Incredibly written and well read

It’s taken me some time to finish this audiobook, but I confess I’ve enjoyed every hour or 10 minutes I could snatch of this book. Incredibly detailed, it tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, Eliza Hamilton and all those whose life Alexander Hamilton touched at some moment. Plus, if you are a musical fan - you’ll notice a lot of lines or key phrases that are woven through Lin Manual’s modern masterpiece.

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1 person found this helpful

Incredible Scholarship, fascinating account

Just like his subject, Chernow has shown an incredible energy for his chosen undertaking. Authoritative, fascinating and utterly compelling. Scott Brick delivers the biography with intelligently chosen speeds and tones of narration. This makes some of that material, which some may find less accessible and more difficult (the political periods), easier to remain engaged with. I am English, so read this from a certain perspective (and initially with a light-humoured raised eyebrow) but am in awe of what the separate States achieved. I would recommend this to any person who might believe there are limitations on what can be achieved by human determination and comradeship. This must be one of the finest alternative examples of David beating Goliath in history.

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The epic life of Alexander Hamilton

A very interesting look into the life of one of America's founding fathers. It really takes you on the great journey of his life - his ups and downs and of the great impact he had on the founding of one of the world's great nations. After listening to this I understand him better as a person as well. It did feel there was more emphasis on his political life and the politics of the time than his personal life, but it was well-written, interesting, and inciteful and I now know a lot more about the founding of the US than before. The narrator was very good and pleasant to listen to.

If you like the musical, it's definitely worth a listen.

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Alexander Hamilton, his name is Alexander Hamilton

Like most people in the UK I'd never heard of Alexander Hamilton until the musical of his life began wowing audiences in the US. I only had to hear the title song (which strangely reveals the whole plot) , to want to know more about this pivotal figure of the American Revoution. I'm so glad that I did, Ron Chernow tells a superb tale. From Hamilton's boyhood in the West Indies, through the events of the revolutionary war, to the politics of the early republic and finally to a New Jersey duelling ground, the book moves at a fair clip. Some of The Federalist/Republican party civil war is a little dry but its a testament to Chernow's skill as a writer (and Scott Brick's fabulous narration!) that eventually I got the gist of what was going on.

Hamilton is a brilliant if flawed subject of a book. God only knows how Manuel Lin Miranda thought that this book would make a great musical but I'm glad that he did, or I would have never heard of Hamilton and the impact that he made on the world.

Highly recommended!

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38 people found this helpful

Fantastic

Fantastic in every possible way. Highly interesting and captivating. Do not let its length deter you, it is worth it.
14/10

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Very informative

It took me a few chapters to get fully into this book but, after that, I found I couldn't stop listening to it. Very informative and I have learnt so much about the Founding Fathers of the USA.

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An amazing life

The fact that Hamilton's life can fill 36 hours of engaging and interesting description testifies to what an important figure he was in the birth and establishment of the United States of America. He was an inspiring and talented soldier and in peacetime instrumental in shaping the financial system of the fledgling country. So it all the more surprising that, while Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison and Franklin are household names, Hamilton's is not. Maybe his early death and the fact that both Adams and Jefferson hated him and went out of their way to denigrate and slander him, often with false accusations to undermine his reputation, when he was alive and that continued after his death enabled them to airbrush Hamilton's contributions out of the historical record. I must say I was surprised by the waste of time and energy expended by the politicians by their internecine conflicts.
The book is not only a biography of this important figure but also an insight into how the USA shed the dominance of the Britain, developed their own political system and started to unpick dependence on slaves as cheap labour.

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13 people found this helpful

Q very interesting tale

A really good listen with a lot to learn about a very interesting life.

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A Fabulous listen

A huge fan of the musical, I thought I would wade through this waiting tome! I decided I needed some help so downloaded the audiobook. Brilliantly read now have even more admiration of this American hero.

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Deserves the hype

All around fantastic and in depth account of the life and times of Hamilton. What Chernow does incredibly well is situating every detail within it’s appropriate context - he always leaves you with a feeling that you were almost there.
The narration is also excellent and flows smoothly, playing almost like a story.

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