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World Generals Series
Lafayette: Lessons in Leadership from the Idealist General
The life, legacy, and lessons of France's great general, who left his country to fight for American independence.The Marquis de Lafayette is an icon of American—and French—history. Lafayette's life story is the stuff of legend. Born into an aristocratic French family of warriors, made lieutenant in the French Royal Guard at age 14, and married into the royal family at 16, he traveled to the colonies at his own expense to fight in the American Revolution. By age 20, he was embraced by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who became his life-long friends. Here, historian Marc Leepson delivers an insightful account of the great general, whose love of liberty and passionate devotion to American and French independence shines in the pages of history.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2011
About the author
Marc Leepson
84 books29 followersHistorian and journalist Marc Leepson is the author of nine books, including Ballad of the Green Beret: The Life and Wars of Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler (Stackpole, 2017); What So Proudly We Hailed: Francis Scott Key, A Life (Palgrave, 2014); Lafayette: Lessons in Leadership from the Idealist General, a concise biography of the Marquis de Lafayette (Palgrave, 2011); Desperate Engagement, the story of the Civil War Battle of Monocacy (Thomas Dunne Books, 2007); Flag: An American Biography, a history of the American flag from the beginnings to today (Thomas Dunne, 2005); and Saving Monticello, the first complete history of Thomas Jefferson's House (Free Press, 2001, University of Virginia Press, 2003, paperback).
A former staff writer for Congressional Quarterly, Marc Leepson is the arts editor, senior writer, and columnist for The VVA Veteran, the magazine published by Vietnam Veterans of America.
He has written about the Vietnam War and Vietnam veterans and other topics for many other newspapers and magazines, including the Washington Post, New York Times, New York Times Book Review, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Newsday, the Arizona Republic, Smithsonian, World War II, Vietnam, Military History and Preservation Magazines, Civil War Times, the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Encyclopedia Americana, and the Dictionary of Virginia Biography.
He has been a guest on many television and radio news programs, including All Things Considered, Talk of the Nation, On the Media, CBS This Morning Saturday, History Detectives, The Diane Rehm Show,Fox News Channel, MSNBC, CBC (Canada), the BBC News Hour, and Irish Radio. And he has given talks at many colleges and universities, including the University of Maryland, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Miami, Appalachian State University, the College of Southern Maryland and Georgetown University.
He tought U.S. history at Lord Fairfax Community College in Warrenton, Virginia from 2008-2015. He graduated from George Washington University in 1967. He was then drafted into the U.S. Army and served for two years, including a year in the Vietnam War. After his military service, he earned an MA in history from GWU in 1971. He lives in Middleburg, Virginia, with his wife. They have two adult children.
A former staff writer for Congressional Quarterly, Marc Leepson is the arts editor, senior writer, and columnist for The VVA Veteran, the magazine published by Vietnam Veterans of America.
He has written about the Vietnam War and Vietnam veterans and other topics for many other newspapers and magazines, including the Washington Post, New York Times, New York Times Book Review, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Newsday, the Arizona Republic, Smithsonian, World War II, Vietnam, Military History and Preservation Magazines, Civil War Times, the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Encyclopedia Americana, and the Dictionary of Virginia Biography.
He has been a guest on many television and radio news programs, including All Things Considered, Talk of the Nation, On the Media, CBS This Morning Saturday, History Detectives, The Diane Rehm Show,Fox News Channel, MSNBC, CBC (Canada), the BBC News Hour, and Irish Radio. And he has given talks at many colleges and universities, including the University of Maryland, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Miami, Appalachian State University, the College of Southern Maryland and Georgetown University.
He tought U.S. history at Lord Fairfax Community College in Warrenton, Virginia from 2008-2015. He graduated from George Washington University in 1967. He was then drafted into the U.S. Army and served for two years, including a year in the Vietnam War. After his military service, he earned an MA in history from GWU in 1971. He lives in Middleburg, Virginia, with his wife. They have two adult children.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 24, 2018
From Goodreads: "The Marquis de Lafayette is an icon of American—and French—history. Lafayette’s life story is the stuff of legend. Born into an aristocratic French family of warriors, made lieutenant in the French Royal Guard at age 14, and married into the royal family at 16, he traveled to the colonies at his own expense to fight in the American Revolution. By age 20, he was embraced by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who became his life-long friends. Here, historian Marc Leepson delivers an insightful account of the great general, whose love of liberty and passionate devotion to American and French independence shines in the pages of history."
This little book reads like an adventure novel! The Marquis de Lafayette led such an amazing life and deserves his place in American history. I highly recommend this one!
This little book reads like an adventure novel! The Marquis de Lafayette led such an amazing life and deserves his place in American history. I highly recommend this one!
March 6, 2018
It's not this book's fault that it didn't offer anything new to what I already knew about Lafayette. It is, however, its fault that it spat the info in a monotonous and lifeless way. Facts can be interesting and fun, you know?
November 30, 2016
The more I read about Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette the more I find him endearing, charming, and truly embodying the American spirit. He was taken with the American experiment from the beginning and he went to his grave with love for her in his heart. More to the point, he had soil from America sprinkled on his casket, by his son, Georges Washington de Lafayette.
This short book gives excellent insight into his activities during the American revolution and the French revolutions (yes, both of them). Highly recommended.
This short book gives excellent insight into his activities during the American revolution and the French revolutions (yes, both of them). Highly recommended.
December 18, 2010
A great companion to the St Bris biography released earlier this year. This one concentrates more on Lafayette's experiences in the american revolution. Seems like he mostly postured and begged for action. What he did do was act as liaison between the french troops and American Generals. More than that, his connections to the powers in France helped convince Louis XVI to join in our war and to send enough troops and supplies to turn the tide. Good writing, not at all tedious.
August 22, 2012
The author is knowledgable enough that this book reads as a synopsis of Lafayette's life, and an excellent one at that. While it primarily focuses on his role in the American Revolution, it does a great job of connecting his youth experiences with his later role in France, and makes clear his sometimes faltered but iconic role in spreading American democratic republican ideals to Europe.
January 30, 2013
Lafayette's courage, tenacity and fortitude in matters of both war and peace, having played an important role in 3 separate revolutions (American Revolutionary, French, and French-1830) make him one of histories greatest statesmen. In addition, Lafayette's dedication to the ideals of liberty and freedom-whatever the situation, are inspirational to this day .
June 17, 2026
Damn this was an EXCELLENT read!!
The author weaves the biography of Lafayette and his myriad adventures on two continents into an historical tale that partly feels more like something you’d want to see made into a movie or high-quality TV series.
Deftly written, accurate, and empty of any obvious agendas or bents, this is a book I will recommend to anyone interested in USA or French history, who want to learn more about The Hero of Two Worlds, or just want a fantastic read.
Buy it. Read it. Share it.
The author weaves the biography of Lafayette and his myriad adventures on two continents into an historical tale that partly feels more like something you’d want to see made into a movie or high-quality TV series.
Deftly written, accurate, and empty of any obvious agendas or bents, this is a book I will recommend to anyone interested in USA or French history, who want to learn more about The Hero of Two Worlds, or just want a fantastic read.
Buy it. Read it. Share it.
August 6, 2017
Very informative.
October 19, 2023
Excellent overview that covers the highlights of the man's career.
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March 19, 2016
I picked up this book thinking that it was something different. I thought it would actually be a text that used Lafayette's life to teach us something instructive. A historical self-help book of sorts. While I did learn a lot about Lafayette's life, I wondered about what was left out at the same time. Jefferson and his connection were mentioned multiple times, but Alexander Hamilton almost felt like he didn't exist on the stage (he was mentioned once).
It's a brief and enjoyable ride through Lafayette's life. I didn't know, for example, all the work that he did when he went back to France and I had only a vague idea of his role in the American Revolution. Was it important? Yes, surely. But that he ran to the States when he was a a young man and with so much opposition against him, I didn't know all of that. I think my own expectations of this book shot me in the foot here, but since we don't experience media in a vacuum, I can't rank it as high as I would have otherwise. Consider this your cheat sheet to Lafayette's life.
It's a brief and enjoyable ride through Lafayette's life. I didn't know, for example, all the work that he did when he went back to France and I had only a vague idea of his role in the American Revolution. Was it important? Yes, surely. But that he ran to the States when he was a a young man and with so much opposition against him, I didn't know all of that. I think my own expectations of this book shot me in the foot here, but since we don't experience media in a vacuum, I can't rank it as high as I would have otherwise. Consider this your cheat sheet to Lafayette's life.
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February 12, 2013Listen to author Marc Leepson discuss the Marquis De Lafayette and his book Lafayette: Lessons in Leadership from the Idealist General on The Halli Casser-Jayne Show, Talk Radio for Fine Minds, The REAL Greatest Generation: Washington, Jefferson, Layfayette, Wednesday, February 13, 3 pm ET. You can tune in here: http://bit.ly/U4EEMd.
March 30, 2016
I knew little about the man. This is a short biography and it is well written. I know a bit more about him and find him fascinating. The man's life in France is a bit sketchy, but that's not what this series is about.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews