General and Madame de Lafayette: Partners in Liberty's Cause in the American and French Revolutions
Propelled through life by an unquenchable thirst for liberty and justice, Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette distinguished himself in both his homeland, France, and in America by his canny leadership in the fight for freedom. Using the letters of Lafayette and his wife, Adrienne, Lane (a member of American Friends of Lafayette) provides a workmanlike hagiographic account of Lafayette's life and work. Lafayette was only 17 when he plotted to come to America to aid the colonies in their revolution; he faced resistance from his in-laws and his own lack of skill in battle and in speaking English. But he learned English on the voyage over, and when he came ashore near Charleston quickly made a name for himself as a brave and heroic leader. Lafayette became fast friends with George Washington, whom he helped to defeat Cornwallis in Virginia. He returned home a hero and began to press for the cause of liberty in France. His wife, who had supported him during his American campaign with her loving and uplifting letters, stood beside him once again. He won great support during the French Revolution, but was eventually arrested and imprisoned for his support of a constitutional monarchy. Adrienne voluntarily shared his dungeon cell for two years, contracting the illness that finally killed her. Written in a prosaic style, Lane's first book offers a detailed glimpse of French society in the late 18th and early 19th centuries as seen through the lives of two aristocrats dedicated to liberty. 13 b&w; illus.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.