They were unlikely comrades-in-arms. One was a self-taught; middle-aged Virginia planter in charge of a ragtag army of revolutionaries; the other a rich; glory-seeking teenage French aristocrat. But the childless Washington and the orphaned Lafayette forged a bond between them as strong as any between father and son. It was an unbreakable trust that saw them through betrayals; shifting political alliances; and the trials of war.Lafayette came to America a rebellious youth whose defiance of his king made him a celebrity in France. His money and connections attracted the favor of the Continental Congress; which advised Washington to keep the exuberant Marquis from getting himself killed. But when the boy-general was wounded in his first battle; he became a hero of two countries. As the war ground on; Washington found in his young charge the makings of a courageous and talented commander whose loyalty; generosity; and eagerness to please his Commander in Chief made him one of the war’s most effective and inspired generals. Lafayette’s hounding of Cornwallis’s army was the perfect demonstration of Washington’s unconventional “bush-fighting†tactics; and led to the British surrender at Yorktown.Their friendship continued throughout their lives. Lafayette inspired widespread French support for a struggling young America and personally influenced Washington’s antislavery views. Washington’s enduring example as general and statesman guided Lafayette during France’s own revolution years later.Using personal letters and other key historical documents; Adopted Son offers a rare glimpse of the American Revolution through the friendship between Washington and Lafayette. It offers dramatic accounts of battles and intimate portraits of such major figures as Alexander Hamilton; Benedict Arnold; and Benjamin Franklin. The result is a remarkable; little-known epic of friendship; revolution; and the birth of a nation.
#894739 in Books 2011-09-13 2011-09-13Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x 1.05 x 5.31l; 1.25 #File Name: 0547577478624 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. There seems to be little coverage of events in Moscow ...By CustomerThere seems to be little coverage of events in Moscow in 1970. A friend's father was among demonstrators who were able to emigrate in 1971 due to the demonstration and; presumably; other factors; and the demonstration should have been covered.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Exhaustively Detailed; Fascinating; Illuminating and Sometimes Deeply MovingBy Joe KAn exhaustively detailed; fascinating; illuminating and sometimes deeply moving history of the struggle to save Soviet Jewry; restoring to historical memory a movement that seems to fade into the background of retellings of the Cold War. While ultimately Beckerman doesn't successfully make the case for some of his broader claims about the movement's impact on the Soviet Union and doesn't quite connect the dots between his research and his overall thesis; this book is still a remarkable accomplishment and well worth reading for anyone interested in the Jewish diaspora; social movements; the Cold War or just a well-written history.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Fascinating and Moving - and RelevantBy CustomerWhile this is a history book; the events it describes are fairly recent and parts of it will be familiar to most readers. It's very well written; and successfully manages to tell two stories - about the American Jewish community and about Soviet Jewry - equally well. It is both interesting and insightful and raises a number of issues about politics; and the behavior and obligations of communities that are still relevant today.The immigration of Soviet Jews and the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1990s are events that we already take for granted; yet have huge historical significance and for some of us; a major impact on our daily lives. With this moving book; Mr. Beckerman reminds us to appreciate what we have already achieved - and that we have the power to do more if we persist until all of the necessary agents for change come together.I hope that he writes a second book about the Russian immigration to Israel and the tremendous impact it has had on Israeli society to date. He has a unique perspective on the US; the FSU and Israel which makes him uniquely qualified to take on the project.
