Alexander Hamilton

The #1 New York Times bestseller and inspiration for the hit Broadway musical presents a landmark biography of Alexander Hamilton, the Founding Father who shaped the newborn nation. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow delivers a grand-scale biography that is thorough, insightful, and superbly written. Few figures in American history have been as debated or misunderstood as Hamilton. Chernow sets the record straight, illustrating that today’s political and economic greatness stems from Hamilton’s sacrifices for often-disputed ideas. He emphasizes that to repudiate Hamilton’s legacy is to reject the modern world. Chernow recounts Hamilton’s turbulent life as a self-taught orphan from the Caribbean who rose to prominence as George Washington’s aide-de-camp, coauthor of The Federalist Papers, founder of the Bank of New York, leader of the Federalist Party, and the first Treasury Secretary. Historians have often framed America’s birth as a triumph of Jefferson’s ideals over Hamilton’s aristocratic intentions. In contrast, Chernow presents a more human Hamilton, driven by patriotism and a desire to establish American prosperity. The biography explores Hamilton’s personal relationships, his feuds with Jefferson and others, and his infamous affair with Maria Reynolds, culminating in his mysterious death in a duel with Aaron Burr. This work not only portrays Hamilton but also tells the story of America’s birth through its most