Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for God Save Benedict Arnold:
Arnold sucks, but the book is good!
Quick synopsis:
A look at Benedict Arnold through the lens of his battlefield prowess.
Fact for Non-History People:
Arnold had two wives named Peggy. The similarities ended there, though.
Fact for History Nerds:
Arnold would have been paid 20,000 pounds sterling for the successful capture of a fort by his betrayal.
My Take on God Save Benedict Arnold:
Benedict Arnold is still a jerk. However, it is nice to read Jack Kelly’s new book to be reminded he was one hell of a battlefield commander. He was also impossible to get along with if you spent more than 10 minutes with him.
Kelly’s God Save Benedict Arnold is a very good book mostly focused on Arnold’s battles on the good side (U-S-A! U-S-A!) before he broke bad. Kelly’s writing style is perfect for the subject as the battles feel frenetic even with the outcome long since established. I did appreciate that Kelly didn’t overpraise anyone including Arnold. As a self-identified Revolutionary War nerd, I’ve read many books that fall into hero worship for specific figures at the expense of others. For example, it is very easy to make Horatio Gates look bad at Saratoga, but Kelly keeps a balanced view and doesn’t attribute otherworldly leadership to Arnold as the battle is won.
This is a great book for anyone who isn’t that familiar with the American Revolution or hasn’t picked up a book about it since grade school. Kelly keeps the pacing brisk and it’s an easy read. If you are more familiar with all the major players, this won’t shed a tremendous amount of new light on the events of this time period. It also doesn’t spend a tremendous amount of time trying to answer the “why” of Arnold’s treachery (check out James Kirby Martin’s biography of Arnold for all that). This is not a criticism as Kelly is focused on his battlefield prowess. It’s a great read.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press.)
Verdict:
A really good book. Give it a read! Buy it here!
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