I am smitten. Yes, truly smitten.

Last week, thanks to a generous gift from my daughter, I went to see the musical Hamilton, performed in the splendor of the Fabulous Fox Theater in St. Louis. I’m fascinated by history. I adore musicals. And so, just like Eliza Schuyler, I fell in love with Hamilton.

Created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the show relies heavily on rap and at first I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it. I’m not typically a fan of this music style. Yet despite my misgivings, I found the pounding beat fit the high energy of this time in our country’s history like a hand in a glove.

Melding history into a musical isn’t a new concept. Les Miserables and Evita, among others, come to mind. What I find fascinating is the fact that putting a piece of history in a play or novel not only teaches the viewer/reader something new, but if it’s done well, sends them seeking out additional information on the subject. For me, Hamilton’s story was an ingenious way to remind people of our country’s history, and the cost of the freedom we enjoy today. Reportedly, teachers have even used Hamilton in lesson plans, and that’s a pretty awesome way to get kids interested in a past every American ought to know.

If you haven’t seen the show, or even if you have, here’s a link to snippets from songs selected as the “top ten” from the play, along with background information. Be aware the clip is about twelve minutes long, but worth every minute (Note: if you let the clip continue to run, it will move into another clip and so on, until you turn it off).

My assessment? If you can manage to do so, go see Hamilton. I promise you won’t regret it.

On a side note, here’s another tip. I’m just finishing a newly released novel about Eliza Schuyler Hamilton by two of my favorite authors, Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie, who previously wrote the New York Times bestseller, American’s First Daughter. Thorough and well-researched, My Dear Hamilton brings Eliza, the woman behind the man, to life and gives her the recognition she deserves. This revealing look into the political intrigue and machinations that forged deals to form our country, make many of today’s political woes seem like trifling little mistakes.

Eliza lived for another fifty years after her husband’s death, and accomplished much in her own right, earning a place for herself as one of our country’s founding mothers. If you’d like to learn more about her story, I highly recommend My Dear Hamilton.

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Pat Wahler’s debut historical novel, I Am Mrs. Jesse James, is scheduled for release in August 2018. A children’s book, Midnight the One-Eyed Cat, will follow in September 2018. Both books available for preorder through most local independent bookstores, national bookstore chains, and Amazon.