Hamilton: The Revolution Audio CD – Unabridged, May 10, 2016

My daughter absolutely loved this. She was so excited about all of the information it has about the musical and characters. It's nice quality and looks nice too. I would recommend this for any Hamilton fan!

...plus so much more.I had to stop reading this and write this review *now*.I've been reading this book skipping around, reading Lin Manuel Miranda's foot notes, stopping to read an essay here and there.It's fascinating. It enhances the experience of the lyrics and also gives background of the much of the music, the inspiration of rhythms, and the evolution of the revolution of the modern musical that became "Hamilton".So after playing around with reading (and honestly belting out more than a few songs; hopefully the walls in my apartment aren't too thin) here and there, I went back to the beginning and started reading the essays. They are amazing. They introduce the many people who are a part of this evolution of this revolution in musical theatre.I was reading "Part IV: In Which the Character of New York City is Considered in Its Musical & Scenic Aspects". It's fascinating in and of itself. The challenges of depicting of the show's settings.And then I turned the page it took my breath away and threw me back into the experience of anticipation as we waited for the performance begin. Start *now* here.I was lucky enough to see "Hamilton" 5 days ago. Everything you've heard about it cannot in any way express what an amazing, beautiful, dynamic experience it is. Listening to the soundtrack is amazing, but it's as if you forget the rest of the musical. The dancing, the choreography, the staging. I literally, unconsciously, had my mouth open the whole time.Okay, this isn't a review of the musical.The picture on pages 40 & 41 is the stage for "Hamilton". It is the anticipation of sitting in the orchestra waiting for the musical to begin.I have read many parts of this book in bits and pieces. It is an amazing supplement if you have the amazing luck to see "Hamilton". At the same time if you have not seen it, this book is closest you can get to seeing it.The musical is simply it is breath taking.This book has taken me back to that experience and taken my breath away again.The picture is of the actual stage. It is virtually an exact copy (but taken with a phone, far away, in crap ligh).Btw, this is a tome of a book. Hard covered, inches thick, archival worthy pages, fabulously rendered pictures, full lyrics with footnotes, and essays with Pulitzer winners and Presidents.The price of this book could easily be 4-6 times what it is. Even if you're on the fence about "Hamilton", get this.

Can't believe I got this for $16 (about $22 with shipping and tax). Mine came in perfect condition. The pages are kind fo lightweight, but that doesn't bother me. Really beautiful and interesting book!

Beyond the amazingness that is the stage musical, there is the story behind it and its creation. As improbably as Alexander Hamilton's life was, the making of this musical is just as much so, born out of the random genius of Lin-Manuel Miranda and fostered by the creative energy of the amazing team he has around him, all brought to life by the original cast. This book captures this moment in theater and pop-culture history, that intersection of the two that so rarely happens anymore. Jeremy McCarter's journalistic style gives an intimate glimpse at the "room where it happened", giving fans snippets of all aspects of the "Hamilton" creation, from the small stories, such as the development of the sound system that makes the show so dynamic when you see it in person, to the even heartbreaking moments of struggle and loss for some involved in the production.Each story is tied, in its own way, to the very songs that make up the musical, their lyrics included for those of us who like to rap along with Lin and Daveed. Lin's personal notes are brilliant and often nerdy and funny, and show us how his crazy brain works as he is word-smithing some of these ridiculously complicated and smart lyrics. Though not as fully annotated as the Genius pages, these are Lin's notes and thoughts, and it's wonderful to see inside his skull and watch him write, re-write, scrap, start over, and write and revise again, and some of the changes that were made even between the Public and the Richard Rodgers are interesting indeed (though I still regret he cut up "The Adam's Administration" like he did, as that is the most cutting set down of the entire play and brilliant).The book itself is well made as well, with the look of a colonial broad page, done with amazing photos of the production, and lovely black-and-white ones done with 19th century lenses to add flavor. The ragged edges give it a feeling of something older than it is, and it makes the book feel like it is a part of the "Hamilton" experience itself: a version of our Revolutionary history told by these people, which is what it is.I was lucky enough to see the play in June before the departure of many in the main caste, (and would love to go back and see it with Javier Munoz), so this was a special treat. If you are a fan of the play get this book. It is a wonderful compliment. And if you have yet to see it, when it comes to you, go out and see it! You won't regret it. It's really every bit as good as they hype says it is.