
Hero of Two Worlds
The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution
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Narrated by:
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Mike Duncan
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By:
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Mike Duncan
About this listen
From the best-selling author of The Storm Before the Storm and host of the Revolutions podcast comes the thrilling story of the Marquis de Lafayette’s lifelong quest to defend the principles of liberty and equality.
Few in history can match the revolutionary career of the Marquis de Lafayette. Over 50 incredible years at the heart of the Age of Revolution, he fought courageously on both sides of the Atlantic. He was a soldier, statesman, idealist, philanthropist, and abolitionist.
As a teenager, Lafayette ran away from France to join the American Revolution. Returning home a national hero, he helped launch the French Revolution, eventually spending five years locked in dungeon prisons. After his release, Lafayette sparred with Napoleon, joined an underground conspiracy to overthrow King Louis XVIII, and became an international symbol of liberty. Finally, as a revered elder statesman, he was instrumental in the overthrow of the Bourbon Dynasty in the Revolution of 1830.
From enthusiastic youth to world-weary old age, from the pinnacle of glory to the depths of despair, Lafayette never stopped fighting for the rights of all mankind. His remarkable life is the story of where we come from and an inspiration to defend the ideals he held dear.
©2021 Mike Duncan (P)2021 PublicAffairsCritic Reviews
“Comprehensive and accessible.... Duncan marshals a wealth of information into a crisp and readable narrative. This sympathetic portrait illuminates the complexities of Lafayette and his revolutionary era.” (Publishers Weekly)
"Mike Duncan's ability to weave a rich and compelling story is on full display in Hero of Two Worlds. He takes the reader on a gripping roller-coaster ride that follows the Marquis de Lafayette's fortunes through decades of victory, defeat, and revolution on two continents.... Duncan has an exceptional eye for both human potential and human fallibility, grasping the qualities that make figures like Lafayette real, three-dimensional people, simultaneously victims of circumstance and active participants driving forward the course of history. Hero of Two Worlds is biography and narrative at its best, an informative page-turner crafted by a master of historical storytelling." (Patrick Wyman, creator of Tides of History and author of The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years That Shook the World)
"I first learned of Mike Duncan's work when a prominent politician told me he'd been addicted to his podcast on the French Revolution, and found it startlingly relevant in 2021. Duncan's work is a reminder that history can also be a gripping yarn full of compelling characters, and in Hero of Two Worlds he brings alive one of the great characters of American history." (Ben Smith, New York Times)
What listeners say about Hero of Two Worlds
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- Dan
- 27-08-2021
Wow.
Wow. Such an amazing story. So well told.
I'd heard of the Marquis de Lafayette while learning about the French revolution. Now I feel like I know him.
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- Nigel Jarvis
- 09-10-2021
A man who tried to hold the sane centre
As our own era becomes more and more polarised, Lafayette stands as a helpful example of someone who tried to hold the sane centre.
Mike Duncan makes history accessible like few others, so he is an excellent guide.
Enjoy!
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- Anonymous User
- 04-09-2021
What a rollercoaster life!
Loved it, fascinating from start to finish. Lafayette had such an action packed life and met all the key players in his era - Washington, Hamilton, Louis XVI, Napoleon, Louis XVIII, even Simon Bolivar got a few letters.... Plus he was neck deep in 3 different revolutions. There's even a prison break subplot. Sometimes I had to stop to remind myself this was real rather than fictional....
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- Kasia
- 10-09-2021
Great story of an extraordinary figure
Great biography by the producer of the famous History of Rome and Revolutions podcasts. Great to hear how he weaves ideas from those two extraordinary podcasts into the story of someone who played a part in some of the influential moments of European and US history.
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- Anonymous User
- 26-07-2023
Intriguing
A great yarn leaving the two sides of the marguis’ circumstances behaviour and morals exposed.
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- Hamish
- 06-09-2021
another incredible book by Mike Duncan
Mike's ability to bring the history alive is incredible, he does so with balance, precision and passion. This book was able to show how incredible Lafayette was, without shying away from his many flaws.
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- Linda M. Cockburn
- 29-12-2021
Mike nails it again.
Another superbly told and gripping read from the author of Storm before the Storm and host of legendary podcasts the History of Rome and Revolutions. Duncan's facility for narrative and ability to summarise complex history in an accessible way make all his writing entertaining and educational. Another highly recommended effort.
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- Marni
- 28-08-2022
Incredible historic times made real
A detailed review of one man's life and journey through incredible times. Duncan brings to life tumultuous times by going deep into the life of one man who stood by his principles as the world was in flux. I thoroughly enjoyed this deep dive and the way historical events were seen through the personal lense of La Fayette.
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- Anonymous User
- 06-02-2023
Mike does it again!
Just another thoroughly enjoyable book from the one and only Mike Duncan. He does the best analysis and brings together a great narrative with historical FAQs. I'll follow along any day.
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- Paul Leahy
- 02-09-2021
Long awaited and worth every minute
This is a wonderful book. Mike’s words had me in tears. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Recommend it highly!
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