“Hamilton,” Based on a Book, Is Becoming One Again
Related Link ‘Hamilton’ and the Republican Hopefuls
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s raucous hip-hop musical, “Hamilton,” sprang from an unlikely source: a dense, 818-page biography of Alexander Hamilton by the historian Ron Chernow. Mr. Miranda picked up the book as vacation reading before a trip to Mexico, and soon after tearing through the first chapter, he had the idea to adapt Hamilton’s life story into a musical.
Now, the play, which just opened on Broadway in previews after a critically lauded, sold-out, Off-Broadway run, will get its own life in print. Grand Central Publishing has acquired Mr. Miranda’s book “Hamilton,” which blends the history of Hamilton’s life with Mr. Miranda’s lyrics and annotations and behind-the scenes content from the show. The book will include photographs, interviews, essays and sidebars that explore how Mr. Miranda translated Hamilton’s life — from his tough childhood as an orphan to his military career and his role as the nation’s first Treasury secretary – into musical theater. Grand Central plans to publish the book in April 2016.