Hamilton : The RevolutionHamilton : The Revolution
Score Modern
What it's about
The companion to Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton, about the poor kid from the Caribbean who fought the British, defended the Constitution and helped found the United States. It includes the full libretto with Miranda's own annotations, along with the story of how the show was made, from its first song to its Broadway opening, told by Jeremy McCarter.
Why it's worth reading
It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. For fans of the show, it's the definitive behind-the-scenes account, and the annotations are full of surprises.
You'll love it if you liked
Alexander Hamilton
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
John AdamsGood to know
It's a large, illustrated book, best in print. It's most rewarding if you know the music.
By the numbers
- Readers98 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller62 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #50 of the 198 history books we rank
- #140 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #271 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
If you like this, read next
Between the World and Me
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer
Educated: A Memoir
All the Light We Cannot See
The Book Thief
AmericanahExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Hamilton : The Revolution worth reading?
Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #271 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 82.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Hamilton : The Revolution about?
The companion to Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton, about the poor kid from the Caribbean who fought the British, defended the Constitution and helped found the United States. It includes the full libretto with Miranda's own annotations, along with the story of how the show was made, from its first song to its Broadway opening, told by Jeremy McCarter.
How long does it take to read Hamilton : The Revolution?
About 7 hours (285 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Hamilton : The Revolution?
If you liked it, try Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin or John Adams by David McCullough.