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jmeston's review against another edition
4.0
It took a certain amount of determination to get through it (to be scrupulously honest I did not read the Notes or Bibliography). That isn't the fault of the text as much as the limits of my own curiosity to the exact events of battles or constitutional wrangles as they happened. This was the biography I needed in order to learn more about Lafayette beyond his role as the hero of the American Revolution.
But he was so perfectly formed for that role! Rich, connected to the French court, a Mason, passionate about the democratic ideals forming a new country, having a thorough military education, physically brave in battle, charming and inspiring of loyalty in almost everyone he met. Who else could have been all that? All of the colonial governments wanted to help him which made a nice contrast with their bickering and backbiting with each other. His friendship with Washington went beyond its initial hero worship and both of them were very attached. I loved when Martha sent a list of furniture she needed for the renovation of Mount Vernon.
This was a wonderful insight into the fits and starts and bloody awfulness that was the French Revolution. Layfayette was a linch pin and an instigator. He was called to lead troops that became a sort of National Guard. He participated in the various incarnations of the National Assembly but he consistently refused to rule. He insisted on the drafting of a constitution and waited for his peers to participate in that process and share power amongst them. A hope that was dashed over and over again. The author clearly believes it was a tragedy that Lafayette did not take the reins in order to preside over the new form of government and avert some of the bloodshed. But I can't help but admire L's consistency. He averted as much as he could. I didn't realize how hated he was by the other Euro monarchies for bringing the American disease their way.
The book is a bit rose tinted about the virtue, beauty and resourcefulness of the female members of the family. But on the other hand they make a fine contrast to other characters to be found in the history of French nobility.
But he was so perfectly formed for that role! Rich, connected to the French court, a Mason, passionate about the democratic ideals forming a new country, having a thorough military education, physically brave in battle, charming and inspiring of loyalty in almost everyone he met. Who else could have been all that? All of the colonial governments wanted to help him which made a nice contrast with their bickering and backbiting with each other. His friendship with Washington went beyond its initial hero worship and both of them were very attached. I loved when Martha sent a list of furniture she needed for the renovation of Mount Vernon.
This was a wonderful insight into the fits and starts and bloody awfulness that was the French Revolution. Layfayette was a linch pin and an instigator. He was called to lead troops that became a sort of National Guard. He participated in the various incarnations of the National Assembly but he consistently refused to rule. He insisted on the drafting of a constitution and waited for his peers to participate in that process and share power amongst them. A hope that was dashed over and over again. The author clearly believes it was a tragedy that Lafayette did not take the reins in order to preside over the new form of government and avert some of the bloodshed. But I can't help but admire L's consistency. He averted as much as he could. I didn't realize how hated he was by the other Euro monarchies for bringing the American disease their way.
The book is a bit rose tinted about the virtue, beauty and resourcefulness of the female members of the family. But on the other hand they make a fine contrast to other characters to be found in the history of French nobility.
medeiia's review against another edition
4.0
historical accuracy: 4/5
bias: 3/5
entertaining: 5/5
informative: 4/5
writing: 5/5
I loved, loved, loved this book!
The book was extremely pro-Lafayette, I won't deny that (I can't believe that all Americans who met Lafayette instantly adored him) but it was a very good read, easy to understand, and an amazing narrative. Lafayette's life is a living contradiction of two extremes - the American and French revolutions. Harlow Giles Unger did an amazing job in showing those two sides of his life (respectively dividing the book in two parts; "the best of times" and "the worst of times"... I'll leave it up to you to guess which revolution fits where.)
"Lafayette was the last of the world's gallant knights, galloping out of Arthurian romance, across the pages of history, to rid the world of evil."
And ain't that the truth.
bias: 3/5
entertaining: 5/5
informative: 4/5
writing: 5/5
I loved, loved, loved this book!
The book was extremely pro-Lafayette, I won't deny that (I can't believe that all Americans who met Lafayette instantly adored him) but it was a very good read, easy to understand, and an amazing narrative. Lafayette's life is a living contradiction of two extremes - the American and French revolutions. Harlow Giles Unger did an amazing job in showing those two sides of his life (respectively dividing the book in two parts; "the best of times" and "the worst of times"... I'll leave it up to you to guess which revolution fits where.)
"Lafayette was the last of the world's gallant knights, galloping out of Arthurian romance, across the pages of history, to rid the world of evil."
And ain't that the truth.
nicole_dust's review against another edition
4.0
I. CRIED. SO. HARD. AT THE END.
AND LAFAYETTE NEEDS A MUSICAL.
For anyone who likes biographies and/or Hamilton, 9/10 would recommend this book. My only issue was that the pacing at the very end seemed way off compared to the rest of the book.
Other than that? Truly amazing. Lafayette was an incredible person, and this book reflected him perfectly.
AND LAFAYETTE NEEDS A MUSICAL.
For anyone who likes biographies and/or Hamilton, 9/10 would recommend this book. My only issue was that the pacing at the very end seemed way off compared to the rest of the book.
Other than that? Truly amazing. Lafayette was an incredible person, and this book reflected him perfectly.
librarianonparade's review
5.0
When the Maquis de Lafayette died, America went into the kind of mourning it had only experienced once before, at the death of George Washington. Indeed, the President at the time, Andrew Jackson, expressly ordered the same military honours as Washington had received. Every city in the land held memorial services; flags were lowered to half-mast; every officer in the army and navy wore black armbands for six months; Congress passed a joint resolution expressing its sorrow; all Americans were asked to wear mourning for thirty days.
The story of how a French aristocrat became such a revered figure in post-Revolution America, as revered in his time as George Washington and the other Founding Fathers, is a fascinating story, and Harlow Giles Unger tells it well, with a real sympathy and affection for his subject that comes across in every page. Indeed, it was infectious - I finished this book with the same kind of fondness for Lafeyette that so many in his day felt.
That Lafeyette, born into almost unimaginable wealth and court position, became a true revolutionary, a liberal dedicated to freedom, equality, liberty and a true republican government, is almost a story too much to be believed. This was a man who was at the head of not one, not two, but three revolutions; who became almost an adopted son to Washington and fought as a major general in the Continental Army at only nineteen; who unwittingly unleashed the horrors of the French Revolution and the Terror in his attempts to introduce American-style republican government into France; who could have stretched out a hand and ruled France had he chosen to; who was fêted as his country's saviour and later imprisoned for five years, before rising to the heights of power again and just as quickly falling again.
Ironically, American is full of towns, counties, schools, monuments, parks all named after Lafayette, and yet in his native country, he goes almost unmentioned. In his day Lafayette was as famous and as loved as any other Founding Father, and yet today how many Americans would know why? How many would know Lafayette as anything more than the name of a street, of a high school or a park or town square?
The story of how a French aristocrat became such a revered figure in post-Revolution America, as revered in his time as George Washington and the other Founding Fathers, is a fascinating story, and Harlow Giles Unger tells it well, with a real sympathy and affection for his subject that comes across in every page. Indeed, it was infectious - I finished this book with the same kind of fondness for Lafeyette that so many in his day felt.
That Lafeyette, born into almost unimaginable wealth and court position, became a true revolutionary, a liberal dedicated to freedom, equality, liberty and a true republican government, is almost a story too much to be believed. This was a man who was at the head of not one, not two, but three revolutions; who became almost an adopted son to Washington and fought as a major general in the Continental Army at only nineteen; who unwittingly unleashed the horrors of the French Revolution and the Terror in his attempts to introduce American-style republican government into France; who could have stretched out a hand and ruled France had he chosen to; who was fêted as his country's saviour and later imprisoned for five years, before rising to the heights of power again and just as quickly falling again.
Ironically, American is full of towns, counties, schools, monuments, parks all named after Lafayette, and yet in his native country, he goes almost unmentioned. In his day Lafayette was as famous and as loved as any other Founding Father, and yet today how many Americans would know why? How many would know Lafayette as anything more than the name of a street, of a high school or a park or town square?
irishcontessa's review
4.0
Lafayette was an incredibly engaging and detailed read about someone who was pivotal to the American Revolution but that I never knew much about, if anything. The book used his prolific letters and it was incredibly compelling to read about him and the events of his life in his own words and the words of some of the most famous Americans in history. If you are interested in American history or just enjoy a great biography, this is a great one to check out.
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