The Reynolds Affair was one of the most infamous scandals of the Founding Era. Given that Hamilton loved his wife and family, why did he choose to have an affair with Maria Reynolds? And why did he publish a pamphlet five years later telling the whole world about it? Using dozens of quotes from contemporaries, this book sorts fact from rumor, showing how the Reynolds Affair moved from private indiscretion to political blackmail, and then to public revelation. Includes dozens of color illustrations and several timelines.