Alexander Hamilton: The Outsider

Alexander—a complicated man living in complex times. In her typical way of writing biographies that are fast-paced and eye-opening Jean Fritz teaches about the man, the times, the culture, and the complexities of government in a way that makes readers want to share the gossip about this man. He came to America as a young outsider but was a key figure in creating a new nation. The structure of the book is divided into important segments of a life: Beginning, Soldier, Aide-de-Camp, Statesman, Endings. In each chapter of each segment there is so much to learn and many compelling details. A few examples might help teachers and students know what to expect when reading. In Beginnings readers learn that Hamilton published in a local newspaper his description of a hurricane he experienced. His writing was so vivid that local men raised the money to pay for him to attend college. When he went to college Hamilton was bold in his profession of faith—praying morning and evening in front of his secular classmates. In Soldier readers learn that Hamilton listened to the Declaration of Independence being read aloud. Readers will understand how it feels when they read in Aide-de-Camp that others continually accused that he could not be patriotic because he as an outsider. Another stunning fact—he wrote a letter that was 6,000 words long. As a Statesman he was interested in the right thing, not the popular thing. He became so popular that when naming a state there were nominations for the state name to be Hamilton (You’ll have to read the book to see what the state actually was named since there is no state called Hamilton). Endings—I suspect students will know this part of Hamilton’s life best. But read and see if they have the actual facts.

Text features that make this complex include important Acknowledgments, a Preface in which the author shares her wish for how readers will respond to this book, Chapter Notes, Historical Reproduction Credits, Bibliography, and an Index.

About the Author:

Jean Fritz was born to missionary parents in China. Her memoir tells of being proud of her American heritage and fighting the Revolutionary War on a daily basis on the playground with her British friends. Her excitement to learn the history of her American forefathers was quickly dashed by the facts, maps, and stacks of information in history textbooks. She became an author of American history and biography. She lived to be 100 years old and never tired of telling the stories of her American heroes. Her autobiography, based on journals she kept as a child, was a runner-up for the Newbery Award. Two of her series of books about the founding fathers (e.g., Why Don’t You Get a Horse, Sam Adams, Where was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May) received New York Times book of the Year citations.

Pathways Themes: Heroes, Yesterday

Reviewed by Krystal Bishop, EdD

Professor of Education

Southern Adventist University

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