Alexander Hamilton

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A groundbreaking biography of Alexander Hamilton, the Founding Father who energized, inspired, scandalized, and formed the young country, is presented by Pulitzer Prize–winning author Ron Chernow.

Ron Chernow's gripping biography of Alexander Hamilton, the first in decades, reveals the tale of a man who defied all odds to inspire, mold, and scandalize the fledgling nation of America. "A robust full-length portrait, in my view the best ever written, of the most brilliant, charismatic and dangerous founder of them all," is how historian Joseph Ellis describes Alexander Hamilton.

Alexander Hamilton is one of the most divisive and misunderstood historical figures in American history. In giving Hamilton his due and correcting historical errors, Chernow's book skillfully shows how his many sacrifices to advance concepts that were hotly debated in his day led to the political and economic might of modern-day America. According to Chernow, "rejecting his legacy is, in many ways, rejecting the modern world." Here, Chernow describes the turbulent life of Hamilton, an illegitimate and largely self-taught orphan from the Caribbean who suddenly rose to prominence in America, serving as George Washington's aide-de-camp in the Continental Army, coauthoring The Federalist Papers, establishing the Bank of New York, heading the Federalist Party, and eventually becoming the country's first Treasury Secretary.For a considerable time, historians have recounted the founding of America as the result of Jefferson's democratic principles overpowering Hamilton's aristocratic goals. Chernow paints a very different picture of the guy, one whose legendary aspirations were driven by a fierce sense of patriotism and a steadfast desire to lay the groundwork for future American wealth and dominance rather than just self-interest. From his intense aspirations to his shame about his birth, from his close friendships with childhood friends to his titanic conflicts with Jefferson, Madison, Adams, Monroe, and Burr, and from his highly publicized affair with Maria Reynolds to his devoted marriage to Eliza, Hamilton is a far more humane character than any we have seen before. Furthermore, no version of Hamilton's well-known and enigmatic death in a July 1804, duel with Aaron Burr, has ever been more vivid.

In addition to being a portrayal of Hamilton, Chernow's biography tells the tale of America's founding as told by its most important person. Alexander Hamilton will remind readers of the goals of our institutions and our legacy as Americans at a crucial moment to reflect on our past.