by Mike Duncan, 2021, Audiobook narrated by the author, PublicAffairs

This is a pretty good biography about an amazing individual. Lafayette was a person whose life story is almost unbelievable. He was present in the American Revolution at almost every important event and played a significant role. But that wasn’t the end of the story as he was also a prominent figure in French history from the French Revolution of 1789 and for over forty years after. At just about every critical event during this period you will find him playing a role.

Lafayette’s life is remarkable in that he didn’t change his views, regardless of the circumstances. He was a moderate in times when it was fashionable to be either a rabid royalist or left-wing anarchist. Because of this, he was frequently attacked from both the right and the left.

I was not aware of Lafayette’s abolitionist beliefs. He frequently advised George Washington to abolish slavery and emancipate his slaves. Washington ignored these entreaties, but that did not deter Lafayette from continuing his efforts.

The book is well-written, although Duncan occasionally dives a bit too deeply into the details, particularly regarding French politics during the period. The book could have been a bit shorter with a little more editing.

One disappointment is that the CD version of the audiobook I borrowed from the library seemed to be missing some tracks on the 13th and final CD. Because of that, I missed the final few years of Lafayette’s life as well as his passing. Having listened to all of the story up to that point, I didn’t get final closure on Lafayette’s life.