Why this book: I was so impressed with Chernow’s biography of U.S. Grant that I wanted to learn as much about Hamilton, of whom I knew little, in the same voice. It was a good call.  Since I was already “reading” a couple of other books, I chose to listen to the audible version of Alexander Hamilton.  I have the written version as well, but the audible worked well for me – it is well read and was enjoyable tolisten to.

Summary in 3 Sentences:  Alexander Hamilton is a well researched and beautifully written chronological biography of Alexander Hamilton, from his childhood,  to his coming to America, his role in the revolutionary war and then his rise to become one of the pre-eminent men in the early days of our republic.  It is not a short book at 730 pages, but it flows well, is easy to read, and is well worth the time to learn not only about this remarkable man, but also, thru the lens of his life, about the early days of our country.  Chernow quotes someone as saying that while Washington was the father of our country, and Madison the father of our constitution, Hamilton was the father of our form of government.  

My Impressions: Another “Wow!” biography by Ron Chernow.  I listened to his biography Grant just last month and was so impressed with the way  Chernow told the story,  I decided right away to listen to him tell the story of Alexander Hamilton, about whom I knew little – only that he was an important “player” in the early days of our country, is considered one of our “founding fathers,” and that Aaron Burr killed him in a duel.  In this book Hamilton’s life is a fascinating lens through which to look at the early years of our country, from the 1770s until the early 1800s. 

After listening to Chernow tell his amazing story, I’m not only much better informed about the stormy beginnings of our country and form of government, but I also have a much better appreciation for the characters of not only Hamilton, but also of other iconic figures, such as Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe – their quirks and personality differences, them as courageous but fallible men, and the often vicious differences between some of them in the early days of our country.

As in Grant, having listened to the book, on my bike, in my car, on walks, I have no notes or marginalia to remind me of what I read. I will say that Chernow’s command of the English language is stunning – and the elegance of the language used by our forefathers, in the days before TV,  radio,  mass media, and other homogenizing influences on our language, is also an aesthetic pleasure to listen to.  Would that I had that eloquence at my fingertips for my writing and self-expression as did Hamilton then, and as does Chernow today.

Three key takeaways from this book before I try to recount a few interesting things I learned about Hamilton’s life: 

• First, the importance of Alexander Hamilton in the formation of our country can hardly be overstated.  Hamilton studied other forms of government, and articulated a vision for a new American government, and then played a key role in creating a government that was a unique hybrid of the other forms he’d studied, with his own ideas.   He also founded what became the US banking system, created the US mint, developed processes for the government to borrow money and manage debt, work economically with the private sector, and more. All this against significant opposition from Jefferson, Madison and others who advocated for an America that was more simple and rural and primarily agricultural.   He was also one of the strongest early anti-slavery voices in America.  As noted, his influence can hardly be overstated. 

• Second, Hamilton was at loggerheads with Jefferson and Madison for much of the last 20 years of his life.  He was allied closely with Washington, and insisted on an executive branch that had some authority and power, and would not be emasculated by the varying passions and fads coming from the legislative branch.  Jefferson and Madison opposed both Washington’s and Hamilton’s vision, but Washington’s stature was such that he could not be attacked, so they went after Hamilton, and accused him of wanting to establish an almost monarchical executive branch, with quasi-dictatorial authority.  The antipathy between Hamilton and both Jefferson and Madison was initially a political/philosophical disagreement, but devolved into personal and vicious attacks.  Chernow in his telling, doesn’t spare Hamilton’s excessive zeal for some of the blame in the viciousness of these disputes,  but he clearly is not an admirer of Jefferson nor Madison in the evolution of their dispute. 

• Third, the antipathy between Federalists and Republicans presaged today’s political polarity.   The differences between the Federalists, of whom Hamilton was the key and most articulate and visible leader, and the Republicans, represented primarily by Jefferson and Madison were as polarizing to the country as our current disputes between the right and the left.  The Federalists believed strongly that a strong central government was essential to keep the new country united, to represent it internationally, and to enforce the best interests of the whole over the parochial interests of the states.  The Republicans wanted most governmental power to rest with the states, and for the federal government to be a weak arbiter in disputes between states. Slavery was a huge question even at the beginning of our nation, and the Republicans wanted to protect the practice of slavery in the South, from the abolitionists in the North.  Chernow is quick to point to the hypocrisy of Republicans who claimed to advocate strongly for human and state’s rights, while owning hundreds of slaves themselves, though even some Federalists who claimed to be abolitionists, wouldn’t give up their slaves.  

Below are a few key perspectives on Hamilton’s life which were new to me and that I found most interesting.

• Early years Hamilton was born in Charlestown on the small island of Nevis in the Lesser Antilles, out of wedlock, and bounced from relative to foster parent around the Caribbean.  From early on, he was precocious and resourceful, learned and spoke fluent French as well as English, worked as a clerk as a young teenager, helping his mother to survive.  It was a humiliating struggle which shaped the rest of his life.  He was an ardent autodidact, observing, reading, learning all he could, impressing many.  He experienced poverty, but as a white Englishman, was still privileged compared to how blacks and natives were treated, which appalled him.  His precocity was recognized and he was sponsored and sent to be educated in the English North American colonies.

• Middle Years and the Revolutionary War.  Arriving in NY area in his mid-teens, Hamilton attended a prep school, and then Kings College (now Colombia University) in NYC.   There he became a star student writing opinion pieces under a nom de plume, and a passionate orator, arguing for resistance to unjust laws the English were imposing on the colonies and writing .  From early on he had a gift for passionate oratory, which won him admirers among those seeking independence, but hatred enmity among the Tories.  When war broke out he was quick to volunteer to fight.  He dearly wanted to be respected as a war hero and his brazen courage and intrepidity were soon recognized and he was promoted and given increased responsibility.   But his administrative skills were unique,  and still in his early 20s, he was essentially forced into an administrative role as Washington’s aide de camp, a position in which he served for several years.  There he and Washington developed a strong and trusting relationship, not only in matters of leading the Continental army but also discussing political theory. He finally resigned from that position, against Washington’s wishes, in order to lead men in combat, which he did at the end of the war, and indeed did distinguish himself in battle and become a war hero at Yorktown.

• Post War years, establishing our Country  Hamilton was one of the most thoughtful of the early founders of our country and had a clear and well researched vision for what the country should become. He was a prolific writer of opinion pieces and he was the principle author of the Federalist Papers, though Madison contributed a lot and gets most of the credit.  He also completed his law degree during this window.  As the government was being formed after 1782, different visions and ideas were still coalescing into what would eventually become the Federalist and Republican perspectives which eventually led to the political parties we have today.

• Family life: Hamilton’s wife Eliza was a hugely important person in his life and Chernow made this point strongly. Many of their letters survive and he quoted from them liberally. They had eight children, and Hamilton seemed to be a devoted father though also a  workaholic, but Eliza held the family together which Chernow emphasized.  Hamilton was also apparently something of a philanderer, and became involved in a nasty sex scandal, but was also devoted to his wife and family.  Eliza stuck with him throughout, and their letters reflected a lot of love, respect and mutual affection.

• Washington’s presidency.  When Washington became president, Hamilton eventually became the Secretary of the Treasury and the most powerful man in Washington’s cabinet. This was due to several factors:  Washington trusted him from their time in the revolutionary war and Hamilton therefore had more access to him than others, though Washington did not give Hamilton all he wanted; 2. He was clearest on his vision, and was the most articulate and thoughtful writer supporting it; 3. He had an almost inhuman capacity for work.  Chernow repeatedly expressed amazement at how much he did, how well he did it, and how he was able to find the energy, much less time,  to do so much quality work.  He established the foundations of the banking and financial system of America today, though these initiatives were strongly opposed by Jefferson, Madison and the southern Republicans. During this window, Jefferson was the Secretary of State and opposed Hamilton at almost every turn, but usually lost the battles. Many suspected Washington simply acceded to and rubber stamping Hamilton’s recommendations in key policy issues in shaping the United States, but Chernow denies this.  At the end of Washington’s second term, Hamilton was one of the most powerful men in America, as well as one of the most hated and resented, by those who opposed his efforts to establish a strong executive branch and federal government.

• Post Washington – John Adams and Jefferson.  When Washington left office, Hamilton’s main patron, supporter and protector retired to Mt Vernon.  John Adams, like many of the more eminent men of his time, clearly felt threatened by Hamilton, his intelligence, clarity of vision, zealotry in pursuing it, and his capacity for hard work.   Because of the way Presidential elections were run then, though Adams was a Federalist, his VP was Jefferson, the head of the Republican contingent  (it was as if Trump had Kamal Harris as his VP!)  But John Adams the Federalist, did not like nor trust Hamilton the most ardent, eloquent well-known representative of his own political philosophy.  Chernow doesn’t have a lot of good things to say about Adams as President – Adams pushed Hamilton out of the inner circle and actively opposed many of Hamilton’s initiatives, seemingly more out of pique than principle.  But Hamilton still had huge influence and remained actively engaged at the edges.   And when in the next Presidential election, Adams was defeated by Jefferson his VP,  and the Republicans won Congress, Hamilton was pushed even further outside the centers of power.  But he kept fighting a rear-guard action to keep Jefferson from reversing the many practices and institutions he’d put in place. As Hamilton expected, when Jefferson became President, he was not nearly as opposed to a strong and decisive executive branch and a strong central government. 

• The Duel w Aaron Burr and its aftermath.  Hamilton and Burr had been social acquaintances and had worked successfully together over decades, but, whereas Hamilton was a principled idealist, Burr was practical and politically ambitious, and his principles would adjust to whichever team or idea appeared to give him the greatest immediate advantage.  Hamilton had no respect for Burr, who was Jefferson’s Vice President, and neither did Jefferson.  Hamilton however readily expressed his opinion of Burr to others, which led Burr to challenge him to an affair of honor – a duel.   The section of the book on their duel is a fascinating look at the tradition and customs of dueling, its various forms and codes, and includes a well researched and detailed account of the duel itself, what led up to it, and its aftermath.  Interesting to note that Hamilton’s eldest son Philip was killed in a duel just shy of 3 years before Hamilton was killed by Burr.  In the last chapter, Chernow tells of the courageous life of Eliza Hamilton, and what became of their children after Hamilton’s death. Chernow is clearly an admirer of Eliza, who lived to 97 years, and was an honored and well-respected presence in Washington DC into the 1850s. 

Conclusion: It is hard in a short review to do justice to the depth, detail and eloquence of Chernow’s biography of Hamilton.  Every thoughtful American should know this story – it is far different from the  the mythological fairy tale of our courageous founding fathers coming together to form a new and revolutionary democratic paradise in the New World.  It was enlightening to learn how Alexander Hamilton was one of, if not THE key architect of our form of government and the challenges he faced in creating the foundations of the political and economic system that we enjoy today.