1932年11月的英国。高斯福德庄园是一个名流云集之地， William McCordle爵士和他的妻子Sylvia约请了亲朋好友进行了一个狩猎会。邀请的客人包罗万象：伯爵夫人、一战英雄、英国音乐偶像，以及正在拍摄《陈查利》影片的美国电影制片人。当客人们聚集在楼上金碧辉 煌的画室时，侍候他们的贴身男女仆人们排站在硕大的住宅内，而佣人们则挤满了厨房和楼下的走道。随着一声尖叫，爵士死了。在调查此案的过程中，发现各人与各人之间隐藏着深不可测的矛盾，而事实的真相不叫人惊讶，叫人惊讶的是所谓的名流背后那些不堪入目的真面目。

孔尚任（1648―1718），字聘之，又字季重，号东塘，别号岸堂，自称云亭山人。山东曲阜人，孔子六十四代孙。他的一生大概可以分为三个阶段。一、仕前阶段：三十七岁前，在家过着养亲、读书的生活。他接触了一些南明遗民，了解到许多南明王朝兴亡的第一手史料和李香君的轶事。对写一部反映南明兴亡的历史剧萌发浓厚兴趣，开始了《桃花扇》的构思和试笔，但“仅画其轮廓，实未饰其藻采也”（《桃花扇本末》）。二、出仕阶段：1684年康熙南巡北归，特至曲阜祭孔，三十七岁的孔尚任在御前讲经，颇得康熙的赏识，破格授为国子博士，赴京就任。三十九岁，奉命赴江南治水，历时四载。这个时期，他的足迹几乎踏遍南明故地，又与一大批有民族气节的明代遗民结为知交，接受他们的爱国思想，加深了对南明兴亡历史的认识。他积极收集素材，丰富创作《桃花扇》的构思。康熙二十九年（1690），奉调回京，历任国子监博士、户部主事、广东司外郎。经过毕生努力，三易其稿，康熙三十八年，五十二岁的孔尚任，终于写成了《桃花扇》。一时洛阳纸贵，不仅在北京频繁演出，“岁无虚日”，而且流传到偏远的地方，连“万山中，阻绝入境”的楚地容美（今湖北鹤峰县），也有演出（《桃花扇本末》）。次年三月，孔尚任被免职，“命薄忍遭文字憎，缄口金人受诽谤”（《容美土司田舜年遣使投诗赞予〈桃花扇〉传奇，依韵却寄》），从这些诗句看，他这次罢官很可能是因创作《桃花扇》得祸。三、隐居阶段：罢官后，孔尚任在京赋闲两年多，接着回乡隐居。康熙五十七年（1718）这位享有盛誉的一代戏曲家，就在曲阜石门家中与世长辞了，年七十岁。他的作品.还有和顾采合著的《小忽雷》传奇及诗文集（湖海集》、《岸堂文集》、《长留集》等，均传世。

Lin-Manuel Miranda's groundbreaking musical Hamilton is as revolutionary as its subject, the poor kid from the Caribbean who fought the British, defended the Constitution, and helped to found the United States. Fusing hip-hop, pop, R&B, and the best traditions of theater, this once-in-a-generation show broadens the sound of Broadway, reveals the storytelling power of rap, and claims our country's origins for a diverse new generation.
HAMILTON: THE REVOLUTION gives readers an unprecedented view of both revolutions, from the only two writers able to provide it. Miranda, along with Jeremy McCarter, a cultural critic and theater artist who was involved in the project from its earliest stages--"since before this was even a show," according to Miranda--traces its development from an improbable performance at the White House to its landmark opening night on Broadway six years later. In addition, Miranda has written more than 200 funny, revealing footnotes for his award-winning libretto, the full text of which is published here.
Their account features photos by the renowned Frank Ockenfels and veteran Broadway photographer, Joan Marcus; exclusive looks at notebooks and emails; interviews with Questlove, Stephen Sondheim, leading political commentators, and more than 50 people involved with the production; and multiple appearances by President Obama himself. The book does more than tell the surprising story of how a Broadway musical became a national phenomenon: It demonstrates that America has always been renewed by the brash upstarts and brilliant outsiders, the men and women who don't throw away their shot.