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Mishker

100 Pages A Day...Stephanie's Book Reviews

I absolutely love historical fiction and read a lot of it; I love to learn history this way.  I also enjoy reading science fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller and non-fiction science.

My Dear Hamilton

My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton - Stephanie Dray, Laura Croghan Kamoie

Eliza Schuyler Hamilton was the woman behind Alexander Hamilton, one of the founders of America.  Always strong in her own right, Eliza grew up the daughter of a general and helping in the field hospitals.  Eliza often accompanied her father while he met with the Haudenosaunee tribes and other influential leaders of the time such as Washington, Monroe, Madison, Burr, Lafayette, Arnold and of course, Hamilton. Eliza and Alexander quickly become captivated with one another.  As Alexander's role within the newly formed government grows, Eliza learns just what it means to be the wife of a Congressman and a founding father.  She also learns how to use her influence and skills to help Alexander and create the country he dreamt of.


I dove into this story of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton with reckless abandon.  At over 600 pages, I knew I would be lost in Eliza's story of scandal and triumph.  From the prologue, when we meet Eliza as an older woman and a widow and she states "Silence is often the only weapon available to ladies. And I wield mine expertly," I knew that this was going to be a strong character that I could easily identify with.  Eliza's story begins when she is a young adult, the daughter of a general on trial for treason.  Right from here, I could see her determination shine through; she was on a mission to prove that a daughter or wife could make a difference.  Through Eliza's eyes and experiences, I could see the Revolutionary War and America's early days in a new light.  I had known of Hamilton's major accomplishments; however, with Eliza's view I now know just how much work he put into founding our country as well as Eliza's influence and guiding hands.  Through Eliza's narrative, I learned of the roles of the Native American Tribes, the bravery and tenacity of the African-American troops and the overall devastation that the war caused for so many.  With the excellent partnership of Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie's writing skills, Eliza Hamilton and the Founding Fathers come to life.  Complete with extraordinary and intricate historical detail, I could imagine every argument, meeting and setting with ease. Overall, I learned the lengths that Hamilton went to make sure his legacy for the foundations of the United States was set.  Complete with love, loss, scandal and war, My Dear Hamilton is one of my favorite reads this year.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.