More fun history with serious lessons from Sarah Vowell
4 stars
I think this is the third Sarah Vowell book I've read and it doesn't deviate from her trademark quippy, opiniated yet informative, history treatments. Although ostensibly about Lafayette, it's as much about George Washington so I sometimes forgot which book I was reading as I was concurrently working my way through Travels with George, and both books presented were on message with Washington was cool and Jefferson overrated. The overarching story of Vowell's book however is about the role France played in the Revolution. French fries really are freedom fries.
Review of 'Lafayette in the Somewhat United States' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Sarah Vowel tells the story of the "swashbuckling teenage French aristocrat, the Marquis de Lafayette", winding in many of the events of the American Revolution and its actors. The book covers an amazing amount of history in less than 300 pages, including some discussion of how France's support of the fledgling nation directly and indirectly led to The Terrors of revolutionary France a just few years later. She also crams in all kinds of details of the people in this incredible drama, from his best friend and father figure George Washington, to the Adams' John and Sam, other generals, both for and against the American effort and weaves in some contemporary history (she was writing around the time of the original battles for the budget. Can't imagine what she would have to say now about the fractiousness of the nation).
Lafayette was orphaned at an early age, but as the …
Sarah Vowel tells the story of the "swashbuckling teenage French aristocrat, the Marquis de Lafayette", winding in many of the events of the American Revolution and its actors. The book covers an amazing amount of history in less than 300 pages, including some discussion of how France's support of the fledgling nation directly and indirectly led to The Terrors of revolutionary France a just few years later. She also crams in all kinds of details of the people in this incredible drama, from his best friend and father figure George Washington, to the Adams' John and Sam, other generals, both for and against the American effort and weaves in some contemporary history (she was writing around the time of the original battles for the budget. Can't imagine what she would have to say now about the fractiousness of the nation).
Lafayette was orphaned at an early age, but as the only child of well to do parents, he quickly became the most sought after batchelor. But he really wanted excitement and headed to America at the young age of 19, leaving behind a pregnant wife, determined to make a name for himself in the fledging war effort. Showing a youthful exuberance and an offer to work for free gave him a leg up on the rest of the French and European crowd looking to make a name for themselves and quickly ingratiated himself into Washington's inner circle. His derring do carried the day more than once. His return tour in the 1820s was one of the biggest events in the young nation's history, with massive crowds showing up every day to see him.
Vowell carefully weaves in Lafayette's story with the story of the American Revolution, including all its warts, like the backstabbing Congress, the traitorous Benedict Arnold (no relation!) and the deplorable conditions at both Valley Forge and on the prisoner of war ships, where there were more casualties than the entire war combined. Told with humor and verve, with plenty of opinions, she mixes in her own story of visiting battlefields and other re-creations. An amazing book, with plenty of humor and pathos, chock full of great tidbits of information and leaves you with a real feeling of wonder how it all finally got done. Tremendous book, one I read in less than a day, and now I'm ready to dive into more of hers, like [book:Unfamiliar Fishes|8857310].
