Customer Reviews

Why Not Lafayette? (Unforgettable Americans)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had a hard time forcing myself through this book. I gave it to my 10 year old son, who is a Francophile and a voracious reader, and he couldn't get through it. Just kind of dry for a biography of a person who was probably pretty interesting.

Lafayette, young brash and bored, takes as his life motto the "Why Not?" on his family crest and answers the call to adventure by leaving the ennui of European court life and taking up arms in the American cause. His personal life, including wife and kids left at home, his adoration of Washington, and his instrumental role in the success of the faltering colonial revolution are all adequately explained for young readers, but there is an uncharacteristic flatness to the telling. Fritz' many other biographies certainly qualify her to tackle this enigmatic subject, but the intricacies of political intrigue seem to oscure the storyline. Lafayette's life seems to have been about boredom, about opposing constituted authority and about swashbuckling adventure, no matter who pays the price. A tough subject to cook down for readers 10-14, by any standard. It's a great read for an overview of Lafayette's life, but lacking in the fire and passion of Fritz's other books.

I love this author! She is a great children's author. The first line is fascinating, where she tells us Lafayette's whole name (which is quite long!) The book may include pointless details in it as another reviewer points out, but those details are what makes the ancient history come to life! Most children love books by Jean Fritz and if you think this one is too dry for them to read alone - read it aloud! It's a really great book!

I met Jean Fritz at an Educator's Conference a month ago. She was pleased I picked up this book as Lafayette is one of her favorite historical figures. I did it because I had a student who was intrigued by Layfayette in his social studies class. I felt I could learn more about him and share the information and book. I found out quite a bit. Lafayette was a major figure in both the American and French Revolutions. The American Revolution succeeded partly because of his determination. He tried to set France on the right path several times, but it didn't happen in his lifetime. He lived until his seventies and had a very full life. He was a shining figure that celebrated life right up to his death. I want to thank Jean Fritz for pointing this book out to me and prompting me to purchase it.

Jean Fritz hits all the right notes in this admiring and personable biography of an American hero. Lafayette is well worth studying, both in his commitment to American ideals, and in the trouble he had exporting those ideals back to his homeland, France. The French Revolution unraveled and Lafayette was imprisoned -- what an interesting biography of a great American and international character.

10 chapters, 80 pages. Approximately one illustration per chapter. Good notes section; excellent index. Great job.

I plan to learn every last thing about Lafayette, but this was a really nice little introduction into his life!

Lafayette, young brash and bored, takes as his life motto the "Why Not?" on his family crest and answers the call to adventure by leaving the ennui of European court life and taking up arms in the American cause. His personal life, including wife and kids left at home, his adoration of Washington, and his instrumental role in the success of the faltering colonial revolution are all adequately explained for young readers, but there is an uncharacteristic flatness to the telling. Fritz' many other biographies certainly qualify her to tackle this enigmatic subject, but the intricacies of political intrigue seem to oscure the storyline. Lafayette's life seems to have been about boredom, about opposing constituted authority and about swashbuckling adventure, no matter who pays the price. A tough subject to cook down for readers 10-14, by any standard. It's a great read for an overview of Lafayette's life, but lacking in the fire and passion of Fritz's other books.

When I was younger, I had some history books by Jean Fritz. They were humorous and chock full of information.
What happened? "Why Not, Lafayette?" lacked all that good information. There was not a single mention of important figures such as James Armistead. Some events, and especially his early life, were barely described at all! And in their place were POINTLESS details. For example, at 66 Lafayette was befriending young ladies and had one STAYING AT HIS HOUSE! Oh, and we can't forget that history changing moment where he got sick on a bumpy carriage ride. Fritz also made him sound somewhat crazy in his admiration for America.
If you are a fan of Jean Fritz anyway, you might like this book. It is also probably better for younger readers. But if the Marquis de Lafayette is your hero, or you want to learn a lot about him, I would pick a different book.