A Delightful Read:Alexander Hamilton's Guide to Life

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Not an in depth biography of the Father of our Treasury but it was not intended to be. Using the many highly thought of biographies of the man as well as his letters and interviews with descendants and members of various Hamiltonian groups, Jeff Wilser has compiled snippets of Hamilton's life and his attitudes on various subjects. He has also added some asides that are both humorous and timely. Just a most enjoyable little book about a truly amazing man--never a President but one who battled them with his words and bested them every time. As Wilser puts it: " Hamilton 4 Presidents 0 " And in the words of George Will--" Jefferson got a monument--America lives in the world Hamilton created." As a child I remember driving by the monument on the cliffs overlooking the Hudson River and my Dad saying " That is where Aaron Burr shot Alexander Hamilton." I knew both names and a little about them but I always felt so sad because I liked what I knew about Hamilton and really didn't know much about Burr. I learned to dislike him then and nothing I've learned since has redeemed him in my eyes. I wonder if the cliffs in Weehauken are so built up now that it would be difficult to find that little monument, marking a very important spot for both men--early leaders of our Nation. I received this review copy from Blogging for Books.