ratings:
4.5/5 (427 ratings)
Length:
19 pages
This is song 1 of 2 from Hamilton
Description
(Vocal Selections). 17 selections from the critically acclaimed musical based on Alexander Hamilton's biography which debuted on Broadway in August 2015 to unprecedented advanced box office sales. Our collection features 17 selections in piano/vocal format from the music penned by Lin-Manuel Miranda, including: Alexander Hamilton * Burn * Dear Theodosia * Hurricane * It's Quiet Uptown * My Shot * One Last Time * Satisfied * That Would Be Enough * Washington on Your Side * You'll Be Back * and more.
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What people think about Hamilton
4.5427 ratings / 52 Reviews
Reader reviews
- (5/5)I love the Hamilton soundtrack, but I'm horrible at understanding lyrics, so I'm so happy to have it all spelled out here for me so I can finally appreciate all the intricate wordplay Miranda has incorporated into one of the greatest musicals of all time. What a wonderful excuse to listen to the soundtrack again and read along. The interstitials smack a little of the "making of" features you find on DVDs (every major player behind the scenes or on the stage gets their special shout-out), but of an extremely high quality.
- (5/5)Best for: Those who have been sucked into the Hamilton zeitgeist; those who are interested in learning more about creative genius.
In a nutshell: Annotated lyrics to Hamilton interspersed with stories from the development of the show and spotlights on original cast members.
Line that sticks with me: “I think it’s unfair o ask actors to go onstage and expose themselves with anything less that what he calls ‘ultimate support.’”
Why I chose it: Because it’s Hamilton.
Review: I enjoy musical theater. I’m not a fanatic, but I have been known to sing along to On My Own from Les Miserables in my car more times than I can count. I put the Thoroughly Modern Millie soundtrack on in the background when I’m working. And I own the original cast recording of Hamilton on vinyl (along with Patty Lupone’s Evita).
I came to the Hamilton phenomenon a little later than most, but before some others. I’ve still not seen it, but I have tickets for the tour when it arrives in Seattle in February 2018 (on Valentine’s Day, actually). I ran around giddy when the Mixtape ended up released at 9PM instead of midnight (yay west coast!), and of course I watched the PBS special.
This book was a delight to read. I started it on Saturday afternoon and finished it up after lunch on Sunday. I didn’t want to put it down. The notations on the lyrics provide lovely insight into the choices an artist makes, but the real story lies with the chapters that follow the development of the show, from a concept album through the full-blown Broadway blockbuster it is today. The stories about the original stars provide some insight into people who all of a sudden are household names in a way that many stage actors never are.
But what I think I found most interesting were the stories about the nitty gritty - the costume design, the stage production, the choreography. My husband has maybe listened to the soundtrack once, but even he didn’t mind when I kept interrupting him with a new amazing nugget I’d learned about the behind-the-scenes world. And the section about “It’s Quiet Uptown” - devastating.
I can’t imagine that anyone who is interested in the musical hasn’t at least added it to their to be read pile, but if there are any holdouts, there’s no need. Check it out. - (4/5)Fascinating and informative. I just wish the audiobook reader didn't...*such* so much. She was so horribly cast for this book. Stiff and awkward.
- (4/5)Since I finally got tickets to see the show I decided it was time to listen to this. I listened to half of it before seeing the show and half after. The book gave an excellent history of the musical--from its beginnings (maybe not on the vacation as you've been told) to opening day and beyond.
- (5/5)I love everything about this this. The souls of the musical and Lin Manuel Miranda comes through and it is a breathtakingly beautiful edition.
- (3/5)The story of the blockbuster musical. It's more than a bit fawning, but the target audience is definitely people who adore Hamilton so that's understandable. I would have liked more commentary on how the musical edited the people and events in Hamilton's life, but reading about the writing/casting/staging/choreographing/costuming/etc. processes was pretty nifty too.A note on the audio: The second part of this book is Miranda's notes on the libretto, read by Miranda himself. Unfortunately, that's all he reads: just the notes. So unless you have the print book in front of you, you don't know what his notes refer to. The audio copy I had came with a PDF, but that's not very helpful when you're listening on the drive to work.
- (5/5)One of the most remarkable things about musical theatre is how profoundly it changes lives. I've read scripts and listened to soundtracks all my life, but I haven't read a story of how a show singularly redefined the genre since RENT was published (with the behind the scenes/libretto printed in faux duct tape binding). Hamilton is astonishing, and the story behind it all is just as incredible to experience. I had the distinct pleasure of both reading and listening to the Revolution, and it's definitely a treat to listen to Lin-Manuel Miranda read his footnotes to the libretto.
- (5/5)Hamilton: The Revolution - Being the Complete Libretto of the Broadway Musical, with a True Account of Its Creation, and Concise Remarks on Hip-Hop, the Power of Stories, and the New America is an excellent companion to the original Broadway musical. Each chapter, with a suitably 18th-century-style title, features notes about the writing of the songs within; or the making of the play itself from its origin as a concept album to its position as a Broadway hit; or some background about the history upon which Lin Manuel Miranda based his magnum opus. Miranda provides notes for each set of lyrics in which he discusses the musical techniques, the personal meaning of the song, changes made during production, or some piece of the Alexander Hamilton's life or writing that made its way unchanged into the lyrics. The photographs of the performances capture the dynamic energy of the story and the behind-the-scenes interviews show that everyone involved with this was committed to not throwing away their shot. Additionally, readers of this book may find themselves following Miranda's lead and chasing down history, first with Ron Chernow's Alexander Hamilton (the book that Miranda used as the basis for his musical), and then on to other sources focused on the other characters and events. For fans of the musical, theatre fans, and history buffs, this is a must-read.
- (5/5)An amazing look behind the scenes at one f the best new Broadway shows! I have become slowly obsessed with the musical Hamilton ever since i first picked up the cast recording. this book is a great way to immerse yourself in the complexities of the musical itself and what it actually took to get it onstage.
This might be as close as I ever get to seeing the original cast and its an amazing up-close look at it. This is full of great profiles of many of the main cast and a look a the support players. The pictures are amazing as well. - (4/5)Since I live a bit far from the Great White Way and it will probably be years before I actually get to see this show, I decided to listen to a mix of the audio book and the soundtrack. Luckily, the book is structured in a way that follows the soundtrack and provides background on the development of most of the music and the story. I would listen to a chapter, then listen to the related songs before going to the next chapter. This was a good experience and a good way to get to know this show that I'm certain to run into a lot down the road as a high school educator (see chapter 18 for a good explanation of why). The book provided a lot of interesting explanation on how a Broadway show gets created. While the book was a bit too self-reverential for me at times and uses the "it almost didn't happen" line a few too many times, it was still a good read. For those of you who will also need to wait years to experience Hamilton first-hand, I recommend this book alongside a first listen to the soundtrack.
- (3/5)I liked this book, but I can't say I enjoyed it. The pictures were beautiful, Lin's little notes were great to know what was going through his head when he was writing songs, it brought a lot of new insight into not only the musical, but to Hamilton's life as well. I just found myself losing interest about half way through. I'm not sure why. If you're a fan of history or the musical I would still recommend this book though. 3 out of 5 stars.
- (5/5)Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?This question is the central theme of Hamilton, Miranda's hip-hop/rap musical about America's "$10 founding father without a father" (and recent recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, yay!). He, along with MCCarter, write their story of the inception, creation, and explosion of the musical from the early scribblings in notebooks to opening night on Broadway. Each of the main actors get a chapter dedicated to their talents, in combination with the historical figure(s) they play. The ensemble cast get full-name shoutouts as well, which I thought was a great thing do to. The complete book (lyrics) of the musical is included, as well as many full-page photos from the musical itself, and candid photos of the cast.I have loved this musical since I first heard the cast album (and with each subsequent listening, I love it even more). I will probably never get the chance to see the show on Broadway with the original cast, so I was so happy when this book arrived in my mailbox. I laughed at the behind-the-scenes anecdotes, I marveled at the genius of Miranda (and Hamilton), and I cried unashamedly when I came to the chapter devoted to "It's Quiet Uptown". This book has been dubbed the "Hamiltome" by fans, and I can see why; it's almost 300 pages and surprisingly heavy. But that's because it's filled with the love and dedication of each person involved with the making of the show. This musical has undoubtedly changed the way people view musicals, rap/hip-hop and what it can do, and the memories of Alexander Hamilton himself. I'm so excited that I get to experience this revolution, even from afar.
- (5/5)A spectacular work giving wonderful background to this wonderful musical.
- (5/5)Being a Hamilton junkie, and figuring I'd already heard about most of these stories, I didn't expect this book to be as amazing as it was. I borrowed this copy from a friend, but I'm considering buying it for the cut lyrics of the John Adams dis alone.
- (4/5)Quick read/listen concerning the Broadway hit Hamilton, notes concerning the creation, production, and history of the musical.
- (4/5)The ONLY reason that this is not 5 stars for the audio book is because Lin's reading of his notes (and only the notes) made me get the print book so that I could reference the lyrics he was discussing. And what did I find? The print book is BEAUTIFUL! Expensive paper, gorgeous layout, and the PHOTOS! Also, the boo just cements what a weird theater/hip-hop crossover geek Lin is.I am buying the print version of the book and it might make its way into some Christmas gifts this year.To talk a bit about the audio book, Mariska Hargitay does an excellent job and the narration element really does add to the book's tone.But really, READ (don't listen) to this book.
- (4/5)This has a behind the scenes look at how the musical was made, who was involved (everyone from actors to producer to choreographer) and what they brought to the show, and notes on the songs. It's loaded with interesting facts about Alexander Hamilton himself, but also about the musical itself and the people who brought it to life. Visually it's a gorgeous book with nice heavy paper and lots of color photographs that illustrate everything in the story.
- (5/5)Fascinating detail on the development of Lin-Manual Miranda's Hamilton.
- (3/5)I was expecting a summary or script, instead this was the story of how the Broadway musical came is be. Interesting, but not outstanding. I probably would have liked it better if I had had more realistic expectations.
- (5/5)There is a reason why Lin-Manuel Miranda called this book #Hamiltome on Twitter: It's big and heavy, with binding that reminds one of The Encyclopedia Britannica. Or maybe that part is just me. Anyway, the book is very pretty and has a bunch of photos all-throughout. For someone who has not been able to see the live production, this is great because you can see how things are staged. For instance, I knew that Jasmine Cephas-Jones sang the line "Me? I loved him" in the first song, but I hadn't realized she was singing as Maria Reynolds, not Peggy Schuyler, until I read the book. The main part of the text is by Jeremy McCarter and tells the story of how the musical was made and how each person came to be involved. Interspersed between chapters are the lyrics, complete with notes written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Because the internet has been so helpful annotating the references to (and quotations of) the musical influences present in the songs, Miranda was able to share stories that didn't already appear on annotation sites like Genius. For instance, at the start of "You'll Be Back" he relates how something Hugh Laurie said inspired the song. I loved this book so much I read it twice: once on audio so I could hear Lin-Manuel Miranda read his parts, and once in print so I could look at all the pictures. The audiobook does not include the song lyrics, just the text by McCarter and Miranda's notes. My only complaint about the book is that it doesn't tell who the actors are in the pictures when it's one of the full-page spreads serving as a background for the lyrics. The main cast I know, but I would have liked to have the Company members pointed out to me. Anyone who has an interest in the making of musicals in general and Broadway productions in particular will find value in this, even if they are not fans on this specific musical. Hamilton fans probably have already read this book several times, so I don't think I need to sell it to them. ;)
- (5/5)This is a book to savor. Not only does it contain the Broadway play's complete libretto, but it also holds full-page photos with scenes showing the original cast during performances. With those images and libretto, well placed chapters --twenty-two in all-- give the details into the process of how this award-winning play came into being. Yet, what I found I most appreciated were the libretto's accompanying side notes provided by it creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, adding insight into his creative process. The reader gets the full picture of how Ron Chernow's biography on Alexander Hamilton inspired Lin Miranda, of when and where the play's creator took literary license (only a few places) from the historical facts, and of why at times Lin Miranda choose to cut some words, phases, and scenes from the production. This book holds wide appeal for theatre-goers and those who study theatre, or for Broadway musical fans, or history buffs, or music lovers of all stripes (not just rap and hip-hop fans). And especially for folks like me, who love experiencing wordplay that builds up layer by layer to tell a fascinating story.
- (5/5)The libretto of the hit Broadway musical, interspersed with essays on the making of the show and its impact on popular culture. Discovering Hamilton has been one of the best things about 2016 for me, and this book does a great job of encapsulating and expanding upon the show. Worth the price for the photos and the lyrics, the essays make for a nice bonus. It's also a physically handsome volume. A must-have for Hamilfans.
- (5/5)Absolute must-read for fans of the musical. This has all the background info you could ever want: essays on the creation of "Hamilton," profiles of the major players, the full libretto with Lin-Manuel Miranda's annotations (some of them very funny) ... the only people who won't enjoy this book are those who have never seen the play or heard the music. To which I say, don't be like Aaron Burr and wait for it -- go out and get it!
- (5/5)Joy's review: Libretto, history of the play, bio of the principals, and anecdotes, all very well done, of course! All "Hamilton" fans need this book.
- (5/5)So you want to know why (for heaven's sake!!!) would someone write a hip-hop musical about Alexander Hamilton--really!! Well this book is the answer/answers. A collection of the development of this musical and the reason the major actors were selected. But it is more.... Beautiful pictures and all the words that are sung with fascinating footnotes. [Actually there is one section that is extra--not on the recording.] Can't get to the play, well this book along with a recording of the play will be an inspiring substitute.
- (5/5)The complete libretto for Hamilton annotated by Miranda and interspersed with essays on the creation, development, and reception of the musical from one of the show's producers. Worth picking up for any level of Hamilton fan whether you're in it for the behind-the-scenes details, photos of the cast during rehearsal and performance, to get a peek inside LMM's brain, or to finally figure out just what that lyric is that you haven't figure out after listening to the album umpteen times.
- (5/5)The perfect complement to the cast recording, especially for those of us without easy access to Broadway. Covering the behind the scenes development from the first White House performance to opening night on Broadway, this book shows how a play develops and changes, and how it effects the people involved.
- (5/5)If you love Hamilton: An American Musical, then why the heck haven't you read this? Alongside the lyrics (oh, that's what they're saying! Oops.) are Lin's insights into writing them--funny anecdotes, historical tidbits, darlings he had to kill. And if that wasn't enough, the story of how this great genius of a phenomena was birthed is told in parallel to the songs themselves. Not to mention the book itself demands to be displayed in the best spot in the house, it's that beautiful to gaze at.
- (5/5)This is a non-fiction book about the making of a broadway musical, and it made me cry. Five stars. Would cry again.
- (5/5)My obsession grows. Brilliance, start to finish; in front of, in the midst of, behind the scenes of - never enough. I want to crawl inside Lin-Manuel Miranda's mind and absorb the brilliance. I want to be in a room with Lin, Tommy, Andy, and the rest - just to be a shadow and listen and be amazed. This book provided a small version of just that. Love, love, love, love,.... if you know, you know.