Hamilton Songbook

July 4, 2016
The hip-hop musical Hamilton: The Revolution has earned its own biography, which highlights the obstacles, influences, and powerful moments from its development to its Broadway success. McCarter narrates the introduction (which he wrote), and one can hear the excitement and enthusiasm he still has for both the musical and his work with Miranda. Actress Hargitay, longtime star of NBC’s Law & Order: SVU, covers the lion’s share of this performance, and she does an astounding job. She captures the energy and enthusiasm of the various people quoted throughout the book, while capturing the emphasis and tone to draw out some of the more emotional moments. Miranda chimes in for the last hour, reading—and at times singing—footnotes on the libretto, which is confusing for listeners who are not following directly along with the PDF of the script. A Grand Central hardcover.