Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist
By (Author) Daniel Pollack-Pelzner
Atlantic Books
Atlantic Books
9th September 2025
Export/Airside
United Kingdom
General
Non Fiction
Theatre studies
Film, television, radio genres: Drama
Biography: arts and entertainment
Paperback
400
Width 156mm, Height 234mm
How did Lin-Manuel Miranda become the preeminent musical storyteller of the 21st century Daniel Pollack-Pelzner traces Miranda's path from a friendly but isolated child to the winner of multiple Tonys and Grammys for his Broadway hits Hamilton and In the Heights and his songs in Disney's Moana and Encanto.
Miranda's journey is a testament to the power of creativity, collaboration and cultural synthesis. His insatiable drive to create art and learn from those around him propelled him to synthesize his Latino heritage with the pop, hip-hop and Broadway musical styles of New York City. The unique blend allowed him to craft a new way of telling American stories.
Drawing on over 150 interviews with Miranda's family, friends and mentors, and Miranda himself, Pollack-Pelzner delves into the formative experiences that shaped Miranda's artistic vision. From his early musicals in high school to the creation of his professional masterpieces, this book reveals the sources of Miranda's creativity - not as innate genius, but as a result of exceptional openness and collaboration. With full access to Miranda's inner circle, this behind-the-scenes origin story is sure to captivate his legions of fans and more.
Daniel Pollack-Pelzner writes about theatre and contemporary culture for the New Yorker, the Atlantic and the New York Times. Born and raised in Oregon, he teaches theatre history at Portland State University and is the scholar-in-residence at the Portland Shakespeare Project. He lives in Portland with his wife, whom he met in a fifth-grade production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and their two children.