Hamilton and the Law - by Lisa A Tucker (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Since its Broadway debut, Hamilton: An American Musical has infused itself into the American experience: who shapes it, who owns it, who can rap it best. Lawyers and legal scholars, recognizing the way the musical speaks to some of our most complicated constitutional issues, have embraced Alexander Hamilton as the trendiest historical face in American civics. Hamilton and the Law offers a revealing look into the legal community's response to the musical, which continues to resonate in a country still deeply divided about the reach of the law.

A star-powered cast of legal minds--from two former U.S. solicitors general to leading commentators on culture and society--contribute brief and engaging magazine-style articles to this lively book. Intellectual property scholars share their thoughts on Hamilton's inventive use of other sources, while family law scholars explore domestic violence. Critical race experts consider how Hamilton furthers our understanding of law and race, while authorities on the Second Amendment discuss the language of the Constitution's most contested passage. Legal scholars moonlighting as musicians discuss how the musical lifts history and law out of dusty archives and onto the public stage. This collection of minds, inspired by the phenomenon of the musical and the Constitutional Convention of 1787, urges us to heed Lin-Manuel Miranda and the Founding Fathers and to create something new, daring, and different.

Review Quotes

Hamilton and the Law shows us a look in the mirror and asks - can we abandon the founder myths so that we can realize our present-day reality and strive towards substantive equity for all? Hamilton, adored by millions, may be the pop culture medium that helps us heal our inconsistent conceptualizations of America's past, present, and future. Applause to you, Professor Tucker.

Although the musical is not without its historical inaccuracies and criticisms, it is an undeniable reminder of the powers of storytelling, representation, and the arts. Books such as Hamilton and the Law amplify said powers by bringing the material to new audiences and providing scholarly commentaries on a mix of legal, social, political, and cultural topics.

Lisa A. Tucker has succeeded in using the innovation and exuberance of Lin-Manuel Miranda's ground-breaking musical to explore a wide range of legal, social, and historical issues. A smart and original book.

The book would be good for collections on law and current affairs.

The collection has the seemingly incongruous effect of simultaneously drawing you into our formative history and the making of "Hamilton: An American Musical," while also contemplating the intractable issues facing us today. In this way, it invites readers to think not only about the relationships between art, law and society, but also the possible narratives one can tell about the America of days gone by and the ways in which those narratives can shape our future.

Whether or not readers have a strong grounding in the law, they'll be stirred by the connections the book draws among Hamilton, current events, and history.

About the Author

Lisa A. Tucker is Associate Professor of Law at the Thomas R. Kline School of Law at Drexel University and author of the novel Called On, as well as eleven books for children. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, People, Time, and NBC Nightly News.