President (along with another Virginian James Monroe) and they had many more years to write about events, their legacy gained the upper hand and history has probably skewed their importance relative to Hamilton.

This really outstanding book tips the balance of viewpoint in the other direction. Some have criticized the book because they maintain that it habitually depicts Jefferson, Madison, and Adams in the worst of ways, such as only showing the worst of what they wrote. They may have a point, but the author is showing what Hamilton was up against - sometimes unreasoning opposition; and he makes a very strong case that Hamilton more than any of the founders was responsible for setting up the American government as we know it today. Hamilton recognized, with a force that no one else could exert, that a strong union was the best hope to avoid all the evils and conflicts of Balkanization. No doubt that Jefferson and Madison provided a much needed counterbalance, especially since Hamilton did not recognize the importance of the Bill of Rights; and Washington also provided a needed check to his military proclivities. But Jefferson and Madison in their Virginian politics that favored a sectionalized state-empowered confederacy molded from a slave-based agrarian economy held views that have fallen by the wayside, whereas Hamilton set in motion the means whereby the United States could get a grip on itself and move into the modern age.

It is a fascinating story of a life that leads to a well-known tragic conclusion. It starts in one of most beautiful of places but also one of the worst scenes of human degradation - the sugar trade in the West Indies. The fact that Hamilton's relatives could never succeed in such a place was probably a credit to them, for it must have taken an extraordinary brutality to keep a majority population of slave labor at bay. Hamilton left the place at the first available opportunity, and took advantage of the time and his abilities to make a continuing success of himself during the Revolution and its aftermath. Beside being blessed with a brilliant mind (John Marshall said that beside him he felt like a candle to the midday sun) and being a relentless worker, he showed that he was a man of principle, and all through his life he hardly deviated from that sense of principle. His enemies did not want to separate his personal life from his private life, but there is every indication that he hardly ever wavered in that regard, despite the folly of the Maria Reynolds scandal. Despite all the investigations, no one was able to find a shred of evidence that showed that while he was Secretary of Treasury and setting up the banking system - or any other time for that matter - that he did anything untoward or for his own benefit. In fact, he had to quit his post because he became too deeply in debt to support his family. Yet, the slander followed him everywhere, and a lack of restraint on his part encouraged the attacks. In the end, the need to clear his name and a strong sense of honor - so important to his politics - had set him on an irrevocable course.

It was my ambition in college to someday write a biography of the most neglected of the Founding Fathers, Alexander Hamilton. I talked about it, read a few of the biographies out there. Forrest McDonald's was the best, I thought.

Then last spring I borrowed from the Meredith, NH, public library this book by the incomparable Ron Chernow. I read it on the our family trip to Virginia. Visiting Redoubt 10 at Yorktown, horribly neglected by Americans, was an intense emotional experience for me.

I've learned from Dennis Prager that the best way to learn history is through biographies. None are better, I've found, than this. In fact, after reading it, I had to purchase my own copy.

That's how much I value Ron Chernow's absolutely magnificent biography. Embracing Christianity at the end of Hamilton's life shows me what side he'd take in the cultural war. How we could use his exemplary industry and brilliance now! Only he could overshadow Mr. Jefferson, whom I've always adored.

But Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Chernow, you are the best.

The other reviewers of this book are right on -- Hamilton's influence in American political history is truly significant -- he is probably the most influential Founding Father never to have served as president. His vision for a unified country recorded in the Federalist Papers are truly remarkable and his influence on the economy of this country with his position as the first Treasury Secretary and his vision for a federal bank last to this day.

I actually listened to the 10 set CD series of this book and the time just flew by -- the book is fascinating and Chernow does a great job of giving significant historical details on everyone who comes into contact with Hamilton -- from Washington to Jefferson to Jay and Burr. The portion of Hamilton's life which resulted in his affair are a great life lesson for every man, especially those in positions of leadership!

Every student of history should buy this book (or listen to the CDs) -- Hamilton was a man history can not ignore.

Ron Chernow has written an informative, detailed, wholly engaging biography of one of the most interesting and controversial founding fathers. This book is a delightful read through the history of the forging of the United States of America.

Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton was a great read that included a remarkable amount of information on the man, as well as all the important characters who shared the stage with Hamilton during his 49 years. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, which felt nothing like its length.

It was an enlightening experience to read the book because much of my knowledge of Hamilton came from biographies on his many rivals or books on the period. Hamilton was an opinionated, controversial and insecure man, but he was quite ethical in his professional life. I was worried that a Hamilton book would be bogged down with too much economics, but Chernow did a great job of presenting that important information is an understandable manner.

The reason I can't quite give this book a 5-star rating was its overly sympathetic nature. Yes, most bios are partial to the subject, but this one took that to the extreme. Chernow gave ample coverage to the controversial events in Hamilton's life, though he tended to make excuses for them. Every sentence written about Jefferson, Adams and post-1789 Madison were very negative, as Chernow selected the unflattering quotes from those men in a way that would elevate Hamilton. If you were to read the second and third volumes of Dumas Malone's series on Jefferson, and follow it up by reading Chernow's book, you'd think they were writing about completely different eras, or that they were family members of their respective subjects.

But since this book is eye-opening and filled with so much information, in a beautifully written account, I highly recommend it. It made me see Hamilton in a different light and understand more fully why he was such a powerful figure in the early American republic.

After an unlikely escape from the backwaters of the colonial Caribbean, Alexander Hamilton fought in the American Revolution as a young firebrand, supported the U.S. Constitution as a brilliant author and New York lawyer, and poured his formidable genius and energy into laying the foundations of modern America as the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. With George Washington shielding Hamilton's financial programs from smart and unrelenting critics, Hamilton successfully built a fiscal superstructure that pulled the United States out of bankruptcy and set the nation on a course to become the greatest industrial and commercial power on Earth.

Chernow's epic biography is more than a little sympathetic to Hamilton, though honest and critical of Hamilton's significant and ultimately fatal flaws (e.g., the Reynolds sex scandal and Hamilton's inability to absorb criticism without hitting back). This is a minor weakness, leading at worst to some authorial disdain for Hamilton's critics. They are at times presented as underhanded, malicious, and viciously paranoid when they were were often simply naive in their dreams of an American utopia and terrified of falling prey to an American monarchy--not an unreasonable fear with most of the world still under kings and despots. The length of this biography may be intimidating to some readers, but Chernow writes in a voice that is both informative and engaging, even poetic. It's hard to imagine a more definitive biography will be soon forthcoming of this misunderstood and sometimes unfairly maligned Founding Father.

This is a tremendous biography on a brilliant founding father who is, sadly, forgotten or misperceived by his fellow countrymen. Alexander Hamilton comes alive in Ron Chernow's pages in a way that few biographers have been able to do with other historical figures. Not only that, but Chernow successfully does something that even fewer biographers have been able to do with historical figures that have been just as controversial as Hamilton: defend Hamilton's actions and conduct without apologizing for him. Some biographers have a habit of apologizing for their subject's behavior, but Chernow is very willing, if not eager, to point out Hamilton's serious lapses in judgment. Chernow also makes this behemoth of a book incredibly readable for all 733 pages of its narrative. I have only one criticism of the book: Chernow's demonization of Hamilton's enemies, especially Jefferson, Adams, Madison and Burr. They are all given a very unflattering review and Burr isn't even given the benefit of a doubt. To be fair, though, this characterization of titanic founding fathers in their own right makes the biographer even better reading than if Chernow lionized all of them. In summation, this is a fantastic biography of a founding father who dserves his place under the sun of American Revolutionary glory.

Anyone interested in U. S. history will enjoy reading this fascinating biography of Alexander Hamilton. don't miss it!

My interest in Hamilton originated when first seeing his portrait on the front of the ten dollar bill made an indelible impression on me as a young child. As Chernow describes in his book, Hamilton's portraits generally exude confidence, self-assurance, as well as omniscience, and these were the qualities that triggered my curiosity in this founding father.

Reading Chernow's biography, I find that Hamilton's talents were unparalleled even among the most distinguished of the founder fathers and superbly well regarded and admired by those who shared his views and judged him objectively, most notably George Washington. Hamilton's courage during the Revolution, unshakable honor and integrity, unrelenting effort to advance the republican government, and sheer brilliance in both ideas and managerial superiority make him a man with few matched peers. As the author notes in the book, Hamilton's footprints in the formation of the US government qualify him uniquely as one of the most influential figures in US history and arguably make him the founder of the US government.

However, for all his brilliance and unmatched fervor for the new republic, Hamilton was not without fatal flaws. His lapses of judgment gave those who sought to discredit him plenty of ammunition and marred his accomplishments and undoubtedly helped to procure Hamilton's relative obscurity in US history.

As is often the case, judgments rendered on historical figures are not constant and change with time, renewed interests, and additional narrative accounts (i.e. this biography.) For me, Hamilton's exemplary devotion to the nascent republican government was so pure and rare that he was a true servant to the public in every way. I wish that through new reviews of Hamilton's life such as this biography by Chernow, more people will come to learn about the life of an extraordinary human being whose prodigious talents and assiduousness propelled him to personal heights and triumphs and whose personal insecurities, fueled by a dogged conviction to uphold his honor as all costs, also brought his nadir.

This is a FULL length biography of Alexander Hamilton. It is over 700 pages. A friend of mine dismissed it, saying who cares about the full details of the guy's childhood. If you do not have my friend's attitude, if you want the very full story of a very important man, this is a very, very good book. Indeed, I think there is an old-fashioned, rich pleasure -- very contrary to our You Tube age-- in reading a long, slow book like this that really gives you all of the details.

Some have said that this book is hagiography. I did not find it to be so at all. I thought it gave a very full, and sympathetic, treatment of Hamilton, but it is definitely a portrait of him, warts and all. You see the young and incredibly intelligent aide to General Washington and the masterful first Secretary of the Treasury, who set the foundation for the security of the American financial system. You also see the self-destructive idiocy of the affair with Maria Reynolds, the arrogant damage of the quarrel with John Adams and the other extraordinary lapses in judgment of this brillant man.

Two aspects of Hamilton's life are given prominence by this book, which I think merit comment. First, his relationship with Washington was of central importance to his life, and was of incredible importance to the nation. Hamilton was so brillant as Secretary of the Treasury, and as author of the Federalist Papers, that he tends to fill the modern eye, more than the quieter and less dramatic Washington. But, as you see the whole relationship between the two, you see how much Hamilton needed Washington and gained from him. Not just in the sense of being promoted from nothing to great power by Washington's support, but in a character sense. Hamilton was brillant, but lacking in balanced judgment. Washington lacked any kind of showy intelligence, but had an extraordinarily sound sense of judgment. You really see this here, when the Washington Administration is contrasted -- where arch-enemies Jefferson and Hamilton can serve together in the Cabinet to the great benefit of the nation-- with the Adams Administration -- where even members of the same party can not get along.

Second, Chernow rescues Eliza Hamilton from an undeserved historical neglect. She was a grand women, in her own right, and Chernow both begins and ends the book with a very poignant and dramatic portrait of her.

A wonderful performance.

It's probably impossible to write a biography of Hamilton that ISN'T interesting, but what I really appreciated was the degree to which Chernow puts Hamilton's views and actions in cultural context. I learned a lot about a variety of topics: the nature and role of the press, the practice and significance of duels, controversies about commerce and armed forces, etc. etc.

To those who accuse Chernow of being biased in favor of his subject or of "distorting" history, all I have to say is: "duh". It's a biography! By it's very nature, it's partial and a distortion.

What makes it a GOOD biography, and a useful and rewarding work of history, is the great extent to which Chernow uses his subject to illustrate and cast light on the period in question.

I finished David McCullough's biography of John Adams shortly before reading this book. McCullough's book was one of the finest biographies that I have ever read, but in my opinion this book is even better. To be fair to David McCullough, Ron Chernow had much more to work with, as Alexander Hamilton was a much more interesting character than John Adams.

Ron Chernow has produced a well-documented biography and an immensely rewarding book. In his hands, Hamilton's life reads as it was a work of fiction created by Charles Dickens, Horatio Alger and Joan Collins, as written by Samuel Elliot Morrison. Few men have started so low on the social ladder, with so many impediments to success but rose so far as Alexander Hamilton. While I knew the outline of Hamilton's early life, I did not realize the degree to which it was truly Dickensian and the degree to which he was a truly self-made man, in the mold of a character from a Horation Alger story. His life was plagued by scandal (mostly self inflicted) of the sort created by Jackie Collins.

I knew he was on George Washington's staff during the Revolutionary War, but I did not realize that he was in effect Washington's chief of staff. I knew that he was the first Secretary of the Treasury, but I did not realize the extent to which he created the financial structure of the United States. I knew of his involvement with the Federalist Party, but not that he was a driving force behind the party and that to some he was the Federalist Party. I knew that he experienced difficulties with Jefferson and John Adams (as well as with many others), but I did not understand the depths of these conflicts or their origins until I read this book.

While highly readable and immensely entertaining, the book is nonetheless a work of great scholarship. I expected a well-written book, but one that was based primarily on previous works, but the book is much more. It is rich in interpretation and analysis as well as interesting details. Also, as the lengthy acknowledgement section points out, Chernow did original research in the West Indies, Scotland and in various American archives, unearthing a considerable amount or original material.

I have one caveat, although a very minor one. This is a partisan biography (as are most) and some scholars may disagree with Chernow on some points. Chernow, does not, however, shy away from exposing Hamilton's faults and strives to paint a balanced although admittedly partisan picture.

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."
[...]

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.

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 and major contributor. 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, who relentlessly 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 about Hamilton'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.

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

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.

Professional and impressive research combined with a flowing yet straightforward story telling style makes for one of the best biographies you will ever read. This is the definitive book on the life and times of Alexander Hamilton, a man who, for many, exemplified the American Dream. Both serious historians and more casual students primarily interested in a good story will be guaranteed to learn new things, not only about Hamilton (who was a genius) but also, in a less that flattering light, Jefferson in particular. A lengthy work that will feel like a much shorter book.
Steven George Bustin, Author, "Humble Heroes, How The USS Nashville CL43 Fought WWII".Humble Heroes: How the USS Nashville CL43 Fought WWII

This is wonderfully written, full of anecdotes, and inspiring to read. I highly recommend this book.

This is unquestionably the best biography on Alexander Hamilton. After I finished reading it I felt I knew more about Hamilton than I had ever learned from any other book. The one thing I feel a little unclear on was how was it that Hamilton managed to at the same time be as talented as wise as he is portrayed that he managed to quarrel with all of the first five US presidents, as well as the first four US vice presidents (the third shot Hamilton in a duel). Adams and Monroe managed to avoid being challenged by Hamilton. How is such a figure possible?

My sense is that while Hamilton was in many ways an admirable figure particularly with regard to the Federalist Papers and his service as the first Secretary of the Tresury, he seemed to grow increasingly peculiar after he left Washington's administration. This led to all manner of odd plots for deploying US forces throughout the Western Hemisphere and outbursts against Jefferson, Adams (a 52 page pamphlet which was described all of the faults of Adams and then urged his election), Madison and Monroe.

Chernow does an admirable job attempting to inform the reader and justify Hamilton's position. It is almost too good a job for my taste since it almost requires one to believe that Hamilton was the only one of the founding fathers to maintain a virtuous position in public life with a consistent well thought out ideology. While the politics of the early days of the public tended toward the melodramatic, the high emotional level that Hamilton habitually thrived on must be one of the reasons for this shortcoming.

I have just completed Ron Chernow's biography on Alexander Hamilton.

It is without a doubt one of the best biographies I have read. Others that come to mind are David McCullough's John Adams, Walter Issacson's Einstein and His Universe and Joesph J. Ellis' American Spynx, which is about Thomas Jefferson.

I learned a lot about Hamilton through this book. I only knew the basics about him and always considered myself a Jeffersonian. This book has greatly changed my prospective.

Alexander Hamilton was born as a [...] in the West Indies. He came to New York and was studying at King's College---today it is known as Columbia University---when the Revolution broke out. He climbed the ranks in the Army and served as Washington's aide. He saw battle at Yorktown.

Postwar, he attended the Articles of Confederation meetings. He was a staunch believer in a strong central---or federal---government and did not believe the Articles were sufficient for the new United States of America.

He attended the Constitutional Conventional Convention in 1787 representing New York.

While serving as Washington's Treasury Secretary, Hamilton's biggest achievement was establishing a national bank for the new nation.

It was also under Washington that Hamilton clashed with another secretary, that being Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson.

Jefferson believed in a weak central government and believed America would be best served as an agrarian society. Hamilton championed a stronger central government and had much to do with the beginnings of Wall Street in New York.

The French Revolution had a dramatic effect on Hamilton as it did his fellow Americans. Hamilton was aghast at the bloodshed and the beheading of the king, while Jefferson and Madison---a former ally of Hamilton---applauded the French Revolutionaries. The debate over the French Revolution almost tore America apart.

After resigning as Treasury Secretary, Hamilton returned to New York City to resume his law practice. Hamilton was married with many children.

He supported his rival Jefferson when Jefferson tied with Aaron Burr in the Election of 1800.

In 1804, Hamilton would meet his death on a New Jersey dueling ground at the hands of Vice President Aaron Burr. Thus ended the life of the most important founder that never became President of the United States.

There is much more to Hamilton's story than I can fit into a short review. I encourage anyone interested in American History or biographies to read this book that I've had for about four years but never got a chance to read. It is a long book---over 700 pages---but it is worth the time.

*Alexander Hamilton* puts Chernow at the level of Caro and Manchester. I, who was bored with *John Adams,* couldn't put down Alexander. And it's much more full of sex and scandal.

Alexander Hamilton did more for our government than you would expect. His ideas on the economy and the running of government have led to some great times in our nation. It has also contributed to an overspending and bloated government. His hatred and dealings with Jefferson are well founded and make this reader switch their places on the top 10 of our founding fathers. I became pro-Hamilton and anti-Jefferson. I am not often drawn to biographies and don't really enjoy political types, but Hamilton's life had me from the beginning where he was born in the Caribbean and soon became an orphan. His life is a tribute to working hard and literally fighting for what you believe; even if it meant death unnecessarily. This is another book that would have made history classes more bearable.

This is an extremely well written and researched biography. Chernow argues
convincingly that Hamilton's contribution to the shaping of the nascent United
States was of fundamental importance and can still be felt in the present.
Chernow clearly admires Hamilton (and Hamilton's wife Eliza), but he does show
that it was ultimately Hamilton himself destroyed his own political career. His
rancorous and frequently inappropriate actions also made it easy for his opponents
to obscure his deserved place in American history.

While this is certainly not a hagiography, I concur with other reviewers that Hamilton's
enemies are not always portrayed fairly. Jefferson may have been a sly politician,
but despite his faults, he was a true visionary. Jefferson's and Madison's contributions
are on par with those of Hamilton. While Hamilton may have been the most talented
of the lot, it is hard to agree with the implied judgement that, whatever his flaws, he
was morally superior to the other two.

Ron Chernow does his homework when writing biography. The 700+ page is a comprehensive account of the career of Alexander Hamilton. Especially impressive is the Chernow does not merely summarize existing work and repackage it like many of the popular new presidential biographies. Hamilton wrote more than anyone else of his time, including Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Burr and Madison. I do not doubt that Chernow went through tens of thousands of his papers, from his early editorials while at King's College to his newspaper defenses of the Federalist Party in first decade of the 19th century.
There is great attention to Hamilton's time as Secretary of Treasury, where he did his greatest work. Hamilton set the foundation for turning an agrarian, infantile nation into the modern economic behemoth the U.S. became in the 20th century. He favored cities over rural farms, the federal government over the states, a standing army over militias and executive leadership over trade and foreign affairs. Philosophically he was for everything Jefferson was against. His downfall was in letting himself be caricatured as an elitist, when in fact he lived a modest life compared to Washington, Jefferson and Madison. Truly Hamilton was ahead of his times.
This biography is certainly not light reading. It's a commitment that is well worth the time investment. Social/cultural historians will likely find Chernow's work lacking, but this is political biography at its very best.

This is an extremely interesting and educational biography of one of the most fascinating Founding Fathers. I'd venture to say that even those who consider themselves relatively knowledgeable on the subject of American history have only a cursory understanding of the importance of Alexander Hamilton.

If quizzed, the extent of most people's knowledge concerning Hamilton would be that he was Treasury Secretary under Washington, authored the Federalist Papers and was shot in a duel by Aaron Burr, then Vice President under Thomas Jefferson. While accurate, this is only a tiny part of Hamilton's contributions.

While Thomas Jefferson is regarded as the author of the Declaration of Independence and James Madison is recognized as primary author of the Constitution, Hamilton actually established the institutions and framework for what actually became our government. While many of the Founding Fathers were philosophers, writers and thinkers, Hamilton was, in addition to all those things, a doer. He built from scratch what became the financial system that to this day funds the U. S. government.

Even Hamilton's most vocal detractors would have to concede that he was an extraordinary man and an extremely intelligent and capable administrator. However, reading this biography, I cannot help but feel that Chernow has crossed the line, falling into the very common trap of hero worship to the detriment of objectivity.

Throughout his life, Hamilton engaged in some of the most personal and vicious feuds in American political history. Chief among these with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. To read this biography, one would be left with the impression that these men were venal, dishonest, lying, cheating opportunists while Hamilton, on the contrary was largely the opposite. Even in those cases where Hamilton made major errors in judgment, the author tries to downplay the character flaws indicated by these instances. The extent to which the author assassinates the character of such men as Jefferson, Madison and John Adams really detracts from what is otherwise a very fine synopsis of the life and accomplishments of Hamilton. The other Founding Fathers do not have to be painted in such a negative light to fully appreciate the contributions of Hamilton; contributions which have not been fully advertised or appreciated by the general public.

In addition to telling the remarkable story of Alexander Hamilton and his life, Chernow gives us an indepth look at the formation and interaction of the two party system in the U.S. The intra-cabinet struggles of Hamilton and Jefferson and Jefferson's subliminal quest for the presidency are fascinating reading. Chernow shows that many of the political battles of today like executive priviledge, the power stuggle between the legislative and executive branches, personal attacks, etc. were alive and well in the early days of our nation. This book would be good reading in preparation to vote in for the next presidential election.

This is an interesting, well-written biography. It hit all the big points in Hamilton's life with enough detail that made me think I understood the hows and whys. Hamilton's relationship with Washington received a lot of coverage, which I thought was well done.

The author explained the details of Hamilton's financial schemes pretty well. There were a few paragraphs I had to go back and read again before I understood what was going on, but I think that's probably because the stuff is complex and not because the author didn't do a good job of explaining it. And the author certainly did a good job of explaining the reasons for the opposition to Hamilton's financial plans.

None of these long historical biographies are ever going to be truly objective. All of the authors make excuses for their subjects at some point and Chernow does this as well. I think the best I can hope for is an historian who at least points out the mistakes his subject made and why his contemporaries may have opposed him. I felt like I got that with this book. So if you're doing the circuit of founding fathers bios, this one is a great one to pick for Hamilton.

Incidentally, my wife was reading a bio of Jefferson at the same time I was reading this book. Her book was as pro-Jefferson as this one is pro-Hamilton. We couldn't talk about them without arguing about which one saved the country despite the other. So, for the sake of our marriage, we had to put the subject of 18th century banking and excise taxes on the shelf for awhile.

Bottom Line: Buy it - this is simply one of the finest non-fiction books to be published over the last decade. It is a great story, well told.

What You Will Learn: Alexander Hamilton is probably the least appreciated founding father, Ron Chernow's book helps to remedy this. Hamilton was one of George Washington's key aides during the Revolutionary War and then helped to foster the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia that established our government. He also was the driving force behind the ratification of the constitution and the lead drafter/organizer of the Federalists Papers (which were basically a series of Op-Eds in newspapers advocating for constitutional ratification). One of the things that amazed me to learn in Chernow's book was that during the dreadful winter at Valley Forge Hamilton was studying economic texts and thinking through how to forge a strong U.S. economic infrastructure - ideas when he put in place when he was selected as Treasury Secretary.

Parting Shot: There should be a much more prominent monument to Hamilton in Washington. Ron Chernow has done a service to our nation by telling Hamilton's exciting story in such a well-researched and written book.

I found this book riveting. Ron Chernow has obviously done so much research. He shows Alexander Hamilton to be an absolutely fascinating character. He was a great orator and writer. He had to fight the image people had of him being a monarchist. Although a brilliant person, he let his ego rule and ended up dying at a very young age in the infamous duel. He rose from totally humble beginnings to become the first Secretary of the Treasury. This book is so rich in detail that you will know everything there is to know about Alexander Hamilton and his relationships with all the founding fathers. I highly recommend it.