H. W. BRANDS holds the Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas at Austin. A New York Times bestselling author, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in biography for The First American and Traitor to His Class.
"H. W. Brands brings to life Burr’s forgotten contributions as a
Revolutionary War hero and politician, as well as the shame that
shadowed him for the rest of his life after Hamilton’s death." —The
New York Times
"Intense. . . . Short, accessible . . . tightly focused work. . . .
In The Heartbreak of Aaron Burr, Mr. Brands goes beyond what is
commonly known about Burr to show his more admirable side, which
lay in his developing the mind and character of the treasure of his
life, his daughter Theodosia." —The Washington Times
“Tightly crafted. . . . Aaron Burr is our Founding Father in the
shadows. So often the gifted American who gut-shot Alexander
Hamilton on a sheltered rocky ledge in Weehawken, N.J., is
remembered as a nasty piece of work. . . . The flawed, fascinating
pol has been the subject of many biographies. But in H.W. Brands’
beguiling 192-pager, The Heartbreak of Aaron Burr, the grandson of
Calvinist preacher Jonathan Edwards steps off the page with
customary aplomb—not as a cartoonish villain but as a cultured,
considerate and caring father who was a Princeton graduate at 16, a
hero of the Revolution at 20, New York state attorney general at 30
and U.S. senator at 35. . . . Like Herman Melville, who swept us
back to 19th-century New Bedford’s Spouter-Inn in Moby-Dick, Brands
transports us to a room on Stone Street in New York ‘on this eighth
day of June, anno domini 1812.’ . . . And it's [Burr and Theo’s]
highly literate, lively correspondence that leavens this revealing
book and makes its subjects spring to life.” —Austin
American-Statesman
“Although Burr is the subject of numerous biographies, Brands’ use
of the letters between Burr and Theo, named after her mother,
allows a somewhat different perspective. As the title may suggest,
this sketch seems to look more at Burr the man than the other
categories in which he could be placed—politician, duelist, accused
traitor. While Brand concisely covers the breadth of Burr's life,
it is clear that the father-daughter relationship was an
extraordinary one.” —Seattle Post-Intelligencer
“Compelling. . . . A softer perspective of one of American
history’s most controversial figures. It’s true Burr gets a bad
rap. . . . The letters give us an authentic glimpse of his
personality while nicely mirroring the dramatic political landscape
(duels, deals and treason) of the time.” —Austinist
“Brands reveals another side of Burr in this examination of his
extensive correspondence with his beloved daughter, Theodosia. . .
. The letters deal with more than personal relations, as Burr
discourses upon subjects as varied as sexual equality and political
rivalry. . . . This useful, often emotionally stirring work offers
a surprising view of an enigmatic personality.” —Booklist
“The second in the author’s series entitled American Portraits,
this is one of the increasingly popular ‘small stories’ that give
so much insight into the men, women and events of history. A short
but thrilling page-turner. Brands burrows into Burr’s psyche and
exposes his failings as he details the outstanding talents that
were so sadly wasted.” —Kirkus Reviews
Ask a Question About this Product More... |