Alexander Hamilton [Hardcover]

Chernow's portrayal of Hamilton as misunderstood Founding Father is a whitewash of his true legacy--that of a person who despised democracy, favored a plutocracy (or a new phrase---"judocracy"--rule by judges), and who is responsible in many ways for the dysfunctional nature of the federal government.

Chernow is subtle in his reclamation project. For example, Hamilton's last written words, except his instructions to his wife upon his death, are that secession of the New England states from the union, a cause which he supported in general, would offer "no relief to our real Disease; which is DEMOCRACY, the poison of which" [emphasis and capitalization in original, but not in Chernow's version] would only be more concentrated if New England were to secede. Chernow can't write a biography without mentioning Hamilton's hatred for rule by the people, but he can soften it, by removing the emphasis which Hamilton intended to be there.

Chernow's talent as a writer is undeniable. He observes that "today, we are indisputably the heirs to Hamilton's America, and to repudiate his legacy is, in many ways, to repudiate the modern world." Precisely.

If you relish living in a country with unfulfilled pretensions to democracy, a muscular judiciary, an executive that governs by administrative fiat, and an unwieldy and ineffective legislative branch, then you will relish Hamilton's America. If you are saddened by the unfulfilled promise of democracy in America, you should find out who the true Hamilton was---as portrayed by others besides Chernow.

While George Washington is rightly called the "Indispensable Man" Chernow shows why Hamilton ought to be called the "Indispensable Man of American Government." For without his efforts, it is quite easy to see the Washington Administration handing off not a successful structure of self government, but a weak government neither able to fund itself, borrow or achieve much of anything at all.

This wonderfully written book is two stories. One is the incredible rise from ignominy of Hamilton, a bastard born overseas (this was considered worse than poverty among his class conscious contemporaries), through incredible discipline, innate intelligence and a fierce will to succeed.

The other is the story of a patriot who Zelig-like was everywhere of importance during the winning of our independence and founding of our government. Hamilton not only became in effect Washington's Chief of Staff during the Revolution and a combat hero at Yorktown, but was also the driving force behind ratification of the Constitution and the architect of the American system of government and economics.

My hope is that Hamilton, certainly the most underappreciated of the founders and arguably the most significant after Washington, finally gets his due as a keystone in making American self government a success. As Chernow illustrates so very well, Hamilton's defense of and advocacy for the Constitution through the Federalist papers (written with Madison and Jay, but largely Hamilton's work), was what probably saved our beloved document from non-ratification in New York and other states. As our first Treasury Secretary, his establishment of public credit, war debt assumption, a revenue collection system and other necessary features of government -- over the stern objections of Thomas Jefferson and the Republicans -- gave stability and permanence to our governing sytems.

Hamilton was not only exhaustive in his machinations and plans, he was also brilliant in his vision and crafty in bringing those visions to reality.

This book is not a hagiography. Hamilton was brilliant and indispensable, but as Chernow portrays he did have faults that caused him trouble and would have made him in all probability not a good candidate for president. He worked best when under the license of the great Washington. Hamilton's brilliance and incredible foresight were fostered and used by Washington - a leader who also had the supreme wisdom to temper the excesses of his unbelievably talented subordinate. Out from under Washington's guidance, Hamilton's genius produced excesses of thought if not always deed. Character flaws also got him into trouble as Chernow illustrates in the Reynolds Affair and the duel with Burr. However, his contributions are shown by the author to be indispensable and critical to the keeping of our democratic government more than two centuries hence.

This is a wonderfully written book that is thoroughly researched. It is comprehensive -- the author does an excellent job of weaving the personal Hamilton portrait with the public doings of the statesman. The times and political milieu are also expertly drawn and brought to life. In reading of the founders it always astounds me how hard fought -- and in most respects more vicious -- politics was among the founding generation compared to these last decades. A warning for Jefferson fans, the author of the Declaration does not come off favorably, nor does Madison nor Monroe (this is after the start of the Washington Administration, not before) in this book. However, given the documented evidence, their actions and deeds are credibly drawn by Chernow. While this might ruffle some feathers of those who delve lightly into the period, Chernow's documentation certainly provides a more fully drawn portrait of those who first designed themselves as Republicans (as opposed to Hamilton's Federalists) and who played politics as deviously, roughly and ruthlessly as Lyndon Johnson would in his day.

This is a great work of history and one I highly recommend. The book is long, but Chernow's tight writing style makes it easy to read.