Lafayette biographer to speak in Colton Chapel

New York Times best-selling author Sarah Vowellis visiting Lafayette College Wednesday to talk about her latest book,“Lafayette in the Somewhat United States.”

The book, described by the New York Times as “gilded with snark, buoyant on charm,” she revisits Marquis de Lafayette’s journey to America –a land which he had never before visited–howhe befriended George Washingtonand how he helped make the American Revolution possible.

Vowell is a noted author of American history books, including “Assassination Vacation,”a book about the assassins of presidents Abraham Lincoln, William McKinley and James Garfieldand “The Partly Cloudy Patriot,”a collection of essays on American history. She also served as a contributing editor on the weekly public radio show This American Lifefrom 1996 to 2008 and even did the voice for the character Violet Parr from the film “The Incredibles,” the hero with invisibility powers.

Vowell toldAmerican Historymagazine that she “fell in love with historical research and writing right around the time [she] realized [she] was a terrible reporter.”Also a journalist, essayist, social commentator and an actress,Vowell holds a B.A. from Montana State University in modern languages and literatures and a M.A. in art history from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She also has appeared on “The Late Show with David Letterman,”“Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”

The author will be speaking in Colton Chapel at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.There will be a reception and book signing following the talk.