Shane White’s Prince of Darkness is a fascinating and meticulously researched biography that brings to life the extraordinary story of Jeremiah G. Hamilton, a man who defied the rigid racial and economic boundaries of 19th-century America to become Wall Street’s first Black millionaire. White presents Hamilton not just as a financial prodigy, but as a complex, cunning, and sometimes controversial figure, navigating a world stacked against him with audacity and ingenuity.

The book excels in blending rigorous scholarship with compelling narrative. White vividly reconstructs the financial and social landscape of post-Civil War America, providing context for Hamilton’s bold ventures while also highlighting the systemic racism and societal constraints he overcame. Hamilton himself emerges as a larger-than-life character—part strategist, part risk-taker, whose story is equal parts inspiring and morally ambiguous.

White’s prose is clear, engaging, and often laced with subtle wit, making the intricate financial dealings accessible without diluting their complexity. Occasionally, the narrative delves deep into the technicalities of 19th-century finance, which may slow the pace for casual readers, but these sections ultimately enrich the portrait of Hamilton’s genius.

Prince of Darkness is an engrossing biography that shines a light on a remarkable, overlooked figure in American history. It is both enlightening and entertaining, offering a vivid glimpse into ambition, resilience, and audacity in a hostile world.

An interesting biography of a (to me, at least) little-known character from American history. A long-time antagonist and opponent of Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jeremiah G. Hamilton's story is one that adds an interesting new facet to our general picture of not only American society, but also Wall Street and its make-up in the second half of the 1900 century.

Well-written, and quite an achievement, given the general lack of information about Hamilton. Recommended.

This is not exactly a fun read read although a very admirable one, and I am grateful to the author for attempting it at all – it must have been daunting writing a biography of someone about whom virtually no records or documentation are available, and none at all in the subject’s own voice. Well done to Shane White for unearthing what information there is. Jeremiah G Hamilton was the first African American to become prominent on Wall Street and was reportedly the richest coloured man in the US at one stage. He married a white woman and lived in a mansion in New Jersey and was the equal of any white man in the 19th century American financial world. The author manages to piece together Hamilton’s life and career from the scant resources that are available, but inevitably he has to flesh out his narrative with many a “perhaps” and “possibly”. Much of the surviving information comes from court cases and White recounts some of these verbatim – which actually makes for some tedious reading. Nevertheless, attempting to bring this enigmatic man to life is a worthy aim indeed, and although the book is very dry and dull on occasion, it’s definitely worth reading and learning what we can about Jeremiah G Hamilton, a man who took on the white world and triumphed.

Sorry I was not able to read you book but it went to archive before I could get to it. Sorry once again.