Thomas Paine “Common Sense” – book review

Attempting to review Thomas Paine’s Common Sense is somewhat absurd. After all, as a political pamphlet, it set itself one task above all: to persuade its readers and that aim it has unquestionably achieved. You cannot possibly read an account of the American Revolution which does not mention Thomas Paine. America’s independence seems now to be unquestionably common-sense. Yet it was fascinating to read Paine in … Continue reading Thomas Paine “Common Sense” – book review

Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton – book review

I did it! I finished reading Ron Chernow’s massive biography of Alexander Hamilton with 4 more days to spare before I go to see the musical.   I’m not going to pretend this was a very easy feat for me – the first few hundred pages were quite uphill, perhaps because the stories about Hamilton’s distant relatives were not quite as interesting as the author … Continue reading Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton – book review