Ron Chernow

Ron Chernow is an acclaimed American historian, biographer, and journalist known for his research into the financial and cultural history of the United States. He has written a number of award-winning and bestselling books, including the books Washington: A Life, Alexander Hamilton, and Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

Throughout his prolific career, Chernow has brought to life a number of American heroes and giants of industry, including the Founding Fathers of the United States, deified regional monarchs, towering robber barons, and brilliant inventors and entrepreneurs. His work has made him a popular guest on various talk shows while also giving him a role in some of Broadway's biggest productions, most notably as the source material for the Tony-award winning hip-hop musical Hamilton.

Chernow was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1949. He studied English and American History at Columbia University, where he graduated in 1971. He began his career as a journalist at American Heritage magazine, before taking a research position at the Washington Post in 1974. After writing for the Post for a brief period of time, he left to pursue writing books full-time.

Chernow's first book was The Warburgs (1993), written about the elite Jewish banking family of the same name. In this book he explored the Warburgs’ role in German history, as well as their eventual integration in American society. This book earned Chernow several literary awards, including the George Washington Book Prize in 1994.

Encouraged to pursue his fascination with the founding fathers of the US, he wrote the well-received biography of George Washington, Washington: A Life (2010). This book received rave reviews, won multiple awards, and has since become a staple in US History classes nationwide.

With the success of Washington: A Life, Chernow ventured on a project to write a comprehensive biography of Alexander Hamilton, a contentious but highly influential founding father. The resulting book, Alexander Hamilton (2004), took seven years to complete and became one of Chernow's greatest works. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 2005 and was the source material for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical, Hamilton.

Chernow’s interest in entrepreneurial powerhouses led to him writing two more award-winning biographies, Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. (1998) and The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance (1990). Both books provide valuable insight into the sometimes-devious machinations of powerful corporate titans.

Chernow has also written biographies on other historical figures, such as the business magnate Charles Schwab and the American politician and diplomat Henry Kissinger. He has also written books on The General Motors Troubles (1984) and Money Smart: A Guide to Financing Your Future (1995).

Chernow still contributes to various print publications, including The New Yorker and The New York Times, while also appearing as a commentator on television news. He has additionally provided content for various music albums, including Jay-Z’s 4:44. He is currently working on a book about US Grant, the former president and civil war general.

Throughout his career, Chernow has been praised for his meticulous research, in-depth analysis, and accessible writing style. His books, which consistently tell stories about America’s past, continue to educate and motivate readers with their fascinating, oftentimes inspiring stories. He is in short, a leading light in the field of American historical writing.