Alexander Hamilton

By: Ron Chernow

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

The #1 New York Times bestseller, and the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical Hamilton!

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow presents a landmark biography of Alexander Hamilton, the Founding Father who galvanized, inspired, scandalized, and shaped the newborn nation.

"Grand-scale biography at its best—thorough, insightful, consistently fair, and superbly written . . . A genuinely great book."—David McCullough

“A robust full-length portrait, in my view the best ever written, of the most brilliant, charismatic and dangerous founder of them all."—Joseph Ellis

Few figures in American history have been more hotly debated or more grossly misunderstood than Alexander Hamilton. Chernow’s biography gives Hamilton his due and sets the record straight, deftly illustrating that the political and economic greatness of today’s America is the result of Hamilton’s countless sacrifices to champion ideas that were often wildly disputed during his time. “To repudiate his legacy,” Chernow writes, “is, in many ways, to repudiate the modern world.”

Chernow here recounts Hamilton’s turbulent life: an illegitimate, largely self-taught orphan from the Caribbean, he came out of nowhere to take America by storm, rising to become George Washington’s aide-de-camp in the Continental Army, coauthoring The Federalist Papers, founding the Bank of New York, leading the Federalist Party, and becoming the first Treasury Secretary of the United States.

Historians have long told the story of America’s birth as the triumph of Jefferson’s democratic ideals over the aristocratic intentions of Hamilton. Chernow presents an entirely different man, whose legendary ambitions were motivated not merely by self-interest but by passionate patriotism and a stubborn will to build the foundations of American prosperity and power. His is a Hamilton far more human than we’ve encountered before—from his shame about his birth to his fiery aspirations, from his intimate relationships with childhood friends to his titanic feuds with Jefferson, Madison, Adams, Monroe, and Burr, and from his highly public affair with Maria Reynolds to his loving marriage to his loyal wife Eliza. And never before has there been a more vivid account of Hamilton’s famous and mysterious death in a duel with Aaron Burr in July of 1804.

Chernow’s biography is not just a portrait of Hamilton, but the story of America’s birth seen through its most central figure. At a critical time to look back to our roots, Alexander Hamilton will remind listeners of the purpose of our institutions and our heritage as Americans.

©2004 Ron Chernow (P)2004 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"...[N]obody has captured Hamilton better than Chernow...." (The New York Times Book Review)

"...[A] biography commensurate with Hamilton's character, as well as the full, complex context of his unflaggingly active life.... This is a fine work that captures Hamilton's life with judiciousness and verve." (Publishers Weekly)

"A splendid life of an enlightened reactionary and forgotten Founding Father. Literate and full of engaging historical asides. By far the best of the many lives of Hamilton now in print, and a model of the biographer’s art." (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

Alexander Hamilton

I enjoyed the abridged copy. The narrator was excellent. It gave me an overview of Hamilton and the early founders of our great country. I would certainly recommend it.

You don't need me to tell you this book is fantast

You don't need me to tell you this book is fantastic. What you really want to know is: abridged or unabridged? This book was awesome as it is, and the narrator, different from unabridged, is brilliant, one of my favorites. But, Hamilton's story is really fascinating, and because he is glossed over so much in other writings of the period there was a lot I didn't know. Combined with how interesting the writing, I will have to say I could have done the 30 hours for the unabridged pretty easily. One of those books I didn't want to end.

Our most intriguing founding father

A great story, well written and enhanced by Gardner's beautiful narration. May our nation never forget the immense contributions of Hamilton.

HAMILTON

Would you listen to Alexander Hamilton again? Why?

WAS A GREAT READ AND LEARNED AT 85 YRS OLD.LOT I DIDN'T KNOW..WAS VERY HAPPY WITH MY CALL TO DO THIS

What was one of the most memorable moments of Alexander Hamilton?

ABOUT THE DUE AND HIS BIRTH AND EARLY HISTORYI

What does Grover Gardner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I DON'T READ I LEARN BY LISTENING

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

HOW BRILLIANT THIS MAN WAS

Any additional comments?

LOT CHEAPER THAN GOING TO BROADWAY TO SEE TH ESHOW

Perspective on the birth of our nation everyone needs to hear

The book paints a balanced view of a man who contributed so much to the unity of our country. It also presents a balanced view of an impetuous man who loves his country but took leave of common sense at times. The contentious issues faced by our founders are still being played out today. First class book!

Alexander Hamilton

Great book! Well written! Ron Chernow is great! Awesome read ! Alexia Hamilton is Internet! Great!

Great book

loved this book. great story. I learned so much from listening to this. It gets a bit slow in the middle, during politics discussions of other characters, ends strong.

brilliant!

a well told story that no one ever hears. Chernow tells more than just historical events. he puts them in context and gives the characters personality.

An excellent historical account of Hamilton's life

I will definitely listen to is again! Put this on your must read list.

Ron chernow is brilliant

The book is very detailed and may require a second read but still fantastic read.