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Alexander Hamilton
Book by Lodge, Henry Cabot
317 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1882
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87 people want to read
About the author
Henry Cabot Lodge
653 books17 followersHenry Cabot Lodge, Ph.D. (History, Harvard University, 1876; M.A., Harvard; LLB, Harvard, 1874; B.A., Harvard College, 1972) was a historian and biographer who was elected U.S. Senator for Massachusetts on the Republican ticket six times, where he served as the first de facto Senate Majority Leader, a position first formally held by his immediate successor, Charles Curtis.
Lodge served on the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. He held the Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 1919 until his death, and his staunch opposition to Woodrow Wilson's Treaty of Versailles ensured that the United States never joined the League of Nations and influenced the structure of the later United Nations, to which his grandson, Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., served as U.S. Ambassador, 1953–60.
Lodge served on the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. He held the Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 1919 until his death, and his staunch opposition to Woodrow Wilson's Treaty of Versailles ensured that the United States never joined the League of Nations and influenced the structure of the later United Nations, to which his grandson, Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., served as U.S. Ambassador, 1953–60.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 25, 2021
Henry Cabot Lodge's Alexander Hamilton is a masterful biography of one of America's most-studied and least-understood Founding Fathers. A public figure himself, Lodge focuses on Hamilton's public persona, political quarrels, and theories of statecraft, but little on his personal life, family, and scandals.
It is clear while reading this biography that Lodge is an admirer of Hamilton and particularly his foreign policy, which he spent a third of the book analyzing. His disavowal of Hamilton's imperialist dreams (particularly in South America) rings hollow and weaker than other biographers, (which tracks, knowing Lodge's foreign policy views) and he credits him for the ideology behind the Louisiana Purchase, which occurred during Thomas Jefferson's administration.
However, Lodge was not merely a sycophant. He was willing to criticize Hamilton, particularly citing his ill-advised authorship of the pamphlet Concerning the Public Conduct and Character of John Adams, Esq. President of the United States and his vainglorious political follies in New York that won the enmity of his eventual killer and Vice President, Aaron Burr.
Casual reader be warned, this is NOT Chernow's Hamilton. Deep knowledge of Alexander Hamilton, American history, and the French Revolution is required, as many life, cultural, and historical events are either referenced in passing, or left out entirely.
Lodge is a true historian, and not-at-all closeted admirer of Hamilton, which makes the book all the more worth reading. His analysis of what Hamilton brought to American political thought will make you proud of our political system, and gain a deeper understanding of the political undercurrents that were pulsing at the time.
It is clear while reading this biography that Lodge is an admirer of Hamilton and particularly his foreign policy, which he spent a third of the book analyzing. His disavowal of Hamilton's imperialist dreams (particularly in South America) rings hollow and weaker than other biographers, (which tracks, knowing Lodge's foreign policy views) and he credits him for the ideology behind the Louisiana Purchase, which occurred during Thomas Jefferson's administration.
However, Lodge was not merely a sycophant. He was willing to criticize Hamilton, particularly citing his ill-advised authorship of the pamphlet Concerning the Public Conduct and Character of John Adams, Esq. President of the United States and his vainglorious political follies in New York that won the enmity of his eventual killer and Vice President, Aaron Burr.
Casual reader be warned, this is NOT Chernow's Hamilton. Deep knowledge of Alexander Hamilton, American history, and the French Revolution is required, as many life, cultural, and historical events are either referenced in passing, or left out entirely.
Lodge is a true historian, and not-at-all closeted admirer of Hamilton, which makes the book all the more worth reading. His analysis of what Hamilton brought to American political thought will make you proud of our political system, and gain a deeper understanding of the political undercurrents that were pulsing at the time.
June 8, 2018
This book is AMAZING! I borrowed this book through interlibrary loan originally, and fell in love with the beautiful, first edition book, not only because of it's collectible value, but the value of the words therein. I fell so in love with this book that I searched until I was able to find a second edition (incorrectly labeled as first edition...much to my sorrow) copy of this book to buy and keep as my own.
Another reason I loved this book was because it is the first book in quite awhile that has truly challenged my reading level, while not having the cardboard intrigue of a college text book.
Another reason I loved this book was because it is the first book in quite awhile that has truly challenged my reading level, while not having the cardboard intrigue of a college text book.
October 1, 2011
Very disappointing. I felt the author was too enamored with his subject to present Hamilton in a credible light. According to Lodge, Hamilton was second only to Washington in significance among the Founding Fathers, he certainly expressed numerous times his contempt for Jefferson as a weak, whining antagonist to Hamilton.
February 16, 2018
Very informative reading! The editor of the series (American Statesmen Series) says in his note that the author (Henry C Lodge) is the descendant of an intimate friend of Hamilton!
In today's political climate, with so many wanting to do away with the Electoral College (because it's not democratic) it's great to learn why it was instituted - Hamilton's hatred of democracy, with France's revolution an indicator of what happens when democracy is instituted (anarchy!) is emphasized. Hamilton had a lot to do with the way our country is managed, or at least, how it was set up to be managed. Much has deteriorated since his death.
Another interesting fact given is that in defense of the Constitution against democracy, he encourages the formation of an association, "The Christian constitutional Society" to support Christian religion & the Constitution of the United States! Where do people get the idea that the US was not founded on Christian principles?
In today's political climate, with so many wanting to do away with the Electoral College (because it's not democratic) it's great to learn why it was instituted - Hamilton's hatred of democracy, with France's revolution an indicator of what happens when democracy is instituted (anarchy!) is emphasized. Hamilton had a lot to do with the way our country is managed, or at least, how it was set up to be managed. Much has deteriorated since his death.
Another interesting fact given is that in defense of the Constitution against democracy, he encourages the formation of an association, "The Christian constitutional Society" to support Christian religion & the Constitution of the United States! Where do people get the idea that the US was not founded on Christian principles?
July 23, 2025
"Men came to think that, if he exerted himself, he could compel any one, whether judge or juryman, to agree with him."
He's nice with it.
He's nice with it.
March 24, 2017
Book received from NetGalley.
While this was an interesting book and the first I have read about this Founding Father, I feel there are better and newer biographies out there that would be a better read. The best thing about this book is that it didn't fall into the flowery language of the era it was written in. It is likely to be heavily biased toward certain areas of his life while glossing over the not so good things he did. I think this was reprinted due to the hype over the hit musical and is mainly a way to cash in on it. Usually, I enjoy the reprints by this publisher, but I just wasn't that big of a fan of this one.
While this was an interesting book and the first I have read about this Founding Father, I feel there are better and newer biographies out there that would be a better read. The best thing about this book is that it didn't fall into the flowery language of the era it was written in. It is likely to be heavily biased toward certain areas of his life while glossing over the not so good things he did. I think this was reprinted due to the hype over the hit musical and is mainly a way to cash in on it. Usually, I enjoy the reprints by this publisher, but I just wasn't that big of a fan of this one.
April 1, 2019
An interesting biography about Alexander Hamilton. I don't typically zip through non-fiction books the way I do fiction. Maybe this is because I feel the need to actually process the information and learn it in my mind when it is non-ficiton.
In reading this book, I learned a great deal... about Hamilton's life and what he contributed to the nation as one of our founding fathers. I learned about the birth of the United States of America, the Constitution and the opposing philosophies of the time. I learned that not everyone agreed on how this new government should run and what it should stand for. I learned about the beginning of parties in our government, the national bank, and so much more. The author definitely speaks highly of Hamilton. I do not agree with all of Hamilton's ideas about government and this nation, and I am not certain I would have liked him as a person...he seemed to have had a very strong personality...but I can definitely appreciate what he contributed during the birth of this nation and his drive to make things happen.
In reading this book, I learned a great deal... about Hamilton's life and what he contributed to the nation as one of our founding fathers. I learned about the birth of the United States of America, the Constitution and the opposing philosophies of the time. I learned that not everyone agreed on how this new government should run and what it should stand for. I learned about the beginning of parties in our government, the national bank, and so much more. The author definitely speaks highly of Hamilton. I do not agree with all of Hamilton's ideas about government and this nation, and I am not certain I would have liked him as a person...he seemed to have had a very strong personality...but I can definitely appreciate what he contributed during the birth of this nation and his drive to make things happen.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews