The American Idea

The Last Adieu: Lafayette and Early America

September 9, 2026·39 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

The Marquis de Lafayette came to America at age 19, on his own dime, to earn glory on the battlefield. He quickly became one of the Revolution’s greatest believers, and spent the rest of his life admiring the spirit and goals of the American Revolution and the republic it birthed.Author Ryan Cole joins us this week to discuss his book, The Last Adieu, which chronicles Lafayette’s tour of America 40 years after the Revolution. Visiting every state, and meeting with surviving veterans and leaders, along with the next generation of prominent Americans, his experience gave him a unique perspective on the country he helped create.Read Ryan’s book: https://a.co/d/0fTFmzETHost: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanideaHomepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/Thank you for being part of The American Idea community.Follow on Twitter https://x.com/amideapodcastFollow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ashbrookcenter/

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