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Historians on Hamilton: How a Blockbuster Musical Is Restaging America's Past
America has gone Hamilton crazy. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony-winning musical has spawned sold-out performances, a triple platinum cast album, and a score so catchy that it is being used to teach U.S. history in classrooms across the country. But just how historically accurate is Hamilton ? And how is the show itself making history?
Historians on Hamilton brings together a collection of top scholars to explain the Hamilton phenomenon and explore what it might mean for our understanding of America’s history. The contributors examine what the musical got right, what it got wrong, and why it matters. Does Hamilton ’s hip-hop take on the Founding Fathers misrepresent our nation’s past, or does it offer a bold positive vision for our nation’s future? Can a musical so unabashedly contemporary and deliberately anachronistic still communicate historical truths about American culture and politics? And is Hamilton as revolutionary as its creators and many commentators claim?
Perfect for students, teachers, theatre fans, hip-hop heads, and history buffs alike, these short and lively essays examine why Hamilton became an Obama-era sensation and consider its continued relevance in the age of Trump. Whether you are a fan or a skeptic, you will come away from this collection with a new appreciation for the meaning and importance of the Hamilton phenomenon.
Historians on Hamilton brings together a collection of top scholars to explain the Hamilton phenomenon and explore what it might mean for our understanding of America’s history. The contributors examine what the musical got right, what it got wrong, and why it matters. Does Hamilton ’s hip-hop take on the Founding Fathers misrepresent our nation’s past, or does it offer a bold positive vision for our nation’s future? Can a musical so unabashedly contemporary and deliberately anachronistic still communicate historical truths about American culture and politics? And is Hamilton as revolutionary as its creators and many commentators claim?
Perfect for students, teachers, theatre fans, hip-hop heads, and history buffs alike, these short and lively essays examine why Hamilton became an Obama-era sensation and consider its continued relevance in the age of Trump. Whether you are a fan or a skeptic, you will come away from this collection with a new appreciation for the meaning and importance of the Hamilton phenomenon.
396 pages, Paperback
First published May 9, 2018
About the author
Renee C. Romano
7 books4 followersRenee C. Romano is an associate professor of history and African American studies at Wesleyan University and the author of Race Mixing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 9, 2021
Really enjoyed the begining essays in this book, found myself driffting off near the end. There's nothing terrible in tjhe final essays I just didn't find them as enjoyable.
March 26, 2018
As a fan of the Broadway show Hamilton, I've actually been looking forward to seeing some legitimate criticism of the show from a historical perspective. It's always interesting to see the opposite side, to question the media you love. One of the best articles I had read on the subject is featured in this book - the essay on the subject of the lack of POC stories in this musical that is still telling white stories, regardless of the actors. There are at least three enslaved men I can name that could have featured into this story easily, but do not appear in the musical. Why? Well... that's something these essays tackle. We can love this show, but taking it as historically factual is a problem. If anything, these essays talk about how the problem of "Founder Chic" makes it hard to criticize these men when they have become so popular because of a very, very catchy soundtrack. Is the musical insulating the actual people? Is it really encouraging viewers to think about the real Hamilton? Is it doing a deliberate disservice when it fails to mention that the men weren't abolitionists and all owned slaves while their Broadway counterparts say that they were opposed to the practice?
The first few essays discuss Hamilton from a historical perspective, but then the book veers into territory about how Hamilton relates to Broadway and theatre and how we teach history - which feels off topic to me as a reader, although the essays are interesting. Hopefully, Hamilton the musical will led kids to "A People's History of the United States" as one essayist notes, instead of taking Miranda's lyrics as gospel. We can love something, but if we aren't also critical of it, especially in this context, we're still lying to ourselves.
This is a good book of essays. It could be much better though. I await a better version in the future when the fervor over the musical dies down and criticism becomes less of a "blasphemy."
The first few essays discuss Hamilton from a historical perspective, but then the book veers into territory about how Hamilton relates to Broadway and theatre and how we teach history - which feels off topic to me as a reader, although the essays are interesting. Hopefully, Hamilton the musical will led kids to "A People's History of the United States" as one essayist notes, instead of taking Miranda's lyrics as gospel. We can love something, but if we aren't also critical of it, especially in this context, we're still lying to ourselves.
This is a good book of essays. It could be much better though. I await a better version in the future when the fervor over the musical dies down and criticism becomes less of a "blasphemy."
February 6, 2021
Well thank goodness this is done, haha!
This was a read for university rather than one for pleasure (I'm writing about biographical musicals for my dissertation and thus will be writing quite a lot about one of the most popular biographical musicals out there right now - Hamilton), and I doubt that I would have ever picked this up of my own volition as non-fiction isn't really my jam. However, that being said, there is a lot of positives in this book, a collection of essays written by professional historians reflecting on and criticising the Broadway musical, Hamilton, highlighting its successes and educating the reader on its shortfalls. I found a lot of its content very interesting and I learned so much about the founding era of the United States of America and about Alexander Hamilton - things that I had mistakenly taken for fact due to the musical or things that are simply omitted from the musical altogether.
I think where this book falls short for me, through no fault of its own but simply due to the nature of its compilation, is that it is a book of essays written by separate authors that have been compiled by two editors, and because of this, it is quite repetitive in nature. I felt like there were several paragraphs that I read over and over again because they were just the same point being made by different authors in different essays across the course of the book. I think if I were to read these essays in isolation or indeed a lot more spread out and not all at once, I may have been giving this a higher ranking, but because this is for my impending dissertation I was not afforded that luxury and thus its rating has suffered because of it.
This book really was a mixed bag for me because on the one hand I found some essays included VERY interesting, perhaps even 5 star essays, but others were incredibly dull and not at all my cup of tea, so I have had to sit this book in middle-ground. If you are to look at any of these essays in isolation, or want to purchase the book but only want to read certain chapters, I highly recommend Hogeland's introductory essay (Chapter 1), Wollman's 'History of Hot Tickets on Broadway (Chapter 9), 'Who Tells Your Story?: Hamilton as a People's History' by Adelman (Chapter 13), and Potter's essay on 'Staging Hamilton on Social Media (Chapter 15).
All in all, a very informative read that sets out to do exactly as it intends, and a good book to pick up if you are a fan of history, the musical Hamilton, or non-fiction in general!
This was a read for university rather than one for pleasure (I'm writing about biographical musicals for my dissertation and thus will be writing quite a lot about one of the most popular biographical musicals out there right now - Hamilton), and I doubt that I would have ever picked this up of my own volition as non-fiction isn't really my jam. However, that being said, there is a lot of positives in this book, a collection of essays written by professional historians reflecting on and criticising the Broadway musical, Hamilton, highlighting its successes and educating the reader on its shortfalls. I found a lot of its content very interesting and I learned so much about the founding era of the United States of America and about Alexander Hamilton - things that I had mistakenly taken for fact due to the musical or things that are simply omitted from the musical altogether.
I think where this book falls short for me, through no fault of its own but simply due to the nature of its compilation, is that it is a book of essays written by separate authors that have been compiled by two editors, and because of this, it is quite repetitive in nature. I felt like there were several paragraphs that I read over and over again because they were just the same point being made by different authors in different essays across the course of the book. I think if I were to read these essays in isolation or indeed a lot more spread out and not all at once, I may have been giving this a higher ranking, but because this is for my impending dissertation I was not afforded that luxury and thus its rating has suffered because of it.
This book really was a mixed bag for me because on the one hand I found some essays included VERY interesting, perhaps even 5 star essays, but others were incredibly dull and not at all my cup of tea, so I have had to sit this book in middle-ground. If you are to look at any of these essays in isolation, or want to purchase the book but only want to read certain chapters, I highly recommend Hogeland's introductory essay (Chapter 1), Wollman's 'History of Hot Tickets on Broadway (Chapter 9), 'Who Tells Your Story?: Hamilton as a People's History' by Adelman (Chapter 13), and Potter's essay on 'Staging Hamilton on Social Media (Chapter 15).
All in all, a very informative read that sets out to do exactly as it intends, and a good book to pick up if you are a fan of history, the musical Hamilton, or non-fiction in general!
December 9, 2019
A series of essays from different professional authors, history, art, sociology, etc. all about the broadway musical, Hamilton. They discuss the history inside of the musical, the history of the Broadway musical, the impact of Hamilton on musical theater and in society. Very well written and very engaging to read. And I haven’t even seen the musical yet!
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May 30, 2023I had certain expectations going into this book. Since I'm a fan of Hamilton (I've seen it live twice and joined millions in binging on it during covid), I already had a list of historical discrepancies in mind that I anticipated would be covered. Since I'm writing a biography of James A Hamilton, Alexander's third son, I hoped I might glean some information that I hadn't already uncovered.
A little bit of this happened. The authors pointed out:
Alexander Hamilton wasn't really an immigrant. The pro-immigrant theme is strong in Hamilton, which is great, but I'd never really thought about the fact that Alexander moved from one part of the British colonies to another. That isn't really the same thing as immigrating. Also, Marquis de Lafayette, who joins Alexander in the 'Immigrants, we get the job done!' high-five wasn't an immigrant by any measure.
Alexander Hamilton wasn't really an abolitionist. One way Lin Manuel Miranda makes the historical Hamilton lovable to modern audiences is by making him a staunch abolitionist. Miranda doesn't completely make this up. His work is based on the biography by Ron Chernow in which the author proposes that growing up in the Caribbean surrounded by the horrors of slavery caused Alexander to strive to correct this human rights violation. Of course, many grew up in similar circumstances and embraced the peculiar institution, so that's not necessarily true. Alexander was one of the founders of the New York Society for Promoting the Manumission of Slaves, and it is doubtful that he owned slaves himself (though it is possible that he did, and the Schuylers certainly did), but that was not the same thing as being an abolitionist. James Madison also helped found the American Colonization Society, which hoped to resettle freed slaves in Liberia, but he didn't free any of his slaves when he died. George Washington is the only Founding Father to have done that. Thomas Jefferson suggested moves to address slavery, but he manumitted only a select few who were connected to him through his longstanding affair with an enslaved woman who was underaged when the relationship, if it can be called that, began. In short, Alexander Hamilton didn't do much more than a lot of people at the time to abolish slavery.
Some of the items I expected to be addressed:
Angelica Schuyler wasn't really 'a girl in a world in which my only job is to marry rich. My father has no sons so I'm the one who has to social climb for one.' In fact, the Schuyler sisters - Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy - who are mentioned in the musical, had three brothers and two more sisters. Angelica was the oldest but did not marry John Church for his social standing. This was not mentioned by any of the essayists.
Angelica Schuyler didn't really generously hand Alexander over to her sister. Angelica married John Church in 1777. She eloped, knowing that her father wouldn't approve of the match, so she wasn't single when Eliza and Alexander started their courtship. Not only did none of the essayists mention this, one confirms the musical's love triangle.
Alexander and Eliza had eight children. This is the part I was hoping to see fleshed out to see if I could find any sources I should add to my work-in-progress. Philip, who died in a duel eerily like his father's, is featured, but my poor James never makes an appearance in the musical. None of the essayists mention any of the Hamiltons' missing children.
I could go on and on, but I won't. It was quite clear not far into this book that the authors' goals were not the same as my own. Instead of explaining where history doesn't quite line up with entertainment, most of the essays are modern political commentary. I believe historians have a few obligations to their readers. One is to truly attempt to understand and portray the beliefs and mindsets of other eras. Another is to appreciate those differences and keep personal political feelings out of the picture. Those, with a couple of notable exceptions, who wrote these essays seem to feel precisely the opposite.
Many of the essays criticize the musical's lack of historically black characters and even accuse Miranda of erasing their stories even more by having people of color portray white historical figures. A lot of outrage is expressed, whether for Miranda's failure to tell stories that aren't the ones he set out to tell or the fact that National Parks tend to focus on nature and the environment more than racial history. There is certainly no attempt to understand how difficult it was for those fighting a war and organizing a new form of government to address a problem on which the people were so deeply divided.
It seems a point the authors should understand because they fully embrace today's political division. Mentions of Presidents Obama and Trump outnumber those of President Washington, the first always glowingly, the second as if his election was the dawn of the apocalypse. One particularly angry essayist even expresses astonishment, more than once, that conservatives can even watch, let alone enjoy watching Hamilton. I guess because conservatives are all supposed to hate immigrants and people of color. It's a very adolescent view with no more effort to understand current differences than those of the past.
Essay after essay accuses Miranda of not doing enough to tell the story of people of color during the American Revolution, as if that was what he set out to do. For a musical that is about a white Founding Father, I think Miranda does a fantastic job of reminding his audience that none of it was possible without the women and black people who are often left out of the story.
Oh, and if I hear/read the term 'Founders Chic' one more time, I cannot be held responsible for my actions. This is a dismissive term that these politically focused historians use to describe popular historical content, such as books by Ron Chernow or David McCullough and most museum displays.
To be fair, I enjoyed some of the essays even if they were not exactly what I was looking for when I bought this book. Joanne Freeman, who teaches a free Yale class online on the American Revolution and consulted Miranda during his work on Hamilton, provides one of the most balanced looks at the era and reminds us that neither Jefferson nor Hamilton were heroes - and we really needed them both. Joseph M Adelman's essay feels like a breath of fresh air when he reminds readers that 'Hamilton is art, a musical theater production, and we need to approach the show with sensitivity to the opportunities and limitations presented by that genre. . . . It's important to stress that Hamilton makes absolutely no claim to being a work of scholarly history. . . . Instead, the show is probably more accurately described as historical fiction.'
As an author of historical fiction who has been involved in countless conversations regarding the accuracy required when portraying people of the past, I appreciated Adelman's moment of sanity amid angry demands for more political commentary in a place where it wasn't intended to be found. These essayists may believe that Miranda and the past owe them more, but I think it is they who owe both a bit more thinking beyond their own beliefs and desires.
Other positives were some essays on how Hamilton fits into the history of Broadway - a perspective I hadn't really thought about and know little about. Another one offers advice on using Hamilton as a teaching tool, even including a syllabus.
But don't pick it up if you're looking for a study on how Hamilton measures up to historical facts. You won't find it here.
A little bit of this happened. The authors pointed out:
Alexander Hamilton wasn't really an immigrant. The pro-immigrant theme is strong in Hamilton, which is great, but I'd never really thought about the fact that Alexander moved from one part of the British colonies to another. That isn't really the same thing as immigrating. Also, Marquis de Lafayette, who joins Alexander in the 'Immigrants, we get the job done!' high-five wasn't an immigrant by any measure.
Alexander Hamilton wasn't really an abolitionist. One way Lin Manuel Miranda makes the historical Hamilton lovable to modern audiences is by making him a staunch abolitionist. Miranda doesn't completely make this up. His work is based on the biography by Ron Chernow in which the author proposes that growing up in the Caribbean surrounded by the horrors of slavery caused Alexander to strive to correct this human rights violation. Of course, many grew up in similar circumstances and embraced the peculiar institution, so that's not necessarily true. Alexander was one of the founders of the New York Society for Promoting the Manumission of Slaves, and it is doubtful that he owned slaves himself (though it is possible that he did, and the Schuylers certainly did), but that was not the same thing as being an abolitionist. James Madison also helped found the American Colonization Society, which hoped to resettle freed slaves in Liberia, but he didn't free any of his slaves when he died. George Washington is the only Founding Father to have done that. Thomas Jefferson suggested moves to address slavery, but he manumitted only a select few who were connected to him through his longstanding affair with an enslaved woman who was underaged when the relationship, if it can be called that, began. In short, Alexander Hamilton didn't do much more than a lot of people at the time to abolish slavery.
Some of the items I expected to be addressed:
Angelica Schuyler wasn't really 'a girl in a world in which my only job is to marry rich. My father has no sons so I'm the one who has to social climb for one.' In fact, the Schuyler sisters - Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy - who are mentioned in the musical, had three brothers and two more sisters. Angelica was the oldest but did not marry John Church for his social standing. This was not mentioned by any of the essayists.
Angelica Schuyler didn't really generously hand Alexander over to her sister. Angelica married John Church in 1777. She eloped, knowing that her father wouldn't approve of the match, so she wasn't single when Eliza and Alexander started their courtship. Not only did none of the essayists mention this, one confirms the musical's love triangle.
Alexander and Eliza had eight children. This is the part I was hoping to see fleshed out to see if I could find any sources I should add to my work-in-progress. Philip, who died in a duel eerily like his father's, is featured, but my poor James never makes an appearance in the musical. None of the essayists mention any of the Hamiltons' missing children.
I could go on and on, but I won't. It was quite clear not far into this book that the authors' goals were not the same as my own. Instead of explaining where history doesn't quite line up with entertainment, most of the essays are modern political commentary. I believe historians have a few obligations to their readers. One is to truly attempt to understand and portray the beliefs and mindsets of other eras. Another is to appreciate those differences and keep personal political feelings out of the picture. Those, with a couple of notable exceptions, who wrote these essays seem to feel precisely the opposite.
Many of the essays criticize the musical's lack of historically black characters and even accuse Miranda of erasing their stories even more by having people of color portray white historical figures. A lot of outrage is expressed, whether for Miranda's failure to tell stories that aren't the ones he set out to tell or the fact that National Parks tend to focus on nature and the environment more than racial history. There is certainly no attempt to understand how difficult it was for those fighting a war and organizing a new form of government to address a problem on which the people were so deeply divided.
It seems a point the authors should understand because they fully embrace today's political division. Mentions of Presidents Obama and Trump outnumber those of President Washington, the first always glowingly, the second as if his election was the dawn of the apocalypse. One particularly angry essayist even expresses astonishment, more than once, that conservatives can even watch, let alone enjoy watching Hamilton. I guess because conservatives are all supposed to hate immigrants and people of color. It's a very adolescent view with no more effort to understand current differences than those of the past.
Essay after essay accuses Miranda of not doing enough to tell the story of people of color during the American Revolution, as if that was what he set out to do. For a musical that is about a white Founding Father, I think Miranda does a fantastic job of reminding his audience that none of it was possible without the women and black people who are often left out of the story.
Oh, and if I hear/read the term 'Founders Chic' one more time, I cannot be held responsible for my actions. This is a dismissive term that these politically focused historians use to describe popular historical content, such as books by Ron Chernow or David McCullough and most museum displays.
To be fair, I enjoyed some of the essays even if they were not exactly what I was looking for when I bought this book. Joanne Freeman, who teaches a free Yale class online on the American Revolution and consulted Miranda during his work on Hamilton, provides one of the most balanced looks at the era and reminds us that neither Jefferson nor Hamilton were heroes - and we really needed them both. Joseph M Adelman's essay feels like a breath of fresh air when he reminds readers that 'Hamilton is art, a musical theater production, and we need to approach the show with sensitivity to the opportunities and limitations presented by that genre. . . . It's important to stress that Hamilton makes absolutely no claim to being a work of scholarly history. . . . Instead, the show is probably more accurately described as historical fiction.'
As an author of historical fiction who has been involved in countless conversations regarding the accuracy required when portraying people of the past, I appreciated Adelman's moment of sanity amid angry demands for more political commentary in a place where it wasn't intended to be found. These essayists may believe that Miranda and the past owe them more, but I think it is they who owe both a bit more thinking beyond their own beliefs and desires.
Other positives were some essays on how Hamilton fits into the history of Broadway - a perspective I hadn't really thought about and know little about. Another one offers advice on using Hamilton as a teaching tool, even including a syllabus.
But don't pick it up if you're looking for a study on how Hamilton measures up to historical facts. You won't find it here.
August 30, 2018
Due to the essay style of the book, certain elements were a little repetitive as each contributor noted similar things. Mostly academics commenting on how the "real" history compares, how the show fits into the larger collection of blockbuster Broadway theater, and its connection to modern social media. Well written and taught me a few new things. However, I wish they would have had a public historian comment on what it means to the industry and not only relying on academics.
November 8, 2018
This is an excellent collection of essays for fans of Hamilton who want a more critical look at their favorite show. The essays by no means criticize the show too harshly (many authors freely admit that they, too, are fans), but they investigate the ways in which this musical may not be quite as revolutionary as it claims to be, and it delineates ways that future shows might take the Hamilton concept even further. A lot of historical background was given about Hamilton and the Revolutionary period, as well as some interesting histories of Broadway, and all in all I genuinely enjoyed this collection and feel like I've learned a lot. I definitely look at Hamilton in a different light now, but that does not diminish my enjoyment of the music at all.
December 31, 2019
TLDR: If you like Hamilton, you must read this book. Period.
I recently saw Hamilton for the first time and enjoyed it very much. At the same time, certain questions and irritations kept distracting me during the show: How accurate is all of this? Are any of these characters people of color, or just the actors? I've only heard fanatical love for this show. What legit criticisms have been raised?
Historians on Hamilton was exactly the book I needed. It's filled with enthusiastic praise, but also thoughtful and important criticisms. It runs the gamut from the history of "Founders Chic" literature to 18th-century fiscal policy. The selections are diverse and mostly well-written.
The highlight of this volume (for me at least) is Chapter 3: "Race-Conscious Casting and the Erasure of the Black Past in Hamilton" by Lyra D. Monteiro. Her piece is filled with perspectives that echo perfectly the thoughts I had while watching the show. (For example, on p. 64: "In the show-stopping tune 'The Room Where It Happens' [...] the line 'No one else was in the room where it happened' completely erases the slaves who would have been in that room serving dinner.") I liked this chapter so much I made copies for my students and teacher friends.
The weakest links are pretty weak, as in the floppy and insubstantial reflection on teaching to Hamilton-loving students (Chapter 11: "Mind the Gap: Teaching Hamilton" by Jim Cullen). The final piece by Claire Bond Potter (one of the book's editors) about Miranda's use of social media is interesting I suppose, but it doesn't feel important. Many of its claims feel overblown and faddish.
I learned the most from Chapter 9: "From The Black Crook to Hamilton: A Brief History of Hot Tickets on Broadway" by Elizabeth L. Wollman, mostly because I knew nothing about Broadway before reading that section. (I wish she would have given some credit to Sarah Schulman for Rent, but that's a minor point. Anyone looking for details should reach Schulman's excellent book StageStruck.)
I believe today -- as I did on the night I saw it for myself -- that Hamilton is an excellent play with excellent music. I agree with Black Thought and Nas (featured in the PBS documentary Hamilton's America) that Miranda brings an essence of authentic hip-hop to the page and the stage. But I also agree with critics like Ishmael Reed and Lyra D. Monteiro that choosing to portray only white characters does a painful disservice to the audience and history itself. I am cheered to see young people (including many of my students) eager to dive into the past because of Hamilton, I worry that the scope of their fascination might be limited by the limitations of the play. Those limitations are important, and this book does a good job of exploring them.
I recently saw Hamilton for the first time and enjoyed it very much. At the same time, certain questions and irritations kept distracting me during the show: How accurate is all of this? Are any of these characters people of color, or just the actors? I've only heard fanatical love for this show. What legit criticisms have been raised?
Historians on Hamilton was exactly the book I needed. It's filled with enthusiastic praise, but also thoughtful and important criticisms. It runs the gamut from the history of "Founders Chic" literature to 18th-century fiscal policy. The selections are diverse and mostly well-written.
The highlight of this volume (for me at least) is Chapter 3: "Race-Conscious Casting and the Erasure of the Black Past in Hamilton" by Lyra D. Monteiro. Her piece is filled with perspectives that echo perfectly the thoughts I had while watching the show. (For example, on p. 64: "In the show-stopping tune 'The Room Where It Happens' [...] the line 'No one else was in the room where it happened' completely erases the slaves who would have been in that room serving dinner.") I liked this chapter so much I made copies for my students and teacher friends.
The weakest links are pretty weak, as in the floppy and insubstantial reflection on teaching to Hamilton-loving students (Chapter 11: "Mind the Gap: Teaching Hamilton" by Jim Cullen). The final piece by Claire Bond Potter (one of the book's editors) about Miranda's use of social media is interesting I suppose, but it doesn't feel important. Many of its claims feel overblown and faddish.
I learned the most from Chapter 9: "From The Black Crook to Hamilton: A Brief History of Hot Tickets on Broadway" by Elizabeth L. Wollman, mostly because I knew nothing about Broadway before reading that section. (I wish she would have given some credit to Sarah Schulman for Rent, but that's a minor point. Anyone looking for details should reach Schulman's excellent book StageStruck.)
I believe today -- as I did on the night I saw it for myself -- that Hamilton is an excellent play with excellent music. I agree with Black Thought and Nas (featured in the PBS documentary Hamilton's America) that Miranda brings an essence of authentic hip-hop to the page and the stage. But I also agree with critics like Ishmael Reed and Lyra D. Monteiro that choosing to portray only white characters does a painful disservice to the audience and history itself. I am cheered to see young people (including many of my students) eager to dive into the past because of Hamilton, I worry that the scope of their fascination might be limited by the limitations of the play. Those limitations are important, and this book does a good job of exploring them.
March 3, 2019
This book comprises 15 essays by academic historians reflecting on Hamilton, the musical.
The overall point of the essays is not to bash the musical but to provide additional historical context which the majority of the musical's audience probably don't have.
One idea that ties together a lot of the criticism is the idea of "Founders Chic", the tendency of the most best selling biographies of founding fathers to portray them as some sort of demigods. ("John Adams" by McCullough and "Washington" by Chernow are 2 recent best selling examples).
The problem is that "Founders Chic" works tend to ignore or minimize things which don't fit into their heroic narrative and "Hamilton", the musical, definitely falls in this tradition (as do most current popular interpretations of the period) and one of the threads in several of the essays is pointing out how various aspects of this play out.
Of the 15 essays I particularly enjoyed the following:
(1) "From Ron Chernow's Alexander Hamilton to Hamilton:An American Musical" by William Hogeland
This essay examines how Chernow's book influenced the musical and argues that many of the criticisms of the historical lacunae of the musical are the fault of the book.
(2) "Hamilton as Founders Chic: A Neo-Federalist, Antislavery, Usable Past?" by David Waldstreicher and Jeffrey L. Pasley
This examines the traces the history of "Founders Chic" and analyzes the tropes of the genre.
(3) "From The Black Crook to Hamilton: A Brief History of Hot Tickets on Broadway" by Elizabeth I. Wollman
I enjoyed this historical survey of "hot tickets" on Broadway. It particularly focuses on the shows that revolutionized Broadway and points out how "Hamilton" fits into the history of Broadway.
(4) "Hamilton: A New American Civic Myth" by Renee C. Romano
This essay examines why "Hamilton" has been so popular with American conservatives despite its ostensibly liberal credentials. The conclusion is that "Hamilton" has plenty of aspects that conservatives can appreciate and that it doesn't put forward an interpretation of history that would make American conservatives particularly uncomfortable.
As I said, none of this is to bash "Hamilton" as a musical, in fact many of the essay writers are big fans, but I really enjoyed getting the additional context from professional historians.
The overall point of the essays is not to bash the musical but to provide additional historical context which the majority of the musical's audience probably don't have.
One idea that ties together a lot of the criticism is the idea of "Founders Chic", the tendency of the most best selling biographies of founding fathers to portray them as some sort of demigods. ("John Adams" by McCullough and "Washington" by Chernow are 2 recent best selling examples).
The problem is that "Founders Chic" works tend to ignore or minimize things which don't fit into their heroic narrative and "Hamilton", the musical, definitely falls in this tradition (as do most current popular interpretations of the period) and one of the threads in several of the essays is pointing out how various aspects of this play out.
Of the 15 essays I particularly enjoyed the following:
(1) "From Ron Chernow's Alexander Hamilton to Hamilton:An American Musical" by William Hogeland
This essay examines how Chernow's book influenced the musical and argues that many of the criticisms of the historical lacunae of the musical are the fault of the book.
(2) "Hamilton as Founders Chic: A Neo-Federalist, Antislavery, Usable Past?" by David Waldstreicher and Jeffrey L. Pasley
This examines the traces the history of "Founders Chic" and analyzes the tropes of the genre.
(3) "From The Black Crook to Hamilton: A Brief History of Hot Tickets on Broadway" by Elizabeth I. Wollman
I enjoyed this historical survey of "hot tickets" on Broadway. It particularly focuses on the shows that revolutionized Broadway and points out how "Hamilton" fits into the history of Broadway.
(4) "Hamilton: A New American Civic Myth" by Renee C. Romano
This essay examines why "Hamilton" has been so popular with American conservatives despite its ostensibly liberal credentials. The conclusion is that "Hamilton" has plenty of aspects that conservatives can appreciate and that it doesn't put forward an interpretation of history that would make American conservatives particularly uncomfortable.
As I said, none of this is to bash "Hamilton" as a musical, in fact many of the essay writers are big fans, but I really enjoyed getting the additional context from professional historians.
April 23, 2018
There are a lot of things to admire about this collection: voices from theatre historians, contemporary historians, and historians of 18th c. America; the absence of a critical orthodoxy that allows differing opinions to rise from various contributors; the persistent presence of race as an analytic without eliminating other analyses (gender, capital, celebrity); the logical framing of the essays themselves.
After a gracious preview from the editors, I used the collection in my American Drama course, assigning each essay to a student (plus Phillip Goldfarb Styrt's insightful analysis in the Spring '18 issue of Modern Drama) to present to the class--a sort of symposium-by-proxy. The fact that the essays were accessible to advanced undergrads without dumbing down the content is a particular editorial feat in curating outstanding authors (the theatre historians represented are top of the field), and guiding drafts toward a consistent tone. The fact that this discussion continued for a week after the assignment is testament to the collection's effectiveness. That fact that as a scholar of biographical performance I wish I had written for it might be testament that it's a scholarly conversation worth joining.
Are there overlaps in argument? Sure. Are there still gaps? Of course, but the critical discussion on this show is likely to continue for a long time. If you're interested in that discussion, then this book will be indispensable.
After a gracious preview from the editors, I used the collection in my American Drama course, assigning each essay to a student (plus Phillip Goldfarb Styrt's insightful analysis in the Spring '18 issue of Modern Drama) to present to the class--a sort of symposium-by-proxy. The fact that the essays were accessible to advanced undergrads without dumbing down the content is a particular editorial feat in curating outstanding authors (the theatre historians represented are top of the field), and guiding drafts toward a consistent tone. The fact that this discussion continued for a week after the assignment is testament to the collection's effectiveness. That fact that as a scholar of biographical performance I wish I had written for it might be testament that it's a scholarly conversation worth joining.
Are there overlaps in argument? Sure. Are there still gaps? Of course, but the critical discussion on this show is likely to continue for a long time. If you're interested in that discussion, then this book will be indispensable.
April 7, 2019
For the record I am a mad 'Hamilton' fan who has, for the last (almost) three years been besotted with Lin-Manuel Miranda's magnum opus, so this review is born out of a desire to delve further into the cultural phenomenon of the Broadway musical, with a sidebar nod to my love of history. Thankfully, even with a position of bias predicating a positive outlook on this book in the first place, as well as having come to it via an excellent New Books Network podcast here, I can state that 'Historians on Hamilton' is an excellent collation of essays that exceeds expectations.
Before discussing individual contributions and chapters, I would like to comment on how this book meets two specific goals with aplomb and pleasure. The first is an examination of 'Hamilton' as a modern theatrical production as historical and cultural artefact. This may be through the lens of 'Hamilton' being considered in the context of the Broadway (or more generally) American musical tradition, or as a product of its time and more specifically, of an era when social media and other forms of online engagement and connectivity has helped spread its 'message'. Akin to this examination is the discussion of 'Hamilton' within contemporary political perspectives and narratives. 'Historians on Hamilton' brings together some highly penetrating and intellectually satisfying assessments of the musical so that one can contextualise it not just as a wildly popular Broadway show, but as a highly meaningful moment in a contemporary conversation between (American) art and the wider historical and socio-cultural constructions.
The second goal of the book, which is linked to the first, is that of attempting to decode and present theses on the historiographical value of 'Hamilton', and again in my opinion the book succeeds brilliantly. The collaborating editors are to be highly commended for bringing together academic and popular historical criticism, with compelling arguments over the historical accuracy, value and 'truthfulness' of the musical. Whilst all relevant contributing essayists bring their own unique and disparate voices to the discussion, they are all unified in the overarching theme that 'Hamilton' is an important work of historical import and to analyse the work provides different understandings of historical knowledge as a whole.
Whilst the overall book is highly readable and academically valuable,I believe that there are some essays that stand out due to their position and arguments, as related to either one or both of the goals or themes outlined above. Hogeland's essay on 'Hamilton' and Ron Chernow's biography is a worthy challenge to the more populist aspects of history as represented in these (and other) artefacts of 'founder's chic', noting some significant issues with accuracy and historiographic 'spin'. In 'Race-Conscious Casting & The Erasure of the Black Past in 'Hamilton'' Lyra Monteiro offers a very provocative analysis of the musical, which to some extent is echoed by a later essay from Patricia Hererra ('Reckoning with America's Racial Past, Present & Future in Hamilton'). Where these three essays all excel is that they dynamically and effectively take on aspects of 'Hamilton' as a historical artefact representing America's past, and deconstruct narratives associated to the musical's historical vision that are ignored or perhaps tacitly suppressed.
Supplementing and/or opposing these excellent essays are the essays from Joseph Adelman ('Who Tells your Story? 'Hamilton' as a People's History') and Renee Romano ('Hamilton: A New American Civic Myth'), who both offer more positive , pro-popular history interpretations of the musical, whilst also reflecting on how 'Hamilton' helps create new understandings of America for its people. I was particularly intrigued by Romano's discussion of an American 'history wars' construct as it reflects and echos many of the same politics and ideas that are part of the Australian 'history wars'.
The essays that looked at 'Hamilton' as a hugely successful milestone in American theatrical traditions are excellent, and of those I was most impressed with Brian Herrera's 'Inside the Broadway Bubble'. This contribution makes some telling observations on Miranda's place in and exploitation of Broadway traditions and conventions, whilst also discussing how 'Hamilton' provides new and powerful perspectives on musical theatre as cultural capital.
Somewhat related to the issue of 'Hamilton' as musical theatre, but more aligned with its status as cultural phenomenon, 'Safe in the Nation We've Made: Staging 'Hamilton' on Social Media' from Claire Potter is an excellent summation and examination of the online culture of the musical, whether it be based on Miranda and other creative contributors to the musical, or the huge social media audience that engage with all things 'Hamilton'. If one is to look for a revolutionary aspect of 'Hamilton' that really does merit attention, as opposed to those that are challenged in previously cited essays in this book, it is the superlative usage that Miranda has made of the online space to develop a critical mass for 'Hamilton' as art, as history, as culture, as politics.
In summary, 'Historians on Hamilton' is an excellent book that is a must-read for anyone who has more than a mild fascination with 'Hamilton' and Lin-Manuel Miranda. It also is a highly worthy compilation of historians talking about how history can be created, interpreted and depicted. I highly recommend 'Historians on Hamilton'
Before discussing individual contributions and chapters, I would like to comment on how this book meets two specific goals with aplomb and pleasure. The first is an examination of 'Hamilton' as a modern theatrical production as historical and cultural artefact. This may be through the lens of 'Hamilton' being considered in the context of the Broadway (or more generally) American musical tradition, or as a product of its time and more specifically, of an era when social media and other forms of online engagement and connectivity has helped spread its 'message'. Akin to this examination is the discussion of 'Hamilton' within contemporary political perspectives and narratives. 'Historians on Hamilton' brings together some highly penetrating and intellectually satisfying assessments of the musical so that one can contextualise it not just as a wildly popular Broadway show, but as a highly meaningful moment in a contemporary conversation between (American) art and the wider historical and socio-cultural constructions.
The second goal of the book, which is linked to the first, is that of attempting to decode and present theses on the historiographical value of 'Hamilton', and again in my opinion the book succeeds brilliantly. The collaborating editors are to be highly commended for bringing together academic and popular historical criticism, with compelling arguments over the historical accuracy, value and 'truthfulness' of the musical. Whilst all relevant contributing essayists bring their own unique and disparate voices to the discussion, they are all unified in the overarching theme that 'Hamilton' is an important work of historical import and to analyse the work provides different understandings of historical knowledge as a whole.
Whilst the overall book is highly readable and academically valuable,I believe that there are some essays that stand out due to their position and arguments, as related to either one or both of the goals or themes outlined above. Hogeland's essay on 'Hamilton' and Ron Chernow's biography is a worthy challenge to the more populist aspects of history as represented in these (and other) artefacts of 'founder's chic', noting some significant issues with accuracy and historiographic 'spin'. In 'Race-Conscious Casting & The Erasure of the Black Past in 'Hamilton'' Lyra Monteiro offers a very provocative analysis of the musical, which to some extent is echoed by a later essay from Patricia Hererra ('Reckoning with America's Racial Past, Present & Future in Hamilton'). Where these three essays all excel is that they dynamically and effectively take on aspects of 'Hamilton' as a historical artefact representing America's past, and deconstruct narratives associated to the musical's historical vision that are ignored or perhaps tacitly suppressed.
Supplementing and/or opposing these excellent essays are the essays from Joseph Adelman ('Who Tells your Story? 'Hamilton' as a People's History') and Renee Romano ('Hamilton: A New American Civic Myth'), who both offer more positive , pro-popular history interpretations of the musical, whilst also reflecting on how 'Hamilton' helps create new understandings of America for its people. I was particularly intrigued by Romano's discussion of an American 'history wars' construct as it reflects and echos many of the same politics and ideas that are part of the Australian 'history wars'.
The essays that looked at 'Hamilton' as a hugely successful milestone in American theatrical traditions are excellent, and of those I was most impressed with Brian Herrera's 'Inside the Broadway Bubble'. This contribution makes some telling observations on Miranda's place in and exploitation of Broadway traditions and conventions, whilst also discussing how 'Hamilton' provides new and powerful perspectives on musical theatre as cultural capital.
Somewhat related to the issue of 'Hamilton' as musical theatre, but more aligned with its status as cultural phenomenon, 'Safe in the Nation We've Made: Staging 'Hamilton' on Social Media' from Claire Potter is an excellent summation and examination of the online culture of the musical, whether it be based on Miranda and other creative contributors to the musical, or the huge social media audience that engage with all things 'Hamilton'. If one is to look for a revolutionary aspect of 'Hamilton' that really does merit attention, as opposed to those that are challenged in previously cited essays in this book, it is the superlative usage that Miranda has made of the online space to develop a critical mass for 'Hamilton' as art, as history, as culture, as politics.
In summary, 'Historians on Hamilton' is an excellent book that is a must-read for anyone who has more than a mild fascination with 'Hamilton' and Lin-Manuel Miranda. It also is a highly worthy compilation of historians talking about how history can be created, interpreted and depicted. I highly recommend 'Historians on Hamilton'
May 21, 2018
A wonderful book of essays about the Hamilton musical - some dealing with the historical accuracy of the play, others looking at the interest the play has stirred up with people wanting to learn more about the founding of our country, and a bit of Broadway history about how musicals have changed over the years. The essays were interesting and I learned much. I think this is well worth reading, even if the play wasn't seen.
August 9, 2018
I love musical theater and early American history, so when I heard about Hamilton, I was super excited. I saw it in November of 2015 and adored it, listening to it nonstop--even as a Jeffersonian, I loved it. And as I listened to it...look, I love the show, but things about it started to grate the historian part of me a bit.
When I saw this book, I was so excited. It has essays on historical issues (Hamilton the politician, slavery in New York City), on how history is portrayed, on the use of social media. It tries to break it into "The Script," "The Stage," and "The Audience," but the divisions didn't quite work for me. There was an essay on Hamilton on currency that I felt didn't really fit in; the connections between it and the musical were tenuous, even if the essay itself was fine. I also thought that the book could use a bit more editing; there were quite a few typos (which normally don't bother me too much, but there were a LOT), and a few minor factual errors (about the show, not history). Clearly Rutgers U Press wanted this book out quickly, understandably.
The contributors covered a lot of ground that I appreciated about the real Alexander Hamilton, about the politics of the era, about blockbusters on Broadway, about how portrayals of the Revolutionary Era change, about how Hamilton manages to appeal to both liberals and conservatives. The flaws of Hamilton the person and Hamilton the show are both discussed, but I still found myself admiring the show more than before reading the book.
The book is enjoyable both for people who hadn't read the contributors' other books or books mentioned in the book (i.e., non-historians) and for people who have opinions about, say, Joseph Ellis and Founders Chic.
The book also has helped me separate my frustration with some lines in the show from the history, so that's a win. (Side note: Though I appreciate "Immigrants: We get the job done" as an applause line in the show, I'd be like, "LAFAYETTE ISN'T AN IMMIGRANT STOP CALLING HIM AN IMMIGRANT" and then a bunch of the historians in this are like, "HAMILTON isn't even an immigrant! He just went from one British colony to another!" and I swooned a bit. But the book means I can separate what Lin-Manuel Miranda was doing as an artist and tamp down my annoyance. So, thanks, book. Both for backing me up and for helping me let it go.")
When I saw this book, I was so excited. It has essays on historical issues (Hamilton the politician, slavery in New York City), on how history is portrayed, on the use of social media. It tries to break it into "The Script," "The Stage," and "The Audience," but the divisions didn't quite work for me. There was an essay on Hamilton on currency that I felt didn't really fit in; the connections between it and the musical were tenuous, even if the essay itself was fine. I also thought that the book could use a bit more editing; there were quite a few typos (which normally don't bother me too much, but there were a LOT), and a few minor factual errors (about the show, not history). Clearly Rutgers U Press wanted this book out quickly, understandably.
The contributors covered a lot of ground that I appreciated about the real Alexander Hamilton, about the politics of the era, about blockbusters on Broadway, about how portrayals of the Revolutionary Era change, about how Hamilton manages to appeal to both liberals and conservatives. The flaws of Hamilton the person and Hamilton the show are both discussed, but I still found myself admiring the show more than before reading the book.
The book is enjoyable both for people who hadn't read the contributors' other books or books mentioned in the book (i.e., non-historians) and for people who have opinions about, say, Joseph Ellis and Founders Chic.
The book also has helped me separate my frustration with some lines in the show from the history, so that's a win. (Side note: Though I appreciate "Immigrants: We get the job done" as an applause line in the show, I'd be like, "LAFAYETTE ISN'T AN IMMIGRANT STOP CALLING HIM AN IMMIGRANT" and then a bunch of the historians in this are like, "HAMILTON isn't even an immigrant! He just went from one British colony to another!" and I swooned a bit. But the book means I can separate what Lin-Manuel Miranda was doing as an artist and tamp down my annoyance. So, thanks, book. Both for backing me up and for helping me let it go.")
June 17, 2021
I truly believe that any & all fans of HAMILTON: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL — or even those w/ strong negative opinions about it — must read HISTORIANS ON HAMILTON.
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this essay collection touches on gender/race/class especially race, critical reception, and civic myths & national identity from a wide variety of angles. I especially enjoyed Joe Adelman’s essay on national stories, as well as both editors’ essays. But the most crucial must-read is ‘Race Conscious Casting’ by Lyra Monteiro which is reprinted originally published in The Public Historian. Monteiro points out, for instance, that enslaved persons were very much also “in the room where it happened.”
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I confess that I took three full calendar years to finish reading this essay collection. it’s not the fastest read bc it’s full of material to contemplate. I needed to read it cover to cover. further, it’s both just close enough to & just far away from my own dissertation research that I couldn’t focus on HISTORIANS ON HAMILTON in the heart of dissertating.
.
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HISTORIANS ON HAMILTON is politically sharp. so much so that my only real criticism of it is that it’s slightly outdated. it critically engaged w/ the contemporary political moment upon publication in summer 2018.
.
.
ultimately, I cannot recommend this book highly enough to history buffs & theatre nerds alike- please read!
.
.
this essay collection touches on gender/race/class especially race, critical reception, and civic myths & national identity from a wide variety of angles. I especially enjoyed Joe Adelman’s essay on national stories, as well as both editors’ essays. But the most crucial must-read is ‘Race Conscious Casting’ by Lyra Monteiro which is reprinted originally published in The Public Historian. Monteiro points out, for instance, that enslaved persons were very much also “in the room where it happened.”
.
.
I confess that I took three full calendar years to finish reading this essay collection. it’s not the fastest read bc it’s full of material to contemplate. I needed to read it cover to cover. further, it’s both just close enough to & just far away from my own dissertation research that I couldn’t focus on HISTORIANS ON HAMILTON in the heart of dissertating.
.
.
HISTORIANS ON HAMILTON is politically sharp. so much so that my only real criticism of it is that it’s slightly outdated. it critically engaged w/ the contemporary political moment upon publication in summer 2018.
.
.
ultimately, I cannot recommend this book highly enough to history buffs & theatre nerds alike- please read!
December 19, 2019
As with any essay collection, it's unlikely that everything in this book is going to appeal to any one reader equally. Personally, I was most drawn to those that emphasised the historical content of the play and the cultural implications of its casting choices, and least interested in those that dug deeper into the Broadway context of the show or the social media phenomenon that surrounds it. My favourites were William Hogeland's essay on how the "glorifications and erasures" of the musical are rooted in Ron Chernow's biography, Lyra D. Monteiro's piece on the paradoxical "erasure of the black past" in the show (and similarly, Patricia Herrera's reflections inspired by her Latina daughter's request to dress up as slave owner Angelica Schuyler for Halloween), Catherine Allgor's examination of the representation of gender in the play, and Renee C. Romano's optimistic piece on Hamilton as "a new American civic myth". Overall, it was an interesting read, and it was fun to listen to the musical's lyrics more attentively afterwards and notice things that were mentioned in the book.
December 9, 2020
So interesting- I’ve listened to the cast album since its release & watched the show on Disney (haven’t seen the show in person) non-stop throughout the summer. This was a perfect “before” perspective to reading this collection. I learned from & was challenged by every essay, & appreciated these historians who are so committed to our (all of us) getting it right. My “after” appreciation for the impact of Hamilton the musical is more complicated by having read Historians on Hamilton. I love that the musical has sparked interest in History of our nation’s founding. I hope it will be the starting place for history teachers in schools to then share the stories of others- those less well known, overlooked or forgotten- who were there and had important roles in our nation’s beginning. Critical reading for any high school history teacher! I am forever thankful for Hamilton the musical, which has given me great joy & prompted me to learn more about our nation’s complicated history. This in turn brought me to this book, which has sparked my curiosity to read more from these historians. & so on...
Read
August 3, 2020In the collection of essays titled Historians on Hamilton: How a Blockbuster Musical is Restaging America’s Past, Renee C. Romano and Clair Bond Potter argue that historians, academia, and others should pay attention to Hamilton due not only to its popularity, but to its ability to bring history to the forefront of American (and international) Pop culture. The essays themselves are split into three parts: focusing on the Script, the Stage, and the audience; respectively, and I will focus on two essays that bring Hamilton, and the history behind the musical, to life.
Historians on Hamilton then asks an important question: How do we bring history into pop culture in a way that is not only entertaining but also historically accurate, or rather, how can we correct historic inaccuracies in media and culture, to ensure that those who watch Hamilton or other plays get the best education, while also posing questions of identity and race. The book also changes the conversation of the Founding Fathers by bridging Cultural and Political history, much as the play has done.
Historians on Hamilton then asks an important question: How do we bring history into pop culture in a way that is not only entertaining but also historically accurate, or rather, how can we correct historic inaccuracies in media and culture, to ensure that those who watch Hamilton or other plays get the best education, while also posing questions of identity and race. The book also changes the conversation of the Founding Fathers by bridging Cultural and Political history, much as the play has done.
July 9, 2018
This fascinating set of essays about the intersections of Hamilton (the play) and Hamilton (the man) offer much to fans of either. Much of this collection considers how the former obscured the historical complexity of the latter, there’s a great deal to chew on here. I was eager to read this to find essays that I might share with students, and I was pleased with the range and quality of the analysis. To crib a line, as I now assemble my syllabus, it’s not a question of if (Burr) but which one(s).
December 13, 2018
Some essays were better than others, but all made me think. Many focused on the race/slavery issue - does a show featuring white, slave-holding founding fathers portrayed by persons of color downplay the "original sin" of slavery in our nation's origin, or is it a "net gain" since this encourages Americans of all races to feel a connection to our founders? It also took many different angles looking at "Founding Fathers Chic" that began with high profile bios and documentaries of John Adams, "1776", etc.
February 1, 2023
A few wonderful chapters, especially loved the chapter on the Broadway hot ticket and the history of the financial system. However majority of the authors I do not believe understand how a musical is made. Yeah LMM left out Hamilton’s possible bastard child. LMM also left out 4/5 of his known children. That’s not a good critique of the musical sir. It’s 46 years of history condensed into 2.5 hours, it’s not gonna be perfect, things are going to be cut. I had a great time reading it, but it wasn’t for the reasons the authors intended. Good book to scream at
November 26, 2022
The beginning was alright, but as I progressed, I just couldn't keep myself concentrated in the essays. I don't think it was because they were bad or poorly written; I think that, if you've already been reading about analysis about Hamilton, stuff becomes repetitive. Perhaps people who are just learning about the musical, and haven't been as in-tuned to the debates and analysis about Hamilton, would enjoy these essays more.
September 2, 2019
An interesting collection of essays covering a wide range of topics. As other reviewers indicated, some topics did get repetitive, especially in the intro/set up of each chapter. I really enjoyed it, but this is also one of those texts that you could pick and choose which chapters most appealed to you.
March 19, 2020
Editor Renee Romano provides a book that will the ideas, the impressions and innovative forms of musical that we heard when we saw (and heard) the production. (Amy and Chris, thank you for the ticket!).
Romano draws on a wide range of academic authors whose prose will enrich your experience of the show.
Romano draws on a wide range of academic authors whose prose will enrich your experience of the show.
June 16, 2019
A must read for any fan of the Hamilton musical. The Hamilton musical helps people get interested in history, this book delves into the deeper issues introduced in the musical, through lively and intriguing articles.
May 11, 2023
3.5/5
Some essays were soooo interesting but there is a lot of overlapping and repeating of informations/analyses in the different chapters. I did learn a lot and it was nice to get various perspectives on something that’s been near and dear to my heart for so long.
Some essays were soooo interesting but there is a lot of overlapping and repeating of informations/analyses in the different chapters. I did learn a lot and it was nice to get various perspectives on something that’s been near and dear to my heart for so long.
July 23, 2018
A wonderful collection of essays that any theatre historian should read! If you like Hamilton and analytic criticism... this is for you.
August 2, 2018
The book was a little boring. So you really have to enjoy the Hamilton Musical a lot to really enjoy this book. Personally it was to informational for me but definitely is worth reading.
December 23, 2019
I learned a lot about different aspects of history that we don't normally think about. Great to read after seeing the play.
August 22, 2022
I liked the book overall but skimmed many of the more academic entries.
April 27, 2023
Well worth reading for insightful commentary on that era and this one.
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