Alexander Hamilton: The Graphic History of an American Founding Father by Jonathan Hennessey

Alexander Hamilton: The Graphic History of an American Founding Father by
Jonathan Hennessey

 2018 Great Graphic Novels

Hennessey, Jonathan, et al. Alexander Hamilton: the Graphic History of an American
Founding Father. Ten Speed Press, 2017.

From someone who is completely obsessed with Hamilton the musical, this was such a
great book find! The whole book centers around the life of Alexander Hamilton. From
his humble beginnings in the Carribean Islands, to his untimely death, Alexander
Hamilton was a self-made man that fought for everything he accomplished. 

The one thing that I truly liked about this story was that the vocabulary was still difficult
and challenging for the reader. I, myself, found myself reaching for the dictionary a few
times. I also enjoyed that this story focuses more on the political career of Alexander
Hamilton, rather than his personal life. Yes there are times when his political life
intertwines with his personal life, but for the most part this story highlights Hamilton’s
successful political career.

In this nonfiction graphic novel, I learned that when Hamilton had arrived in America
there were already skirmishes and the beginnings of the American Revolution. I also
learned that Hamilton was not a good candidate for college and he had to prove himself
and his worthiness to attend by studying and working hard. I feel that a lot of my
freshman students would benefit from this story line and Hamilton’s work ethic. 

For fans of this book, I recommend reading the graphic novel adaptation of Anne Frank’s Diary. Just as the Alexander Hamilton graphic novel, the Anne Frank graphic novel focuses on the life of Anne Frank and her hardships she endured during World War II.