Declare Books Conducive To Lafayette
| Original Title: | Lafayette |
| ISBN: | 0471468851 (ISBN13: 9780471468851) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Characters: | Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette |
| Literary Awards: | Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award (2003) |
Harlow Giles Unger
Paperback | Pages: 452 pages Rating: 4.37 | 790 Users | 98 Reviews
Specify Regarding Books Lafayette
| Title | : | Lafayette |
| Author | : | Harlow Giles Unger |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 452 pages |
| Published | : | November 1st 2003 by Wiley (TP) (first published August 19th 2002) |
| Categories | : | Biography. History. Nonfiction. North American Hi.... American History. Military History. American Revolution. Cultural. France. Historical |
Narration Toward Books Lafayette
Acclaim for Lafayette"I found Mr. Unger's book exceptionally well done. It's an admirable account of the marquis's two revolutions-one might even say his two lives-the French and the American. It also captures the private Lafayette and his remarkable wife, Adrienne, in often moving detail." -Thomas Fleming, author, Liberty!: The American Revolution
"Harlow Unger's Lafayette is a remarkable and dramatic account of a life as fully lived as it is possible to imagine, that of Gilbert de Motier, marquis de Lafayette. To American readers Unger's biography will provide a stark reminder of just how near run a thing was our War of Independence and the degree to which our forefathers' victory hinged on the help of our French allies, marshalled for George Washington by his 'adopted' son, Lafayette. But even more absorbing and much less well known to the general reader will be Unger's account of Lafayette's idealistic but naive efforts to plant the fruits of the American democracy he so admired in the unreceptive soil of his homeland. His inspired oratory produced not the constitutional democracy he sought but the bloody Jacobin excesses of the French Revolution."-Larry Collins, coauthor, Is Paris Burning? and O Jerusalem!
"A lively and entertaining portrait of one of the most important supporting actors in the two revolutions that transformed the modern world."-Susan Dunn, author, Sister Revolutions: French Lightning, American Light
"Harlow Unger has cornered the market on muses to emerge as America's most readable historian. His new biography of the marquis de Lafayette combines a thoroughgoing account of the age of revolution, a probing psychological study of a complex man, and a literary style that goes down like cream. A worthy successor to his splendid biography of Noah Webster."-Florence King, Contributing Editor, National Review
"Enlightening! The picture of Lafayette's life is a window to eighteenth- and nineteenth-century history."-Michel Aubert La Fayette
Rating Regarding Books Lafayette
Ratings: 4.37 From 790 Users | 98 ReviewsRate Regarding Books Lafayette
Ever wonder why so many streets and towns in America are named Lafayette? To call his life extraordinary would be doing him a disservice. Wonderful biography of a French aristocrat who traveled to a fledgling United States and became a hero in the American Revolution, only to return to a politically-corrupt homeland where he was stripped of his titles and property, and jailed for his democratic beliefs. He pretty much introduced democracy to a monarchial Europe. Though he was rich as shit,Wow! Just finished a great read of the amazing life of the Marquis de Lafayette. At 19 the French aristocrat boy funded the ship that took him to America to participate in our Revolution. He became fast friends with Washington, and distinguished himself as a soldier and military leader. It is highly unlikely we would have prevailed against the British without the aid of France, secured in large measure to Lafayette's influence. He is a true Revolutionary War hero whose story deserves to be
Overall, I enjoyed this book and it's a decent introduction to the time period and the American and French Revolutions. If you are looking for an introductory book on these subjects with fast moving narrative, you should enjoy it. However, there is an enormous lack of objectivity and the book is filled with hero worship. In celebrating the greatness of Lafayette, it at times gets tedious. For example, there are lengthy sections describing numerous banquets and parades that I found myself
I must admit to a small amount of shame as someone born in America, if not unwilling to label myself as an American, that while reading this book I had to acknowledge that the Marquis Lafayette despite being French, was more American than me. Hell, I dont think there have been many Americans in history who can claim they were more American than him. From an early age, Lafayette, despite his well heeled upbringing and prestigious background, became intoxicated with the ideals of individual
"Pronounce him one of the first men of his age, and you have yet not done him justice... Turn back your eyes upon the records of time... and where, among the race of merely mortal men, shall one be found, who, as the benefactor of his kind, shall claim to take precedence of Lafayette?" - John Quincy AdamsHow had I never learned about Lafayette? I honestly don't think I'd heard his name until my (fairly recent) trip to Williamsburg. And then, of course, listening to Hamilton I became more
I was a little bothered by the slightly breathless tone with which Unger often wrote about Lafayette- he came off a bit like an adolescent writing about his first crush, rather than a serious biographer. I also noticed some minor incorrect details here and there, including some unverified facts, and some cases of simplistic wrapping up of complicated issues. On the whole, not a bad biography- just not an outstanding one, though it had some inspiring moments.
I wanted to like this book, and maybe I should have given it another star, but in the end it was one more breathless, uncritical Lafayette biography. I've been looking for a good Lafayette bio for years, and when I found this one in a bookstore at Yorktown I thought that it might have been what I was looking for. Unfortunately Unger overpraises Lafayette and often overlooks his faults. He portrays him as a devoted husband in spite of his womanizing, for instance, while the language he uses
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