Author Ryan Cole Visits the Indiana State Library! In-Person
Join the state library in welcoming author Ryan L. Cole is the author of The Last Adieu: Lafayette’s Triumphant Return, the Echoes of Revolution, and the Gratitude of the Republic and Light-Horse Harry Lee: Rise and Fall of a Revolutionary Hero. Mr. Cole has delivered talks at venues such as George Washington’s Mount Vernon and the Library of Congress, and his writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal. He lives in Indiana. Cole will discuss his book, The Last Adieu: Lafayette’s Triumphant Return, the Echoes of Revolution, and the Gratitude of the Republic, which details when the Marquis de Lafayette returned to the U.S. in 1824 as an aging hero of the American Revolution. He will offer time for questions and book signing following his presentation. Books will be available for purchase.
This event is free and open to public!
No registration is necessary.
If you cannot attend in person, but would like to attend virtually using zoom, you can register here.
Parking validation will be available for attendees who park in the Senate Avenue parking garage directly across from the library and bring their ticket in for validation.
Send questions to Tammie Buchanan at tbuchanan@library.in.gov
The Indiana State Library will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities. If you require an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in this program, service or activity of the Indiana State Library, please contact Diana Doore at 317-232-6276 or DDoore@library.IN.gov. Notice of a needed accommodation should be provided as soon as possible to allow time for the State Library to arrange for the accommodation; however, notice of a needed accommodation must be provided to one of the above contacts no later than 48 hours in advance.
- Date:
- Saturday, September 12, 2026
- Time:
- 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
- Time Zone:
- Eastern Time - US & Canada (change)
- Location:
- Authors' Room
- Audience:
- General
- Categories:
- ISL - In-Person Event ISL - Virtual Event
The Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book is housed at the Indiana Young Readers Center at the Indiana State Library.The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress is a community of 56 Affiliated Centers across the 50 states and 6 US territories. Affiliated Centers for the Book network carry out the National Center of the Book's mission nationwide, sponsor programs that highlight their area’s local literary heritage and call attention to the importance of books, reading, libraries and literacy.
Each year the Affiliated Centers for the Book participate in the National Book Festival in Washington DC. Each affiliate center selects “Great Reads from Great Places,” one book for youth and one for adults. These books are written by authors from their state or territory, take place in their state or territory and/or celebrate local culture and heritage. In addition, this year, in honor of America’s 250th Semiquincentennial, affiliate centers were encouraged to choose a title that connects to that theme in some way. The Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book works with Indiana Humanities to select titles. Learn more about National Book Festival and Great Reads here. Join us for this National Book Festival Near You event!
The Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book is delighted to announce its National Book Festival Great Read titles for 2026! The Last Adieu: Lafayette’s Triumphant Return, the Echoes of Revolution, and the Gratitude of the Republic by Ryan L. Cole is the 2026 Great Read Adult Selection. This book fits perfectly with the America’s 250th Semiquincentennial. When the Marquis de Lafayette returned to the United States in 1824, the aging hero of the American Revolution was defeated politically and distraught over the fate of liberty in Europe. He set sail one last time from France for America after an absence of forty years. He was welcomed with the grandest celebration the young republic would ever stage as he traveled to every state in the Union and met with parades and delirious crowds.