Hero of Two Worlds

“I’m takin’ this horse by the reins making’ Redcoats redder with bloodstains.”

I have been eager to read a biography of the Marquis de La Fayette since watching Hamilton. This book came out just a couple weeks ago and I was quick to snag it up and knock it out.

They call Lafayette “The Hero of Two Worlds” for fighting for liberty in both America and France. I knew a great deal about his heroic acts during the American Revolution and a bit about how he got here. However, I knew very little about his life after going back to France and his actions to establish liberty there. I also didn’t know about his time in prison.

Admittedly, I know very little about French history at all. And what little I do know comes from my love of Les Miserables and some reading on the battles and rein of Napoleon Bonaparte. Perhaps once I knock out my goal of reading a biography of every US President I will turn some attention to European history.

Really, French history makes American history look rather calm and dull. Those folks seemed to have had a revolution every five years for a bit there. I was pretty surprised to read that Lafayette had the opportunity to basically become a dictator in France, had he wished. I knew that he did return to the United States during the presidency of James Monroe but I did not know he visited all 24 states.

America’s favorite fighting Frenchmen certainly lived an interesting life. All fans of history should pick up this book.

#55 in 2021