Eliza Hamilton: The Extraordinary Life and Times of the Wife of Alexander Hamilton
From the New York Times bestselling author of Irena’s Children comes a “vivid, compelling, and unputdownable…biography” (Christopher Andersen, #1 New York Times bestselling author) about the extraordinary life and times of Eliza Hamilton—trailblazing philanthropist, devoted wife of founding father Alexander Hamilton, and a powerful, unsung hero in America’s founding story.
Fans of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical Hamilton may know Eliza Hamilton only as the loyal partner of the nation’s founding father, but this biography reveals her full, dynamic story. Born into the elite Schuyler family in New York, Eliza Schuyler carved a path as a caring sister, devoted mother, and later a daring pioneer in philanthropy and legacy-building.
This expertly told historical biography follows her early years, the ups and downs of her married life with Alexander Hamilton—including the scandal and his tragic death—and then her courageous decades of preserving his legacy and launching one of New York’s first orphan asylums. Through a deeply researched narrative and vivid portraiture, discover a story that cemented her legacy as one of the unsung heroes of our nation’s early days.
Perfect for fans of Ron Chernow’s sweeping biographies, the Hamilton musical audience, or anyone passionate about women in the early United States, this book brings to life the woman behind the myth and honors her philanthropic achievements in the founding era.
Fans of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical Hamilton may know Eliza Hamilton only as the loyal partner of the nation’s founding father, but this biography reveals her full, dynamic story. Born into the elite Schuyler family in New York, Eliza Schuyler carved a path as a caring sister, devoted mother, and later a daring pioneer in philanthropy and legacy-building.
This expertly told historical biography follows her early years, the ups and downs of her married life with Alexander Hamilton—including the scandal and his tragic death—and then her courageous decades of preserving his legacy and launching one of New York’s first orphan asylums. Through a deeply researched narrative and vivid portraiture, discover a story that cemented her legacy as one of the unsung heroes of our nation’s early days.
Perfect for fans of Ron Chernow’s sweeping biographies, the Hamilton musical audience, or anyone passionate about women in the early United States, this book brings to life the woman behind the myth and honors her philanthropic achievements in the founding era.
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Community Reviews
I enjoyed this book very much. I enjoyed the way that the author wrote the narrative. This is a life-long narrative of Eliza's life. The mothers of our colonial America are often lost in history while the fathers are exalted. I appreciate the depth of detail of Eliza's life story.
I especially enjoyed the details that the author included of Eliza's life following the death of Alexander. Her support of New York City's first public orphanage was an important accomplishment in her life. I found the narrative of Eliza's travels to the "west" in her 80s in search of her 3rd son very entertaining. Mazzeo's argument that Alexander may never have had an affair with Maria Reynolds was convincing to me. I appreciated the author's end notes which provided her evidence concerning the affair. In addition to reading this book, I also listened to it. Both book and audible were borrowed from my local library. Shout out to the Topeka Shawnee County Public Library.
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