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Alexander Hamilton, American
Alexander Hamilton is one of the least understood, most important, and most impassioned and inspiring of the founding fathers. At last Hamilton has found a modern biographer who can bring him to full-blooded life; Richard Brookhiser. In these pages, Alexander Hamilton sheds his skewed image as the "bastard brat of a Scotch peddler," sex scandal survivor, and notoriously doomed dueling partner of Aaron Burr. Examined up close, throughout his meteoric and ever-fascinating (if tragically brief) life, Hamilton can at last be seen as one of the most crucial of the founders. Here, thanks to Brookhiser's accustomed wit and grace, this quintessential American lives again.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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1322 people want to read
About the author
Richard Brookhiser
30 books123 followersRichard Brookhiser, author of Founding Father (Free Press 1996), is a senior editor at National Review and a columnist for The New York Observer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
July 27, 2012
This brief overview of Hamilton’s life and philosophies is readable, if a little dry and sometimes vague. I thought the introduction was the best part of the book. The first chapter on his youth was nearly incoherent, and the last chapter about his infamous duel was unsatisfying - but then the book is more concerned with describing Hamilton’s passions and his hopes for his adopted country. Don’t expect a lot of details about his personal life.
I chose this as an alternative to the weighty but acclaimed Chernow biography, but I really should break down and read that one.
I chose this as an alternative to the weighty but acclaimed Chernow biography, but I really should break down and read that one.
March 16, 2014
I've looked at other reviews and I understand the objections, but this was exactly what I wanted--under 300 pages with solid analysis. Brookhiser does a great job of explaining what was great about Hamilton, and what was not so great. He's also very good with the duel with Aaron Burr--the whole thing was stupid . . . what a waste. If you want an exhaustive biography of Hamilton, this isn't it. If you're looking to expand your high school knowledge, then this is it.
June 22, 2010
A short and not particularly great biography of a man about whom I didn't know all that much. Hamilton is a fascinating character, yet Brookhiser manages to make him almost uninteresting.
Brookhiser shows brief flashes of good writing: he's at his best when summing up Hamilton's place in the early years of our Republic. But when delving into the details of Hamilton's life, he's less than thrilling. Often the writing is murky and hard to gain any understanding from. It's as if Brookhiser, having plowed through all the first-hand sources and biographies, is steeped in Hamilton's story... yet fails to pass on that knowledge to his reader in a satisfactory way. He seems to leave some things unsaid; things that appear crucial.
Anyway, it's a fairly quick read. I'm not familiar with any other scholarship on Hamilton, but I would wager that his life has been covered better by a better historian and better writer. I found myself constantly comparing this book to David McCullough's biography of John Adams. It's not a contest: McCullough is far better.
Brookhiser shows brief flashes of good writing: he's at his best when summing up Hamilton's place in the early years of our Republic. But when delving into the details of Hamilton's life, he's less than thrilling. Often the writing is murky and hard to gain any understanding from. It's as if Brookhiser, having plowed through all the first-hand sources and biographies, is steeped in Hamilton's story... yet fails to pass on that knowledge to his reader in a satisfactory way. He seems to leave some things unsaid; things that appear crucial.
Anyway, it's a fairly quick read. I'm not familiar with any other scholarship on Hamilton, but I would wager that his life has been covered better by a better historian and better writer. I found myself constantly comparing this book to David McCullough's biography of John Adams. It's not a contest: McCullough is far better.
December 19, 2015
I didn't think I could tackle the tome by Chernow, but now I wish I had - I chose this biography because it was shorter, but should have considered that it would mean it didn't deeply explore things I actually wanted to know more about! So I will probably still Chernow in the future. This book was well written, but just lacked the depth I wanted.
February 21, 2020
Many of you are probably familiar with Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton which was the basis for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical “Hamilton.” The book is the ultimate source for the first Secretary of the Treasury, and it is a narrative that is hard to measure up to. However, there are a number of important biographies of Hamilton, one of which is Richard Brookhiser’s ALEXANDER HAMILTON: AMERICAN, a compact volume that covers all the important aspects of Hamilton’s life in a very analytical fashion that can serve as a wonderful introduction to its subject.
Brookhiser presents Hamilton as the nation’s accountant who was able to create the bureaucratic infrastructure that allowed the new republic to survive and fostered the basis of our current economy. Brookhiser identifies a number of threads that run through his narrative. First, despite his background as an immigrant throughout his life Hamilton saw himself as an American and a nationalist. Second, Hamilton maintained his identity as a New Yorker and more importantly he brought his home state to center stage rivaling Virginia and Boston in influence. Thirdly, was Hamilton’s fondness for the military pushing for a standing army to be used in any opposition to governmental policy which created a great deal of partisanship. Lastly, his role as a constitutional lawyer reflected in the cases he tried and his authorship of the majority of THE FEDERALIST PAPERS. Brookhiser argues that Hamilton may have been the most important of the founding fathers, if not the most significant, he was certainly on par with James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington.
The author has the uncanny ability to distill large amounts of information and presenting the most important salient details and analysis in a concise and flowing prose. For example, his discussion of the fighting in upstate New York during the revolution and the role of General Horatio Gates or how James Madison, once an ally evolved into one of Hamilton’s most important intellectual enemies. Brookhiser does an excellent job comparing Hamilton to other historical characters that he dealt with during his lifetime, presenting the strengths and weaknesses of his main subject in addition to the likes of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and a host of others. Perhaps Brookhiser’s most important contribution to our knowledge of Hamilton is how he interacted with Washington and Jefferson. Brookhiser compares the political philosophies of these figures in addition to how their philosophies conflicted.
Brookhiser devotes an entire chapter to Hamilton’s views about government, economics, and the future of the new republic. Later, Hamilton was seen as a monarchist who admired the British system of government as well as their economic system particularly the role of the Bank of England. In many instances Hamilton sought to replicate the best of what the British had to offer, a strong executive, and a three-year elective assembly that was similar to the eventual House of Representatives. It is obvious from the narrative that the author admires his subject, but he does not shy away from certain blemishes in dealing with Hamilton’s character, for example his affair with Maria Reynolds and though he was blackmailed by her husband James he continued the affair before going public with what he had done. In discussing Hamilton’s behavior in this episode and others, at times Brookhiser engages in pop psychology which is not a strength of the book. A clear example is when he writes in reference to the Reynolds Affair that “some of Hamilton’s wrath at Jefferson and his other enemies may well have been displaced anger at his own betrayal and folly.”
Brookhiser makes the interesting point that Hamilton was the least experienced of Washington’s first cabinet. Henry Knox, the Secretary of War had been a general during the Revolution, Thomas Jefferson, the Secretary of State had been ambassador to France, and Hamilton served on Washington’s staff as an aide during the Revolution and was a prolific writer. The key was that Washington could be his own Secretary of War and State because of his vast experience in those areas, but he did not have the economic background to function without his Secretary of the Treasury.
Brookhiser dissects the Hamilton-Jefferson relationship and reaches the conclusion that members of Jefferson’s entourage believed that Hamilton did not have the right “to instruct the founding fathers, to ignore their fears, and to redesign their institutions” as he proceeded to develop an economic and political system that sought to mirror England and overturn their idyllic southern squire lifestyle. The competition with Jefferson is fascinating as Brookhiser dives into the election of 1800 when Hamilton did all he could to elect his foe because of his fear of Aaron Burr.
Some might argue that Brookhiser’s work is a bit esoteric as he includes chapters on Hamilton’s writing ability, the role of passion in his contemporaries in addition to a chapter dealing with political and societal rights. Be that as it may, the book is very effective in conveying the partisan hatred that existed during Washington’s second administration. Brookhiser delves into the debates dealing with the French Revolution and America’s supposed debt for what the French had done during the American Revolution. The character study of Aaron Burr is dead on as well as how Hamilton approached his family. Overall, Brookhiser provides a valuable, incisive portrait of Hamilton’s character as well as his impact on America’s survival. It is a concise work that will allow the reader to digest a great deal of information if they do not want to tackle other longer works encompassing Hamilton’s life and career.
Brookhiser presents Hamilton as the nation’s accountant who was able to create the bureaucratic infrastructure that allowed the new republic to survive and fostered the basis of our current economy. Brookhiser identifies a number of threads that run through his narrative. First, despite his background as an immigrant throughout his life Hamilton saw himself as an American and a nationalist. Second, Hamilton maintained his identity as a New Yorker and more importantly he brought his home state to center stage rivaling Virginia and Boston in influence. Thirdly, was Hamilton’s fondness for the military pushing for a standing army to be used in any opposition to governmental policy which created a great deal of partisanship. Lastly, his role as a constitutional lawyer reflected in the cases he tried and his authorship of the majority of THE FEDERALIST PAPERS. Brookhiser argues that Hamilton may have been the most important of the founding fathers, if not the most significant, he was certainly on par with James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington.
The author has the uncanny ability to distill large amounts of information and presenting the most important salient details and analysis in a concise and flowing prose. For example, his discussion of the fighting in upstate New York during the revolution and the role of General Horatio Gates or how James Madison, once an ally evolved into one of Hamilton’s most important intellectual enemies. Brookhiser does an excellent job comparing Hamilton to other historical characters that he dealt with during his lifetime, presenting the strengths and weaknesses of his main subject in addition to the likes of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and a host of others. Perhaps Brookhiser’s most important contribution to our knowledge of Hamilton is how he interacted with Washington and Jefferson. Brookhiser compares the political philosophies of these figures in addition to how their philosophies conflicted.
Brookhiser devotes an entire chapter to Hamilton’s views about government, economics, and the future of the new republic. Later, Hamilton was seen as a monarchist who admired the British system of government as well as their economic system particularly the role of the Bank of England. In many instances Hamilton sought to replicate the best of what the British had to offer, a strong executive, and a three-year elective assembly that was similar to the eventual House of Representatives. It is obvious from the narrative that the author admires his subject, but he does not shy away from certain blemishes in dealing with Hamilton’s character, for example his affair with Maria Reynolds and though he was blackmailed by her husband James he continued the affair before going public with what he had done. In discussing Hamilton’s behavior in this episode and others, at times Brookhiser engages in pop psychology which is not a strength of the book. A clear example is when he writes in reference to the Reynolds Affair that “some of Hamilton’s wrath at Jefferson and his other enemies may well have been displaced anger at his own betrayal and folly.”
Brookhiser makes the interesting point that Hamilton was the least experienced of Washington’s first cabinet. Henry Knox, the Secretary of War had been a general during the Revolution, Thomas Jefferson, the Secretary of State had been ambassador to France, and Hamilton served on Washington’s staff as an aide during the Revolution and was a prolific writer. The key was that Washington could be his own Secretary of War and State because of his vast experience in those areas, but he did not have the economic background to function without his Secretary of the Treasury.
Brookhiser dissects the Hamilton-Jefferson relationship and reaches the conclusion that members of Jefferson’s entourage believed that Hamilton did not have the right “to instruct the founding fathers, to ignore their fears, and to redesign their institutions” as he proceeded to develop an economic and political system that sought to mirror England and overturn their idyllic southern squire lifestyle. The competition with Jefferson is fascinating as Brookhiser dives into the election of 1800 when Hamilton did all he could to elect his foe because of his fear of Aaron Burr.
Some might argue that Brookhiser’s work is a bit esoteric as he includes chapters on Hamilton’s writing ability, the role of passion in his contemporaries in addition to a chapter dealing with political and societal rights. Be that as it may, the book is very effective in conveying the partisan hatred that existed during Washington’s second administration. Brookhiser delves into the debates dealing with the French Revolution and America’s supposed debt for what the French had done during the American Revolution. The character study of Aaron Burr is dead on as well as how Hamilton approached his family. Overall, Brookhiser provides a valuable, incisive portrait of Hamilton’s character as well as his impact on America’s survival. It is a concise work that will allow the reader to digest a great deal of information if they do not want to tackle other longer works encompassing Hamilton’s life and career.
November 30, 2017
Another from the book club.
Hamilton is an interesting and complex figure: a robust and cocky, fiscal conservative with centralized polity. He doesn't fit so well in modern politics, and despite his obvious genius would probably not be deemed electable. The book further dispels the myth that ugly and divisive politics is a new thing. On the whole the book is an okay read. Brookhiser brings lots of his personal commentary to the story.
Hamilton is an interesting and complex figure: a robust and cocky, fiscal conservative with centralized polity. He doesn't fit so well in modern politics, and despite his obvious genius would probably not be deemed electable. The book further dispels the myth that ugly and divisive politics is a new thing. On the whole the book is an okay read. Brookhiser brings lots of his personal commentary to the story.
September 19, 2015
Reads more like an extended section in a history textbook than a biography -- focuses on Hamilton's philosophy and views on government and presents little insight into Hamilton's life otherwise. Though it is a short book, I expect a more narrative quality in a biography, especially because Hamilton's writings and thoughts are still available. In reading a biography I'm looking for what I don't already know about Hamilton, and I got little of that here.
July 4, 2017
Part of me is inclined to rate this only two stars. This book is little more than 200 pages long, and so much time is spent on the actions and ideas of other Revolutionary figures that it begins to feel less like a biography of Hamilton and more like a Joseph Ellis Founding Brothers sort of broad review of the period. Analysis of other Founding Fathers' thought was welcomed in the Chernow biography, because that book always anchored itself to Hamilton and really brought the man and his dynamics with others to life. In contrast, this book sort of seems to eventually remember that Hamilton is the focus, and casually arrives back at him after meandering.
Another issue I had with the book is its structure. Each chapter focuses on a specific aspect of Hamilton's life. Early chapters focus on his roles as a soldier/aide de camp to Washington in the Revolutionary War, as Treasury Secretary, as a politician arguing in favor of his structures for the young American government. Later chapters take a more cerebral focus, like "Rights" (how Hamilton believed rights are bestowed and what the rights of man and the government are, in contrast with the opinions of the rest of the Founding Fathers; why not work this into the chapter on Laws?) and "Passions" (this chapter was kind of a mess, honestly, talking about how lust and ambition played a major role in Hamilton's life, which is clearly evident in the rest of his biography and in his writings?). I thought that it would have served this book much better to have the more analytical chapters worked in with the rest of the content so they didn't feel so repetitive (self-inherent?) and tedious.
It's not all negative, though. Brookhiser has a great dry sense of humor and his sentences are laugh out loud funny on occasion. And though I wished this book brought to life the different sides of Hamilton's character more vividly, I really thought the "Words" chapter, analyzing Hamilton's relationship to writing, was the book's high point. That is where the man in all of his proud, anxious, obsessive, highly principled and blisteringly intelligent glory comes out.
Another issue I had with the book is its structure. Each chapter focuses on a specific aspect of Hamilton's life. Early chapters focus on his roles as a soldier/aide de camp to Washington in the Revolutionary War, as Treasury Secretary, as a politician arguing in favor of his structures for the young American government. Later chapters take a more cerebral focus, like "Rights" (how Hamilton believed rights are bestowed and what the rights of man and the government are, in contrast with the opinions of the rest of the Founding Fathers; why not work this into the chapter on Laws?) and "Passions" (this chapter was kind of a mess, honestly, talking about how lust and ambition played a major role in Hamilton's life, which is clearly evident in the rest of his biography and in his writings?). I thought that it would have served this book much better to have the more analytical chapters worked in with the rest of the content so they didn't feel so repetitive (self-inherent?) and tedious.
It's not all negative, though. Brookhiser has a great dry sense of humor and his sentences are laugh out loud funny on occasion. And though I wished this book brought to life the different sides of Hamilton's character more vividly, I really thought the "Words" chapter, analyzing Hamilton's relationship to writing, was the book's high point. That is where the man in all of his proud, anxious, obsessive, highly principled and blisteringly intelligent glory comes out.
August 5, 2016
Was quite glad to finally have finished this book. I saw it on sale so bought it. I love history and the play Hamilton is such a big hit so wanted to lean more about this famous statesman. The good part is that I did learn (a little) from it. The bad part is that it was so dry and for the most part uninteresting. I found myself skimming through some of the pages. So if you are looking for a book on Hamilton, I would suggest looking into more than just this one.
September 12, 2007
Brookhiser is a good author but not a particularly through writer. My main complaint with this is how it reads sort of like a political campaign biography. I got a lot more from Willard Sterne Randall's bio. Still, this is a good one day read for someone in need of knowing who & why of the guy on the $10.00 bill.
August 16, 2008
Interesting, because of its interesting subject. However, it could have been better written, especially the opening chapters. Hamilton was a man of ideas and words, and these are not coherently portrayed until late in the work. Ultimately, though, it is of great interest, with particularized, insightful portraits of Hamilton, Burr, Jefferson, Washington, Adams, Monroe and others.
August 13, 2009
I did not finish this book, I only got about half way through so I cannot give it a fair review. There was a lot of lawmaking which went over my head and I lost interest. However, I did learn a lot, so nothing was lost.
February 9, 2025
Hamilton had some great qualities. Energy, determination, and focus to name a few. It sounds like he out worked almost everyone. He probably should’ve learned the art of silence from Washington though. Overall, solid book on a great man of the Revolutionary era.
January 1, 2026
One might say after finishing this book you learn you have no control who lives, who dies, and who tells your story
June 18, 2025
My ex was obsessed with the Hamilton musical. She spent most of a year listening to the songs on repeat and before she saw it she knew most of them by heart. When I was going through my bookshelf recently looking for an unread nonfiction book, I saw this one and was surprised when I took it down that it was not the famous Alexander Hamilton, it was another book I hadn't heard of before. Maybe the Chernow biography was unavailable and this was all she could get.
Well, I've heard great reviews of that other book, but this one took me almost three months to read.
All biographies are an interpretation--even autobiographies are the writer interpreting their younger self through an older mind--but I got much of a direct sense of interpretation in this book than I have in some other biographies I've read. Brookhiser does not hide his opinions on Hamilton and his friends and enemies, and I got the sense that Brookhiser was speaking as much as Hamilton was for much of the book. He directly calls Aaron Burr a narcissist with no convictions, which was, or at least professed to be, the majority opinion among the fans of the musical that I knew, but the musical changed a lot of things for dramatic effect (Elizabeth Hamilton burned only a portion of their letters and in fact dedicated most of her life to preserving her husband's legacy). There are lines like:
Hamilton is controversial because he was one of the most strident proponents of a strong national government with broad powers through separate institutions like a national bank. Hamilton came down very strongly in favor of things like the government guaranteeing the debt of the states, he was in favor of a national debt because of the very modern idea of funding government expenditures through bonds rather than taxes, and he was so much in favor of these things that he was constantly accused of being a monarchist who wanted to turn America into a new kingdom to oppress the Americans the way that the king had in the old days. But these are all things I could learn by looking at the Wikipedia entry of Hamilton, I'm reading a biography because I want insight into his character and his personal opinion on things, and it always felt at least one step removed here. Brookhiser's opinion is that the source of most of these opinions was Hamilton's foreign birth--not being from any state, he did not care about the states as powers in their own right, and considered himself an American first and foremost rather than a Virginian or a New Yorker. Hence the title of the book, sure, but there were other founding fathers born in Ireland or England or elsewhere. What, specifically, made Hamilton so dedicated that people like Thomas Jefferson kept spreading rumors that he disliked the Constitution and wanted a new, American, king?
Who knows. I didn't learn it here.
Well, I've heard great reviews of that other book, but this one took me almost three months to read.
All biographies are an interpretation--even autobiographies are the writer interpreting their younger self through an older mind--but I got much of a direct sense of interpretation in this book than I have in some other biographies I've read. Brookhiser does not hide his opinions on Hamilton and his friends and enemies, and I got the sense that Brookhiser was speaking as much as Hamilton was for much of the book. He directly calls Aaron Burr a narcissist with no convictions, which was, or at least professed to be, the majority opinion among the fans of the musical that I knew, but the musical changed a lot of things for dramatic effect (Elizabeth Hamilton burned only a portion of their letters and in fact dedicated most of her life to preserving her husband's legacy). There are lines like:
"It is sobering to reflect that Hamilton was a better journalist than I am."which is true, though perhaps nothing to be ashamed of when comparing oneself to such a towering historical figure.
Hamilton is controversial because he was one of the most strident proponents of a strong national government with broad powers through separate institutions like a national bank. Hamilton came down very strongly in favor of things like the government guaranteeing the debt of the states, he was in favor of a national debt because of the very modern idea of funding government expenditures through bonds rather than taxes, and he was so much in favor of these things that he was constantly accused of being a monarchist who wanted to turn America into a new kingdom to oppress the Americans the way that the king had in the old days. But these are all things I could learn by looking at the Wikipedia entry of Hamilton, I'm reading a biography because I want insight into his character and his personal opinion on things, and it always felt at least one step removed here. Brookhiser's opinion is that the source of most of these opinions was Hamilton's foreign birth--not being from any state, he did not care about the states as powers in their own right, and considered himself an American first and foremost rather than a Virginian or a New Yorker. Hence the title of the book, sure, but there were other founding fathers born in Ireland or England or elsewhere. What, specifically, made Hamilton so dedicated that people like Thomas Jefferson kept spreading rumors that he disliked the Constitution and wanted a new, American, king?
Who knows. I didn't learn it here.
February 3, 2017
I learned a lot about Alexander Hamilton, but then there was much I didn't know. Having read a biography of Aaron Burr not too long ago I was struck by several differences between the authors.
The Burr biography was extensive, and while it seemed to portray Burr in a fair light, I never got a feel for the character of the man as I did with this biography of Hamilton. Burr seemed a bit sanitized, while Brookhiser gives an idea of both the foibles and the talents of this key founder. I knew from reading Burr about the impact Hamilton had on banking, and knew more from other sources, but Brookhiser understandably gives much more about what Hamilton's perspective was on monetary systems (and why he had it) as well as delving and not whitewashing his antagonistic personality and weaknesses.
After reading both books I have a higher opinion of Washington, lower of Jefferson, and a more complete perspective on Hamilton and Burr.
A fairly short book (218 pages) it is not a quick read, though. Brookhiser also lays out the book in a categorical manner rather than strictly chronological, but I didn't feel that the flow suffered. While there are chronological portions, beginning and end primarily, three chapters deal with Hamilton's words (primarily his writing), his view on rights, and his passions. The latter is what gave the most clear picture of what was so good and bad about the man. It very much humanized him.
Well worth reading, I felt that the attempt to keep it a portrait rather than a CAT scan resulted in some hard choices for content and some good and instructive things had to be left out.
But I don't believe this was meant to be an exhaustive biography, just a well-rounded picture of the man.
The Burr biography was extensive, and while it seemed to portray Burr in a fair light, I never got a feel for the character of the man as I did with this biography of Hamilton. Burr seemed a bit sanitized, while Brookhiser gives an idea of both the foibles and the talents of this key founder. I knew from reading Burr about the impact Hamilton had on banking, and knew more from other sources, but Brookhiser understandably gives much more about what Hamilton's perspective was on monetary systems (and why he had it) as well as delving and not whitewashing his antagonistic personality and weaknesses.
After reading both books I have a higher opinion of Washington, lower of Jefferson, and a more complete perspective on Hamilton and Burr.
A fairly short book (218 pages) it is not a quick read, though. Brookhiser also lays out the book in a categorical manner rather than strictly chronological, but I didn't feel that the flow suffered. While there are chronological portions, beginning and end primarily, three chapters deal with Hamilton's words (primarily his writing), his view on rights, and his passions. The latter is what gave the most clear picture of what was so good and bad about the man. It very much humanized him.
Well worth reading, I felt that the attempt to keep it a portrait rather than a CAT scan resulted in some hard choices for content and some good and instructive things had to be left out.
But I don't believe this was meant to be an exhaustive biography, just a well-rounded picture of the man.
May 8, 2015
It's difficult for a Pro-Jefferson reader to read a biography of his greatest rival written by one who is clearly Pro-Hamilton. But all true historians know, the truth lies between the lies.
What I like best about Brookhiser's biography is that he does not pretend to write an objective story nor hide his bias. What's more, who could possible delve deep into the life and work of one like Hamilton or Jefferson, or Washington without becoming biased, either in favor of or against, one's subject?
Brookhiser creates a very readable biography. He begins as a standard chronology. Beginning with Hamilton's family and childhood on St. Croix, Brookhiser follows his subject to American, through the Revolution and the creation of the Constitution, into the Federalist Papers, to the Treasury Department, and into his public retirement and return to practicing law. However, before taking up his final duel with Burr, Brookhieser take a detour to discuss Hamilton in terms of his prodigious use of language and the press, Hamilton's ideas about the rights of individuals and of governments, and finally his personal passions and character. After these editorial essays, Brookhiser returns to the chronology and finishes his tale.
I recommend reading this biography alongside an equally Pro-Jefferson one, like Jon Meacham's Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power.
What I like best about Brookhiser's biography is that he does not pretend to write an objective story nor hide his bias. What's more, who could possible delve deep into the life and work of one like Hamilton or Jefferson, or Washington without becoming biased, either in favor of or against, one's subject?
Brookhiser creates a very readable biography. He begins as a standard chronology. Beginning with Hamilton's family and childhood on St. Croix, Brookhiser follows his subject to American, through the Revolution and the creation of the Constitution, into the Federalist Papers, to the Treasury Department, and into his public retirement and return to practicing law. However, before taking up his final duel with Burr, Brookhieser take a detour to discuss Hamilton in terms of his prodigious use of language and the press, Hamilton's ideas about the rights of individuals and of governments, and finally his personal passions and character. After these editorial essays, Brookhiser returns to the chronology and finishes his tale.
I recommend reading this biography alongside an equally Pro-Jefferson one, like Jon Meacham's Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power.
August 24, 2015
This is a terrific biography that refuses to be merely a chronicling of Hamilton's life, but dissects and explains many of the issues, and analyzes the protagonist's strengths and weaknesses.
That is quite an achievement in 217 pages.
It was moving along for me at 3.5-4 pace until the 7th chapter: "Words." In the final 50 pages, Brookhiser explains so much about Hamilton and the nature of argument and differing approaches of various Founders, that I was spellbound. I don't necessarily agree with some of his analysis, but it's really well done and has a special place for me in the modern literature surrounding the Founders: Essentially touching upon differences in writing style, approach, purpose, objective ... fascinating!
Overall, the book details why Hamilton is so important in U.S. history -- perhaps second only to Franklin among non-presidents.
Still, Brookhiser's ease of injecting his opinion so routinely and often without basis (or at least deeper explanation or evidence became distracting at times. While it helped for make the book such a great read, I found myself stopping mid-paragraph sometimes trying to figure out the purpose or basis of his opinion. It's certainly interesting, which is the point.
That is quite an achievement in 217 pages.
It was moving along for me at 3.5-4 pace until the 7th chapter: "Words." In the final 50 pages, Brookhiser explains so much about Hamilton and the nature of argument and differing approaches of various Founders, that I was spellbound. I don't necessarily agree with some of his analysis, but it's really well done and has a special place for me in the modern literature surrounding the Founders: Essentially touching upon differences in writing style, approach, purpose, objective ... fascinating!
Overall, the book details why Hamilton is so important in U.S. history -- perhaps second only to Franklin among non-presidents.
Still, Brookhiser's ease of injecting his opinion so routinely and often without basis (or at least deeper explanation or evidence became distracting at times. While it helped for make the book such a great read, I found myself stopping mid-paragraph sometimes trying to figure out the purpose or basis of his opinion. It's certainly interesting, which is the point.
July 30, 2017
Brookhiser does a competent job telling the story of Hamilton's life; a "foolish" task, as Ron Chernow puts it, which is an appropriate adjective considering the density of it. This book is a much easier read than Chernow's biography, but it's concise nature (I believe) detracts from your immersion in Hamilton's life, whereas Chernow's exhaustive work enhances it. In speaking of it as a biography, Brookhiser's work unfortunately gets overshadowed by other authors, and this is a real shame as Brookhiser doesn't do a "bad job" with the material by any means of the word. There are simply just better options. What makes this book shine is chapters 7-9, which are separate from the biography and more exploratory rather than descriptive. I like that these segments are short, interesting, and present questions that you as a reader of American biography should be asking yourself; it puts this work in conversation with other works, and it's always beautiful when a writer can do that without feeling preachy. I'd say this is worth a read, but if you HAVE read Chernow's biography you can simply skim over chapters 1-6 and chapter 10; what really matters most here is those little side chapters.
May 16, 2013
The book was a quick read, and although I didn't find it boring, it was infused with the author's own opinions (not necessarily a bad thing). It's funny that when I read a biography of John and Abigail Adams by Joseph Ellis and then David McCullough's long bio about Adams, I suddenly found myself greatly admiring Adams as a Founding Father and as a person. At times, throughout both of those books, Hamilton was often portrayed as the "bad guy," working behind-the-scenes of the Adams presidency in cahoots with McHenry, Wolcott and others. So I wanted to see what Hamilton was really all about. Brookhiser employs the same method, however, and casts Adams in a bit of a negative light, while glorifying Hamilton. When I was reading this book, I found myself feeling a little defensive of John Adams. I did discover from reading this book that Hamilton may not have been so bad after all, despite his affair and behind-the-scenes conniving. Richard Brookhiser has definitely convinced me to read a more thorough Hamilton biography.
June 3, 2008
I actually liked the other Hamilton book I read better because it made the characters more alive. This book was more about facts, but I still learned interesting information about Hamilton. I learned about what was happening before Hanilton's plan, and how not being able to tax the states led the federal government to be unable to support their countries, and pay of debt that they owe to the other countries due to the revoluntionary war. I always thought that Hamilton, had the most experience out of all the Founding Fathers in the economy, but it turns out that he had the least experience which was surprising. Washington chosed him as the secretary of treasurer. Hamilton also came up about the war loans, national bank, and corporations. A lot of his plans still survived today. He was a really great person!
October 24, 2016
A charming, highly readable and very informative little book about one of the previously least-known Founding Father. I say previously because I'm not sure how many people are now running around singing ditties from Hamilton! and (hopefully) reading the Ron Chernow book it was based on. Thoughtfully organized to group topics while still being largely chronological, this would be an excellent text book while still being a quick and compelling pleasure read. Whether you're a history buff or just dipping your toe in the water, this is equally accessible to all levels of knowledge. Highly recommended (unless you like Aaron Burr, but really, who does?)
July 30, 2011
Another great read by Brookhiser. I must admit that Hamilton is one of the founder fathers I tend to overlook. Realized he was an aid to GW during the war, youngest delegate at the Constitutional convention, national bank, etc. but never really read much about him. Maybe he was like Mike Mussina of his time. Mussina will have to wait for the Hall, but will have to contend with the Schillings, Johnsons, Maddox, etc. Hamilton may be a great figure, but over shadowed by the likes of Jefferson, GW, Madison, Franklin, Rufus King (sorry-always liked the name). I learned much about Hamiltons "life" from this fine book.
June 22, 2016
If you are looking for a brief biography of Alexander Hamilton, this book will give you some satisfaction. You will gain some insight into his public persona but not much into his private life. There is very little mention of his wife and children but a considerable amount about his affair. (The affair became public knowledge while his family life stayed, apparently, pretty private.)
Brookhiser has written books on George Washington, my guess is that these are better. Whenever Hamilton's story runs alongside Washington's you will find the writing to come alive with descriptions of Washington.
Brookhiser has written books on George Washington, my guess is that these are better. Whenever Hamilton's story runs alongside Washington's you will find the writing to come alive with descriptions of Washington.
June 3, 2018
I agree with several comments already posted. Mr Brookheiser has written a very good biography. Good painting of the issues and passions surrounding Founding Fathers' times. Good portrayals of the characters of Adams, Jefferson and Madison as well as Hamilton himself - especially enjoyed the observation on Virginia "squires" which raises the question as to who were the real aristocrats vs men of the people here. (The more I read of this period, the less I admire Jefferson overall.) Too bad Burr even gets mentioned in the same paragraph as these leaders (although certainly relevant for a biography of Hamilton!) . Tragic to read of similar duel by Hamilton's oldest son a few years earlier.
October 13, 2017
I actually had to read this book for a conference I'm attending at the end of the month and while I love Hamilton and enjoyed that this was a short overview of his life (especially compared to Chernow) I struggled with this one. It honestly did not hold my attention and I found myself skipping around/skimming pages. I found it weird that so much time was spent discussing other revolutionary figures and wondered if I was reading a book based on Hamilton or if I had picked up a book on the founding fathers several times. It's a quick read and has some good information, but that's about all it has going for itself
February 16, 2016
Lively and readable and I would read other books by Brookhiser. I didn't know much about AH and needed a refresher on the timeline around and after the American Revolution. All the intrigue! Sniping and gossip are not new to the world of politics, and the major players printed their opinions and rants under psodonyms. Didn't remember the issues of Federalists vs Republicans, or learning that New England considered seceding from the States. AH had enough flaws to keep him interesting. Lesson learned: dueling is bad.
January 9, 2009
Alexander Hamilton, founding father, but not even born and raised in the United States.
The book gives an account of Hamilton's childhood years in the Virgin Islands, excelling as a boy with not father or mother in his life. After making it to the mainland, he overcomes any feelings of inferiority due to his background and rises to be one of the central voices and idea men behind our nation's founding.
The book gives a good account of his strengths as well as his weaknesses.
The book gives an account of Hamilton's childhood years in the Virgin Islands, excelling as a boy with not father or mother in his life. After making it to the mainland, he overcomes any feelings of inferiority due to his background and rises to be one of the central voices and idea men behind our nation's founding.
The book gives a good account of his strengths as well as his weaknesses.
September 12, 2010
Brief look into the short life of an important Founder. Found the beginning to be full of great material, useful in understanding the Hamilton's heritage. Hoped for more information about Hamilton's relationship with Burr, as neither this work nor Nancy Isenberg's work on Burr gave me quite what I was looking for. The abstract chapters seemed to detract from the overall work, would have suited the work better if they had been included the bulk of the book as necessary.
November 12, 2011
For those who do not want to read Ron Chernow's 800 page biography of Hamilton this 220 page version by Brookheiser will fit the bill. A brief history of Hamilton's extraordinary life is broken down into short chapters and covers the highlights of Hamilton's life. It doesn't go into great detail in any aspect but is a nice overview of Hamilton's life. For anyone wanting the full details of Hamilton's life they should read the above mentioned biography by Chernow.
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