
War of Two
Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and the Duel That Stunned the Nation
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Narrated by:
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P. J. Ochlan
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By:
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John Sedgwick
A provocative and penetrating investigation into the rivalry between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, whose infamous duel left the founding father dead and turned a sitting vice president into a fugitive.
In the summer of 1804, two of America's most eminent statesmen squared off, pistols raised, on a bluff along the Hudson River. That two such men would risk not only their lives but the stability of the young country they helped forge is almost beyond comprehension. Yet we know that it happened. The question is why.
In War of Two, John Sedgwick explores the long-standing conflict between founding father Alexander Hamilton and Vice President Aaron Burr. A study in contrasts from birth, they had been compatriots, colleagues, and even friends. But above all they were rivals. Matching each other's ambition and skill as lawyers in New York, they later battled for power along political fault lines that would not only decide the future of the United States but define it. A series of letters between Burr and Hamilton suggest the duel was fought over an unflattering comment made at a dinner party. But another letter, written by Hamilton the night before the event, provides critical insight into his true motivation. It was addressed to former speaker of the House Theodore Sedgwick, a trusted friend of both men and the author's own ancestor. John Sedgwick suggests that Hamilton saw Burr not merely as a personal rival but as a threat to the nation. Burr would prove that fear justified after Hamilton's death when, haunted by the legacy of his longtime adversary, he embarked on an imperial scheme to break the Union apart.
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Great “Compare and Contrast” of a well-known history
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Sedgwick goes into the emotional and psychological makeup of the pair. The author presents evenhanded and insightful profiles of the two men. He states that Hamilton was hyperactive and produced volumes of work and had an intense devotion to the Federalist cause. Burr was a brooding and libidinous and tended to communicate in code. Sedgwick states he was inspired by Gore Vidal’s novel “Burr” (1973). The book is well written and meticulously researched. Sedgwick is a great storyteller therefore the book reads almost like a novel.
Sedgwick wrote about his own famous family in his book “In My Blood” (2007) from the revolutionary era of Theodore Sedgwick to modern day actress Kyra Sedgwick. P. J. Ochlan did a good job narrating the book. The book is fairly long at about 18 hours.
Provocative
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Awkward reading
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Interesting
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Excellent
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History comes alive!
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a very good view of their 0parallel lives
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Amaze-balls
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we have been taught a bunch of baloney!
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I actually found it quite interesting reading after the duel, because at that point it became a singular biography of Aaron Burr, and it mainly focused on his attempt at treason, his relationship with Jefferson and his daughter Theodosia. This really made you feel for Theodosia and her husband because it felt like Burr took very little seriously in his later life, including his financial situation.
This was a well written biography, though it lacked a certain historical touch. Some words were used in the wrong context and it didn’t really refer to other historians, who know the topic much better than Sedgwick did, though he does seem to have dedicated a lot of research to this book.
The narrator was also quite slow. I had to speed it up to 2.5x to stop myself from zoning out.
Not Just A Duel
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