ADAMS Letters to Hamilton A Novel

October 7, 2017

Kirkus Reviews:
“Kurdas’ … debut novel offers a clever newtwist on the often tumultuous relationship between two of America’s Founding Fathers.

In this thought-provoking work, a retired dentist-turned-bookseller discovers a cache of letters in an old map case. The correspondence, which runs from 1801 to1804, is between John Adams, the nation’s second president, and Alexander Hamilton, its first treasury secretary. Adams and Hamilton of the Federalist Party, which favored a strong central government, were forced from office when Thomas Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans, which promoted more power at thestate level, swept into power in 1800. The two main characters are an unlikely pair. Writing from his home in Quincy, Massachusetts, Adams blames Hamilton—and the Ultras faction of the Federalists, which Hamilton led—for his defeat in 1800: ” This will confirm your opinion of me as unrestrained, foolish, tempestuous, even crazy, as you explained at length in your election pamphlet of 1800. I supposed it mattered then.” Hamilton, based in New York City, saw his actions as being what was best for the fledgling United States. Instead, the burr under his saddle is Aaron Burr, Jefferson’s first vice president, who would go on to kill Hamilton in an 1804 duel; Hamilton writes that Burr may be remembered “for committing every possible indecency.” With this novel, Kurdas provides an informative window into the souls of these two correspondents as they debate their philosophical differences, often in the most sarcastic of tones. She also shows that despite their diverging views, the two have much in common. Adams begins his correspondence just after the death of Hamilton’s eldest son, Philip, in an 1801 duel because he can empathize, having lost his own eldest son, Charles, to drink. Both men have been cast aside by the country that they helped found; both have strong, supportive wives; and both take solace in gardening. Under other circumstances, these men might have been friends. These fast-paced missives allow readers to see all the wrong turns that these historic figures took in their lives, leaving a sad sense of what might have been.

A fresh, well-thought-out approach to two legends.”  CLICK for link

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Adams – Letters to Hamilton

August 18, 2017

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Two Founders fight over who will occupy the American Pantheon in historical novel   Click for link

 

 

Seven Reasons to Love the Constitution

July 19, 2017

A History of American Political Achievement. Click here for Amazon link

“A well-timed refresher course on the forces at play in the conception, ratification, and amendment of this revered (and sometimes reviled) document. … A lucid defense of the Constitution, full of contextual information to supplement and broaden basic knowledge.” –Kirkus Reviews

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Confederate Monuments Museum: How to Avoid the Taliban Syndrome

May 11, 2017

ConfederateMonumentSmallBy Chidem Kurdas

Another piece of American history bites the dust – New Orleans dismantled another Confederate monument. Read the rest of this entry »

Questions for Wiretap Investigators

March 28, 2017

ihoovej001p1The ghost of J. Edgar Hoover must be smiling. The Surveillance State he helped found Read the rest of this entry »

The Oligarchy Strikes Back: Media versus President Trump

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Press hostility to the President is so extreme that when he waves his hand he risks investigations as to whether he sent a secret signal to Russia Read the rest of this entry »

Keep Up the Tweets,Mr. President

January 18, 2017

bird    Donald Trump is the first social media President. Read the rest of this entry »

First Drain Obamacare Swamp

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Chidem Kurdas

penIf President Trump does not establish priorities, his administration will almost certainly fall into the same old patterns as previous ones. Reducing regulation is Read the rest of this entry »

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: Clinton Landslide and other Pipe Dreams

November 17, 2016

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Chidem Kurdas

All Governments lie but serious trouble comes when officials smoke the same hashish they give out. That was the maxim I.F. Stone arrived at after observing 20th century politics. Read the rest of this entry »

All Hail the American People

November 9, 2016

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I have to admit I did not think the people would be able to overcome the power of the political oligarchy, the immense amount of money backing the corrupt Clinton machine Read the rest of this entry »