Member Reviews

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  1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

  • Rated 5 stars

  “Can you be attracted to dead historical figures? Hamilton is one of my great heroes, one of the historati lined up in my personal nirvana--or maybe I just had a hot neoclassical fling with him in another life. Interestingly, for me, one of the most enlightening aspects of this book was its constant and varied insights on Jefferson. Obviously that's not its primary intent, but you learn much about the conflicting passions that shaped America, and Jefferson was diametrically opposed to Hamilton on many pivotal issues. Obviously the book operates from Hamilton's perspective, so after 1776 and His Excellency (bio on Washington), I am even more convinced that Jefferson was an asshole--thanks, Chernow. But I firmly believe most great people are - Hamilton was brilliant (even for that brilliant age), charismatic, and right, and probably an asshole himself - a fascinating figure with fascinating enemies.
  
  Chernow handles the subtleties of Hamilton's challenges deftly and with very little bias (for a biographer), educating without brainwashing. He illustrates Hamilton's weaknesses unflinchingly, and humanizes the man while exalting his achievements - what a beautiful biographical experience. ”

  hollywould wrote this review Wednesday, October 17 2007. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 1 stars

  “Boring, boring, boring. I read this book for a book club and it was almost impossible to finish. Nobody liked it.”

  Lucy's Grandma wrote this review Friday, June 20 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 5 stars

  “Alexander Hamilton was a man of intelligence, honor,and undefeatable spirit since he was a child in the Caribbean. Orphaned early in life, his mother (thought to be from Jewish and Hugonaut roots) raised him with Jewish nannies and he learned Hebrew. He was autodidactic and lived what he believed. Brilliant in finance and economics he was an incredible founding father whose life was taken too early but as a result of his own honorable standards. God took him too soon. He needed to be a better shot! :)”

  Yvonne M wrote this review Friday, May 23 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 4 stars

  “I'm only to about page 200 but holy smokes what an amazing human...I feel so puny in comparison!”

  Tess wrote this review Thursday, May 8 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 0 stars

  “Very interesting man who gets too little attention as a founding father. The book itself needs an editor. Chernow cherns these bios out, but doesn't organize his content well, and has a tendency to make the same observations over and over again. He makes several pretty big inferences about relationships with very little apparent direct data to suppport it. I am on the look out for a better bio of this very important character.”

  andy r wrote this review Friday, May 2 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 5 stars

  “A thorough biography of an extraordinary man, one of the Founders whom people know less about. Well worth reading.”

  Jean M wrote this review Wednesday, January 23 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 5 stars

  “I am not normally a fan of biographies, but this one is outstanding! It gave me such great new insight into the beginnings of our country and this book has me convinced that Hamilton is one of the greatest founding fathers of our country. Ultimately, his vision for our economy won out, and Jefferson's agrarian hope went by the wayside. Therefore, it is amazing to read about the life of a man whose vision for our country has survived and thrived to this day! Hamilton's life was so colorful, difficult and interesting, that it leads the reader to cheer for this underdog and be awed by all he did accomplish.”

  Kristin D wrote this review Sunday, December 30 2007. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 5 stars

  “What an amazing work. It is like reading a great novel. Hard to imagine that we once had leaders who could move things so powerfully.
  
  Chernow's efforts to reconstruct Hamilton's childhood are heroic, and he doesn't push things past what the available facts support.
  
  The build up to the duel with Burr will tug at your heart.
  
  A very large book, well worth the time to read it.”

  Timothy F wrote this review Thursday, November 29 2007. ( reply | permalink )