Synopses & Reviews
The Marquis de Lafayette is an icon of American—and French—history. Lafayettes life story is the stuff of legend. Born into an aristocratic French family of warriors, made lieutenant in the French Royal Guard at age 14, and married into the royal family at 16, he traveled to the colonies at his own expense to fight in the American Revolution. By age 20, he was embraced by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who became his life-long friends. Here, historian Marc Leepson delivers an insightful account of the great general, whose love of liberty and passionate devotion to American and French independence shines in the pages of history.
Review
"Drawing from a number of historical sources, including Lafayette's own memoirs, Leepson gives this most restless man an affectionate and engrossing portrait." --
Publisher's Weekly“An upbeat biography of the great French American patriot who channeled his zeal into a formidable force of leadership. This accessible life of Lafayette ably captures his essential fiery-eyed idealism…An inspiring introduction to the beloved general.”--Kirkus
"[Leepson's] eye for the telling detail and his devotion to journalistic brevity shine in all his work, and his affectionate Lafayette is the latest example." -- Richmond Times-Dispatch
"A crisp, new life of Lafayette with the emphasis on his life as a military man." --The Washington Independent Review of Books"If you didn't know this was a biography, you'd think it was an action adventure novel with the Marquis de Lafayette as the superhero. The remarkable and complex life of Lafayette is in good hands with Marc Leepson, an excellent historian and a superb writer."--Nelson DeMille "There have been countless biographies of the famed Marquis de Lafayette, but what has been lacking is a concise account of the life of this man who played a crucial role in both the American and French Revolutions. Marc Leepson has provided such an account in this fascinating, insightful book."--Chris Wallace, host of "FOX News Sunday"
"Born and trained to command, eager for glory, and dedicated to the cause of liberty, the Marquis de Lafayette fought with Washington's army from Brandywine to Yorktown - then suffered exile and imprisonment for his responsible leadership in France from the Bastille to the eve of the Reign of Terror. Marc Leepsons fast-paced biography delivers proven lessons in leadership as it brings the Hero of Two Worlds to life."-Jon Kukla, author of Mr. Jeffersons Women and A Wilderness So Immense: The Louisiana Purchase and the Destiny of America
About the Author
Marc Leepson is a historian, journalist, and author of six books. A former staff writer for Congressional Quarterly in Washington, D.C., his work has appeared in many magazines and newspapers, including Civil War Times, Americas Civil War, Vietnam, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The New York Times Book Review, The Wall Street Journal, The Baltimore Sun, the Chicago Tribune, and USA Today. He lives in Middleburg, Virginia.