LAFAYETTE

An upbeat biography of the great French American patriot who channeled his zeal into a formidable force of leadership.

Part of the new World Generals series featuring abbreviated careers of famous military leaders (Rommel, Alexander the Great, Ataturk, etc.) and their winning strategies, this accessible life of Lafayette (1757–1834) ably captures his essential fiery-eyed idealism, which might have led him to impetuousness had he not learned pragmatic lessons while on the battlefields of the American Revolution. In defiance of his family, Lafayette appeared on American shores at the age of 19. Leepson (Desperate Engagement: How a Little-Known Civil War Battle Saved Washington, D.C., and Changed American History, 2007, etc.) emphasizes his subject’s empathy for the American cause as stemming from his own father’s early death at the hands of the British during the Seven Years’ War. Moreover, Lafayette had never fit in comfortably at the French court, and he was steeped in the writings of the Enlightenment authors. Although the Americans had no love for the French, they were won over by Lafayette, who spent freely, always advocated for the provisions of his men, kept his cool under fire and was able to rally the spirit of his men. Above all, he was utterly loyal to George Washington, whom he considered a father figure, and accepted his commands, even when they didn’t suit the younger general’s eagerness. He was especially invaluable to the Revolutionary War effort by lobbying inexhaustibly—American officials and French government alike. Afterward, of course, he conveyed his patriotic ideals to the French Revolution, and even preached restraint during the bloody crisis, as well as during the July Revolution of 1830 in France, when Lafayette “prevented things from devolving into chaos and anarchy.” Leepson glances workmanlike over his later career.

An inspiring introduction to the beloved general.