This ninth volume in the "Bedford Series in History and Culture" focuses on two adversarial American legends, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. As with other works in this series, the format, which combines narrative commentary with primary documents, emphasizes brevity. In a succinct narrative that composes less than half the volume, Cunningham (emeritus, history, Univ. of Missouri, Columbia) once again demonstrates his considerable skill as historian and writer. Numerous key letters, speeches, reports, and other primary documents interwoven into the text illustrate fundamental differences between the democrat from an established family and the equally talented social outsider with an even sharper entrepreneur's eye. The "Bedford" series is aimed at college American history courses, and this latest volume will be useful in that setting. It will also appeal to general readers who want mini-biographies and samples of the written works of these two American political giants.DWilliam D. Pederson, Louisiana State Univ., ShreveportCopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.