Lafayette in the Somewhat United States

Lafayette in the Somewhat United States is a 2015 history of America written by Sarah Vowell. Vowell uses the perspective of the Marquis de Lafayette—a Frenchman who longed to fight with the Americans and win military glory—to give an irreverent, timely history of the United States, with relevant implications for America’s modern political situation.

When Lafayette came to America, he was only 19. He was a wealthy, educated orphan who wanted to acquire personal honor and widespread acclaim by joining the American revolutionary cause. A charismatic youth, he had no trouble befriending powerful men of influence, such as George Washington, and assimilating into the Continental Army.

Vowell jumps back and forth between her modern-day tour of Lafayette-based historical landmarks and the historical events commemorated by those sites. By placing herself at the locations where Lafayette is honored, Vowell is able to comment on how people view Lafayette today and then backtrack into history to describe the events of the Battle of Brandywine, or Lafayette’s attempt to capture Benedict Arnold. At each location, Lafayette meets people who applaud or disdain his aggressive thrill-seeking, given their stance on the existence of war itself.