The return of a revered revolutionary and the meaning of independence in a divided nation—in the 1820s and today

In 1824, the legendary French hero of the American Revolution, Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette, commenced an epic tour of the United States at the invitation of President James Monroe. On this fourteen-month trip across all twenty-four states, Lafayette (1757–1834) witnessed an evolving young nation grappling with its ideals, achievements, and challenges: a contested yet peaceful presidential election, engineering marvels like the Erie Canal, and the persistent tragedy of slavery. Journalist and historian Richard Brookhiser shows us what Lafayette saw on this storied adventure through the fifty-year-old republic—hoopla, oratory, journalism, struggle, failure, and idealism.

As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its independence, Brookhiser invites readers to ponder the same critical question posed by Lafayette and his contemporaries: How well has America upheld the promise of its revolution? With vivid storytelling and acute insight, Brookhiser reflects on an era marked by triumph and turbulence—an era with compelling parallels to the present—and offers enduring lessons on liberty and democracy.