Hamilton: The Musical has finally come to Boston! And after a long wait for a birthday present given years ago, my lucky family and I got to see the show last night. And people, the show did not disappoint! In fact, it was 2 hours and 55 minutes of incredible.
Unlike my kids who know most of the lyrics inside-out, upside-down, and back-to-front like many kids across the country, I’ve been a bit of a Hamilton ignoramus. But these two resources helped me get quickly up to speed, and were great companion-pieces for my kids as well.
Title: Hamilton: The Revolution
Author: Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter
Age group: “Hamilton The Musical” lovers of all ages
The skinny: This gorgeously-produced book features the full libretto interspersed with photographs, essays, the composer’s annotations, historical facts, and even reproductions of historical texts, among many other treats. It is a must for fans of the musical, and makes a great gift.
Title: Alexander Hamilton: The Making of America
Author: Teri Kanefield
Format: Single book, audiobook
Audiobook narrator: Pete Cross
Audiobook length: 3hrs 54min
Age Group: 10+
The skinny: For those who can’t get their kids to plough through the 800+ pages of the Ron Chernow Hamilton biography (joke), here is a wonderful audiobook for your next roadtrip. Pete Cross deftly narrates the moving story of Hamilton’s desperate beginnings, his adventures during the American Revolution, his shifting relationship with George Washington and other founding fathers, and his vision and lasting influence on the country. The story arc hews quite closely to that of the musical, while providing just the right amount of meat for kids (and adults) to chew on.
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