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E-mail Message: I thought you might be interested in this item at http://umaryland.worldcat.org/oclc/909781235 Title: Alexander Hamilton : a life Author: Willard Sterne Randall Publisher: New York : HarperPerennial Political Classics, 2014. ©2003 ISBN/ISSN: 9780060954666 0060954663 OCLC:909781235

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Alexander Hamilton : a life

Author:	Willard Sterne Randall
Publisher:	New York : HarperPerennial Political Classics, 2014. ©2003
Edition/Format:	Print book : EnglishView all editions and formats
Summary:	From his less than auspicious start in 1755 on the Caribbean Island of Nevis to his untimely death in a duel with his old enemy Aaron Burr in 1804, Alexander Hamilton, despite his short life, left a huge legacy. Orphaned at thirteen and apprenticed in a counting house, Hamilton learned principles of business that helped him create the American financial system and invent the modern corporation. But first the Read more...

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Genre/Form:	Biographies Biography
Named Person:	Alexander Hamilton; Alexander Hamilton
Document Type:	Book
All Authors / Contributors:	Willard Sterne Randall Find more information about:
ISBN:	9780060954666 0060954663
OCLC Number:	909781235
Notes:	"A hardcover edition of this book was published in 2003 by HarperCollins Publishers"--Title page verso.
Description:	xiii, 476 pages : illustrations, maps ; 21 cm
Responsibility:	Willard Sterne Randall.
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Abstract:

From his less than auspicious start in 1755 on the Caribbean Island of Nevis to his untimely death in a duel with his old enemy Aaron Burr in 1804, Alexander Hamilton, despite his short life, left a huge legacy. Orphaned at thirteen and apprenticed in a counting house, Hamilton learned principles of business that helped him create the American financial system and invent the modern corporation. But first the staunch, intrepid Hamilton served in the American Revolution, acting as General Washington's spymaster. Forging a successful legal career, Hamilton coauthored the Federalist Papers and plunged into politics. Irresistibly attractive, he was a man of many gifts, but he could be arrogant and at times a poor judge of character. In this meticulously researched, illuminating, and lively account, Willard Sterne Randall explores Hamilton's life--his illegitimate birth, little-known military activities, political and diplomatic intrigues, and scandalous affairs--and its indelible impact on modern America.

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A Concise Introduction To Alexander Hamilton

by jmgallen (WorldCat user published 2018-01-28) Excellent

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Alexander Hamilton’s saga of an illegitimate Caribbean youth from a broken family who mastered several languages, learned business in island...
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Alexander Hamilton’s saga of an illegitimate Caribbean youth from a broken family who mastered several languages, learned business in island trading houses, relocated to New York, and obtained an education is inspiring enough. From there he became an aide to George Washington during the Revolution, promotor of the Constitution, and first Treasury Secretary who set the Federal government on the road to an independent financial basis and the America economy on the road toward industrialization before falling out of favor and ending his life on the dueling grounds at Weehawken, New Jersey.

Hamilton’s attachment to George Washington was his ticket to success and influence. His marriage to Elizabeth Schuyler, a daughter of one of the most prominent families in New York, drew him into the political elite. His unfailing hard work made him a success in the military, at law and in politics. Hamilton was a man of contradictions. Though a devoted family man he was likely duped into the first major sexual scandal in American politics. A self-made man of aristocratic pedigree but impoverished beginnings, he was publicly portrayed as a spokesman for privilege by men more privileged than himself. A Principal author of the Federalist Papers, he was suspected of harboring ambitions of establishing a military despotism. A skilled negotiator, a series of blunders removed him from the center of political action and led to his death.

There are other biographies of Alexander Hamilton, so why should a reader choose this one? One reason is that it is shorter than some others while remaining thorough. Each author brings his own perspective on his subject. I find that Willard Sterne Randall devotes less ink to the details of Hamilton’s early life and more to his service in the Revolutionary War Army than some other works. From this book I derived a better understanding of Hamilton’s time in the Continental Congress and how that experience convinced him of the need for a stronger national government without which the United States might not have survived. I also feel that this tome places Hamilton in the milieu of the development of his region, with particular emphasis of New York and the disputes that precipitated the admission of the State of Vermont to the Union than I have found in other works. Whether you are looking for an introduction or a new look Willard Sterne Randall’s “Alexander Hamilton: A Life” is a worthy read.

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