Books to Read If You Can't See Hamilton!

Hamilton is huge as most of you know. So huge that it's very hard to get tickets.  So if you can't see the musical, here's some books you could maybe read instead!

First to learn about the man and how he influenced our country.

The Making of American: Alexander Hamilton

by Teri Kanefield

The America that Alexander Hamilton knew was largely agricultural and built on slave labor. He envisioned something else: a multi-racial, urbanized, capitalistic America with a strong central government. He believed that such an America would be a land of opportunity for the poor and the newcomers. But Hamilton’s vision put him at odds with his archrivals who envisioned a pastoral America of small towns, where governments were local, states would control their own destiny, and the federal government would remain small and weak.

The disputes that arose during America’s first decades continued through American history to our present day. Over time, because of the systems Hamilton set up and the ideas he left, his vision won out. Here is the story that epitomizes the American dream—a poor immigrant who made good in America. In the end, Hamilton rose from poverty through his intelligence and ability, and did more to shape our country than any of his contemporaries.

If you want to learn more about who Alexander Hamilton was and how he shaped the United States, this would be a great place to start.  It starts with his childhood and goes on hitting the highlights of his life.  The writing is simple and straightforward, so completely perfect for middle grade and older.  At the end of the book is a timeline of his life, endnotes for each chapter and a list of other places to look for information on Hamilton.  Great book! 

If you want more of a story - a love story!

Alex and Eliza: A Love Story

by Melissa De La Cruz

Their romance shaped a nation. The rest was history.

1777. Albany, New York. 

As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York society’s biggest events: the Schuylers’ grand ball. Descended from two of the oldest and most distinguished bloodlines in New York, the Schuylers are proud to be one of their fledgling country’s founding families, and even prouder still of their three daughters—Angelica, with her razor-sharp wit; Peggy, with her dazzling looks; and Eliza, whose beauty and charm rival that of both her sisters, though she’d rather be aiding the colonists’ cause than dressing up for some silly ball. 


Still, she can barely contain her excitement when she hears of the arrival of one Alexander Hamilton, a mysterious, rakish young colonel and General George Washington’s right-hand man. Though Alex has arrived as the bearer of bad news for the Schuylers, he can’t believe his luck—as an orphan, and a bastard one at that—to be in such esteemed company. And when Alex and Eliza meet that fateful night, so begins an epic love story that would forever change the course of American history.

When I got a copy of this in the mail my daughter - a huge Hamilton fan - tore it out of my hands and claimed it.  She also immediately Snapchatted a pic to her friends.  Let's just say she was excited.  So if you want to know about the relationship between Alexander and Eliza this is one you'll need to check out.