by Dianne L. Durante (Author)
The two volumes of *Alexander Hamilton: A Friend to America* are unique in their emphasis on primary sources. Using writings by Hamilton, Washington, Burr, Eliza, Angelica, and others, they stitch together an image of Hamilton's life, his times, and the ideas that drove him. If you love *Hamilton: An American Musical* and want to know more about Hamilton the man, this is a perfect place to start If you already love Hamilton the man and want to spend more time with him and the other Founding Fathers, you'll find new material here, too. These essays originally appeared as a series of weekly blog posts on intriguing topics such as: * Alexander's "death wish" what's the evidence for it? * Alexander and Angelica: yes, no, maybe? * What made Hamilton's first political essay so attention-grabbing? * Do we know the recipe for Alexander and Eliza's wedding cake? * Was Hamilton a laissez-faire capitalist, a proponent of Big Government, or ...? Where did he draw the line between economics and politics? * Maria Reynolds: What the hell was he thinking? * What's the difference between history and art, and why do we need both? The order of the essays was inspired by the Hamilton musical. If you prefer to read them in chronological order, *Alexander Hamilton: A Brief Biography* (a stand-alone work) serves as a cross-reference. With full-color images.