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Great account, great writing! Dr. Chernow puts the right spin on the right words. Even allowing for the countless direct references within the text (end notes, please), his HAMILTON has everything, including the Republic's first Monicagate. In this episode, Hamilton fell for a married tramp whose flim-flamming husband blackmailed the Treasury Secretary. The only element missing was CNN. A more important part of this book is a by-product: The character of Jefferson. Professor Chernow underscores what a mealy-mouthed politician the VP actually was, running to Washington on every occasion to trip up whoever disagreed with his starry-eyed drivel. Hamilton's actions, however, always spoke louder than TJ's back-stabbing, and the Prez always stood by him. Perhaps Hamilton would be shocked by the Frankenstein into which his federal system evolved. Whatever the case, this analysis makes clear that Hamilton's efforts remain the cornerstone of the American economic system.