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alitaparedes's review against another edition
5.0
This was great. The final parts made me tear up just like the musical did when I first listened to it. Loved the story and the little side notes.
A great book to read if you loved Hamilton: the musical!
A great book to read if you loved Hamilton: the musical!
emmaconghaile's review against another edition
5.0
Its Lin-Manuel Miranda writing about Hamilton.... How could anyone give it less than 5 stars?
thenovelbook's review against another edition
4.0
This does NOT constitute an endorsement or a recommendation!
Although many of the songs are clean, Hamilton obviously does have some language issues in other songs*, which I don't take lightly, but MAN what a theatrical tour de force, a coup d'etat, a magnum opus...
I was originally sucked in by "You'll Be Back," the harpsichord Beatles-esque sprightly breakup song performed to the colonies by Mad King George III.
This book contains annotations for all the songs, as well as some historical context and the story of how the play came into being.
*edited versions are on YouTube
Although many of the songs are clean, Hamilton obviously does have some language issues in other songs*, which I don't take lightly, but MAN what a theatrical tour de force, a coup d'etat, a magnum opus...
I was originally sucked in by "You'll Be Back," the harpsichord Beatles-esque sprightly breakup song performed to the colonies by Mad King George III.
This book contains annotations for all the songs, as well as some historical context and the story of how the play came into being.
*edited versions are on YouTube
trin's review against another edition
5.0
I wanted to end 2016 on a positive note, and few people have given me more pleasure this year than Lin-Manuel Miranda.
However, the end of this musical always makes me cry, and I sobbed even harder when I saw that the end of this book is a chapter about President Obama fundraising at a special Hamilton performance to raise money for the 2016 election and what he hoped would be the continuation of his legacy.
That this country has seemingly rejected everything Obama -- and symbolically, Hamilton -- has fought for is devastating to me.
Somehow, in 2017 we have to keep fighting.
Rise up.
However, the end of this musical always makes me cry, and I sobbed even harder when I saw that the end of this book is a chapter about President Obama fundraising at a special Hamilton performance to raise money for the 2016 election and what he hoped would be the continuation of his legacy.
That this country has seemingly rejected everything Obama -- and symbolically, Hamilton -- has fought for is devastating to me.
Somehow, in 2017 we have to keep fighting.
Rise up.
dreaming_ace's review against another edition
5.0
There is a good reason this is called the Hamiltome. Not only is it the whole show with commentary by Lin (And it is amazing to see who actually says each line, reading it there were multiple points where who really says a line changed the meaning for me) but it is the story of how a show goes from an idea to opening on broadway. I loved this. I would recommend it to anyone who loves Hamilton.
brisingr's review against another edition
5.0
I just LOVE the arts so much, and I can just adore the way Hamilton grew up into this thing, entirely on its own and managed to do so many things for so many people. It inspires even today, and I know that the lyrics in the musical will forever be inscripted in my heart.
I've been into Hamilton for over 4 years now, and yet each time I find my way back to it, it continues to remain as incredible as always. This book shows a really touching story behind its creation, and it is just beautiful on its own.
I've been into Hamilton for over 4 years now, and yet each time I find my way back to it, it continues to remain as incredible as always. This book shows a really touching story behind its creation, and it is just beautiful on its own.
daumari's review against another edition
4.0
I bought this in 2016, but didn't get around to reading it until 2020, which is relevant context and a meta participation in the overall theme of the musical: what is a legacy, and how does it change over time?
Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter worked on documenting the creation of Hamilton from its initial beginning as a mixtape idea in 2008 through the Broadway debut in 2015. The story of behind the scenes is interspersed between the libretto: all text of the musical (including the one scene not in the cast recording because it is spoken dialogue) plus a couple deleted numbers, with footnotes on particular lines for inspiration/samples/etc. What strikes me is that while they acknowledge Hamilton is something special, they also recognize this is still in its early years (ha) for a musical- who knows how it will be recontextualized as high school/college performances, or in what the book doesn't predict, a Trump administration. The notes on Reynolds Pamphlet say there's some joy in seeing the line "Never gonna be president now," quoted during the then-election cycle of 2015-2016 but hooboy does that feel like a simpler time. Likewise, ending on Obama's chat with the cast and crew about the belief in stories and how they can change the world with the hope of America's future feels hollow after the horrors that came in the following years. This was also published before the Tony Awards and the wins the show took home, so that isn't covered either (though I can't think of where it'd fit in between songs).
The release of the filmed version in July 2020 on Disney+ adds another contextual layer- I wonder if someone of these close ups in the book are from the days they filmed close-ups for that original cast recording. The libretto does not describe everything in a scene (a footnote mentions King George III's dance during The Reynolds Pamphlet but it's not a line so barely mentioned in text, and it would be hard to describe all the minute gestures the cast brings to their performances). I don't know what a post-pandemic theater experience looks like, but I'm guessing it will be a while before live performances in person are a thing. Film and books scratch the itch but it's not quite the same as the performers and audience feeding off of each other's energy.
Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter worked on documenting the creation of Hamilton from its initial beginning as a mixtape idea in 2008 through the Broadway debut in 2015. The story of behind the scenes is interspersed between the libretto: all text of the musical (including the one scene not in the cast recording because it is spoken dialogue) plus a couple deleted numbers, with footnotes on particular lines for inspiration/samples/etc. What strikes me is that while they acknowledge Hamilton is something special, they also recognize this is still in its early years (ha) for a musical- who knows how it will be recontextualized as high school/college performances, or in what the book doesn't predict, a Trump administration. The notes on Reynolds Pamphlet say there's some joy in seeing the line "Never gonna be president now," quoted during the then-election cycle of 2015-2016 but hooboy does that feel like a simpler time. Likewise, ending on Obama's chat with the cast and crew about the belief in stories and how they can change the world with the hope of America's future feels hollow after the horrors that came in the following years. This was also published before the Tony Awards and the wins the show took home, so that isn't covered either (though I can't think of where it'd fit in between songs).
The release of the filmed version in July 2020 on Disney+ adds another contextual layer- I wonder if someone of these close ups in the book are from the days they filmed close-ups for that original cast recording. The libretto does not describe everything in a scene (a footnote mentions King George III's dance during The Reynolds Pamphlet but it's not a line so barely mentioned in text, and it would be hard to describe all the minute gestures the cast brings to their performances). I don't know what a post-pandemic theater experience looks like, but I'm guessing it will be a while before live performances in person are a thing. Film and books scratch the itch but it's not quite the same as the performers and audience feeding off of each other's energy.
angus_mckeogh's review against another edition
3.0
So at times I do tend to read stuff that's popular or cutting edge just to get a feel of what everyone else is delving into (i.e. Yes I in fact did try to read Twilight to see what all the fuss was about...terrible). Knowing I'll never see this musical performed on Broadway I picked up the book/script to see what it was all about. The play itself was very well done and extremely interesting. It definitely makes me want to read the Chernow biography; however, mixed into the actual script was a whole host of side stories, production notes, and actor profiles: these I found less than interesting. I was reading the book to get exposed to the story not to hear about the actor who played Aaron Burr. With that being said I immensely enjoyed large sections of the play and didn't so much enjoy the large sections of exposition. Wish it was more in line with "The Book of Mormon" which was just the script and no filler.
saigealiya's review against another edition
5.0
So many awesome insights into the show's lyrics and making! Now I just can't wait to see it....