"The musical Hamilton might have wowed Broadway in 2015, but Alexander Hamilton first took America by storm more than 200 years ago. Growing up poor on the Caribbean island of Nevis, Hamilton defied the odds by becoming a great thinker and writer. In New York, Hamilton found a world of opportunity, becoming an important part of the American Revolution and an architect of the new nation's system of government. From his unfortunate childhood through his years at war, his battles to build the country he envisioned, and the scandals and infighting that led to his downfall, this is the true story of our nation's most sensational Founding Father." -- Back cover.