ROCHAMBEAU: Father and Son

When you have finished this book you will know more about the facts of Rochambeau's life than you ever did before. But you will probably not have had much fun in the process, for the author, after delving deeply into all available source material, has produced a dull, matter-of-fact history. His style is muddy and confused, and he depends too much on his readers' thorough grounding in details of the history of those times. The book carries Rochambeau from his birth to his death, one of the few aristocrats who survived the Terror and died beloved by his countrymen. It paints an unenthusiastic picture of French military affairs, none too keen a picture of LaFayette, and a vigorous characterization of Rochambeau. The most entertaining part of the book is the somewhat naive narrative of Rochambeau's son concerning his own part in the American Revolution. Can't see a wide popular market for this book.