BKMT READING GUIDES
The Hamilton Affair: A Novel
by Elizabeth Cobbs
Hardcover : 408 pages
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4 members have read this book
"Why did Alexander Hamilton risk everything? Why did Eliza Hamilton stand by him? This complicated couple who did so much for young America spring to life in this entertaining, well-told tale." --Cokie Roberts, author of Capital Dames.
Hamilton was a ...
Introduction
"Why did Alexander Hamilton risk everything? Why did Eliza Hamilton stand by him? This complicated couple who did so much for young America spring to life in this entertaining, well-told tale." --Cokie Roberts, author of Capital Dames.
Hamilton was a bastard and orphan, raised in the Caribbean and desperate for legitimacy, who became one of the American Revolution’s most dashing—and improbable—heroes. Admired by George Washington, scorned by Thomas Jefferson, Hamilton was a lightning rod: the most controversial leader of the new nation. Elizabeth was the wealthy, beautiful, adventurous daughter of the respectable Schuyler clan—and a pioneering advocate for women. Together, the unlikely couple braved the dangers of war, the perils of seduction, the anguish of infidelity, and the scourge of partisanship that menaced their family and the country itself. With brilliantly drawn characters and an epic scope, The Hamilton Affair tells a story of love forged in revolution and tested by the bitter strife of young America.
Excerpt
Excerpt from The Hamilton Affair by Elizabeth Cobbs: Alexander confesses his impoverished upbringing to ElizaAlexander looked over at Eliza. The candlelight cast ribbons in her shiny chestnut hair, and the skin of her cheek looked velvety. She was knitting a glove for a wounded drummer boy she had befriended at the hospital. Eliza collected strays— homesick soldiers, orphaned kittens, one-legged veterans, shy spinsters, and so on. When he tried to kill a spider for her, she insisted on delivering it unharmed to the barn on a twig. ... view entire excerpt...
Discussion Questions
1. Alexander says only “honor” had an older claim to his heart than Eliza. Why was that? What else drove him, besides love and honor?2. If honor is key to Alexander’s motivations, what are the keys to Eliza’s character? How did they shape her actions?
3. The book alternates between two points of view: Alexander’s and Eliza’s. What did Eliza perceive about Alexander that he might not have understood about himself—and vice versa?
4. What role does Ajax Manly play in the story? What does the reader learn about Alexander and Eliza through him?
5. Does the book change or confirm your view of America’s founders?
Book Club Recommendations
Recommended to book clubs by 3 of 3 members.
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