Alexander Hamilton was an illegitimate, largely self-taught orphan from the Caribbean who overcame all the odds to become George Washington's aide-de-camp & the first Treasury Secretary of the United States. Few figures in American history are more controversial than Alexander Hamilton. In this masterful work, Chernow shows how the political & economic power of America today is the result of Hamilton's willingness to champion ideas that were often wildly disputed during his time. He charts his titanic feuds with Jefferson, Adams, Madison, Monroe & Burr; his highly public affair with Maria Reynolds; his loving marriage to his loyal wife Eliza; & the notorious duel with Aaron Burr that led to his death in July 1804. This book was adapted into a hugely successful Broadway musical
- nominated for a record 16 Tony awards & winner of 11
- opens at the Victoria Palace Theatre in November 2017.

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The America that Alexander Hamilton knew was largely agricultural & built on slave labor. He envisioned something else: a multi-racial, urbanised, capitalistic America with a strong central government. He believed that such an America would be a land of opportunity for the poor & the newcomers. But Hamilton's vision put him at odds with his archrivals who envisioned a pastoral America of small towns, where governments were local, states would control their own destiny, & the federal government would remain small & weak. The disputes that arose during America's first decades continued through American history to our present day. Over time, because of the systems Hamilton set up & the ideas he left, his vision won out. Here is the story that epitomises the American dream--a poor immigrant who made good in America. In the end, Hamilton rose from poverty through his intelligence & ability, & did more to shape our country than any of his contemporaries. ...

By equal measure state-builder & political unifier & ruthless opportunist & bloody-handed aggressor, Alexander II has been praised or vilified by past historians but has rarely been viewed in the round. This book explores the king's successes & failures, offering a fresh assessment of his contribution to the making of Scotland as a nation. It lifts the focus from an introspective national history to look at the man & his kingdom in wider British & European history, examining his international relationships & offering the first detailed analysis of the efforts to work out a lasting diplomatic solution to Anglo-Scottish conflict over his inherited claims to the northern counties of Engl&. More than just a political narrative, the book also seeks to illuminate aspects of the king's character & his relationships with those around him, especially his mother, his first wife Joan Plantagenet, & the great magnates, clerics & officials who served in his household & administration. The book illustrates the processes by which the mosaic of petty principalities & rival power-bases that covered the map of late 12th-century Scotland had become by the mid-13th century a unified state, hybrid in culture (s) & multilingual but acknowledging a common identity as Scots. ...

Alexander Mc Queen (1969-2010) was one of the most influential, imaginative & inspirational designers at the turn of the millennium. His fashions both challenged & expanded the conventional parameters of clothing beyond utility to a compelling expression of culture, politics & identity. Focusing on the most iconic & acclaimed designs of his prolific career, this stunning book examines Mc Queen's inimitable technical virtuosity & its subversion of traditional tailoring & dressmaking practices. This book also focuses on the highly sophisticated narrative structures found in Mc Queen's collections & in his astonishing & extravagant runway presentations, which suggested the most avant-garde installation & performance art. Intended as an assessment of Alexander Mc Queen's entire career, this book

Includes:: in-depth studies of six collections that illustrate & encapsulate thematic chapters as well as an interview with Sarah Burton, the new creative director of Alexander Mc Queen who had been the designer's right-hand design aide since 1996.

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A tribute to Alexander Mc Queen, 1969-2010. An iconic, imaginative, & inspirational fashion designer whose work turned heads & hearts all over the world. 125 stunning fashion show/catwalk photographs, with commentary by an experienced fashion journalist. ...

When Alexander Mc Queen committed suicide in February 2010, aged just 40, a shocked world mourned the loss of its most visionary fashion designer. Mc Queen had risen from humble beginnings as the youngest child of an East London taxi driver to scale the heights of fame, fortune & glamour. He designed clothes for the world's most beautiful women including Kate Moss & Naomi Campbell. In business he created a multi-million pound luxury brand that became a favourite with both celebrities & royalty, most famously the Duchess of Cambridge who wore a Mc Queen dress on her wedding day. But behind the confident facade & bad-boy image, lay a sensitive soul who struggled to survive in the ruthless world of fashion. As the pressures of work intensified, so Mc Queen became increasingly dependent on the drugs that contributed to his tragic end. Meanwhile, in his private life, his failure to find lasting love with a string of boyfriends only added to his despair. & then there were the dark secrets that haunted his sleep...A modern-day fairy tale infused with the darkness of a Greek tragedy, this book will tell the sensational story of Mc Queen's rise from his hard East London upbringing to the hedonistic world of fashion. Those closest to the designer
- his family, friends & lovers
- have spoken for the first time about the man they knew, a fragmented & insecure individual, a lost boy who battled to gain entry into a world that ultimately destroyed him.

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A retrospective of Mc Queen's groundbreaking designs & a salute to his artistry, the book showcases his work from his graduate collection at Central Saint Martins to his latest designs created just days before his untimely death. Celebrating his work & vision, Alexander Mc Queen: The Life & the Legacy traces the designer's ascent to becoming one of the world's most respected couturiers
- a story marked by celebrity friendships, unrestrained creativity, theatrical fashion shows &, ultimately, tragedy. The chronological organization allows the reader to understand Mc Queen's most seminal collections & the progression & underlying themes of his ideas. This book is dedicated to Mc Queen's work & talent, & exhibits not simply visually electrifying fashion images, but also reveals the deep reservoir of the designer's imagination.
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Fashion is a big bubble, & sometimes I feel like popping it.' Alexander Mc Queen, 2009 This definitive publication on Alexander Mc Queen (1969
- 2010) invites you into the creative mind of one of Britain's most brilliant, daring & provocative designers. Accompanying the V&A's landmark exhibition Alexander Mc Queen: Savage Beauty, this comprehensive catalogue features 28 ground-breaking essays from expert fashion commentators & cultural scholars which examine the richness & complexity of Mc Queen's visionary fashion. The publication

Includes:: over 440 striking images, from intimate backstage portraits & editorials by leading fashion photographers to previously unpublished sketches & research boards from the Mc Queen archive. At the centre of the book is a Cabinet of Curiosities gatefold with a specially commissioned photo shoot that showcases Mc Queen's breath-taking attention to detail. The book closes with an encyclopaedic survey of all of Mc Queen's London collections, from his 1992 MA graduate collection to his final collection, posthumously presented in March 2010.


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Alexander Mc Queen (1969-2010) was one of the most influential, imaginative & inspirational designers at the turn of the millennium. His fashions both challenged & expanded the conventional parameters of clothing beyond utility to a compelling expression of culture, politics & identity. Focusing on the most iconic & acclaimed designs of his prolific career, this stunning book examines Mc Queen's inimitable technical virtuosity & its subversion of traditional tailoring & dressmaking practices. This book also focuses on the highly sophisticated narrative structures found in Mc Queen's collections & in his astonishing & extravagant runway presentations, which suggested the most avant-garde installation & performance art. Intended as an assessment of Alexander Mc Queen's entire career, this book

Includes:: in-depth studies of six collections that illustrate & encapsulate thematic chapters as well as an interview with Sarah Burton, the new creative director of Alexander Mc Queen who had been the designer's right-hand design aide since 1996.

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A retrospective of Lee's groundbreaking work & a salute to his artistry, the book showcases the wonderful world of Mc Queen, from his graduate collection at Central Saint Martins to his latest designs created just days before his untimely death, & finally his ideas carried on through Sarah Burton, including the royal wedding dress. Celebrating his work & vision, Alexander Mc Queen: The Legend & the Legacy traces the designer's ascent to becoming one of the world's most respected couturiers
- a story marked by celebrity friendships, unrestrained creativity, theatrical fashion shows &, ultimately, tragedy. The chronological organization allows the reader to understand Mc Queen's most seminal collections & the progression & underlying themes of his ideas. This book is dedicated to Mc Queen's work & talent, & exhibits not simply visually electrifying fashion images, but also reveals the deep reservoir of the designer's imagination.
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