Book
The Essential Hamilton
Edited by Joanne B. Freeman, professor of history and of American studies
(Library of America)
A brash immigrant who rose to become George Washington’s right-hand man. A fierce partisan whose nationalist vision made him Thomas Jefferson’s bitter rival. An unfaithful husband whose commitment to personal honor brought his life to a tragic early end. The success of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical “Hamilton” has stoked a resurgence of interest in Alexander Hamilton, the founder who profoundly shaped the American republic. This book provides a portrait of Hamilton in his own words, charting his meteoric rise, his controversial tenure as treasury secretary, and his scandalous final years, culminating in his infamous duel with Aaron Burr. It includes Hamilton’s essential public writings and private letters, as well as the correspondence between Burr and Hamilton that led to their duel and two conflicting eyewitness accounts of their fatal encounter.
Media Contact
Office of Public Affairs & Communications: opac@yale.edu, 203-432-1345