The Real Benedict Arnold

Age Range 10 yrs and up
Benedict Arnold was an American army officer who switched his loyalty to the British side during the American Revolution. Over the years, Arnold's reputation has been fed by historians, partisans, and gossips who distorted or ignored factual details, molding Arnold's story to their own purposes. Few have been interested in acknowledging his many achievements, or in exploring the events and circumstances that led to his infamous act of national betrayal. Drawing on Arnold's surviving writings and letters, memoirs, and political documents of his contemporaries, The Real Benedict Arnold builds a fascinating portrait of a brilliant man, consistently undervalued by his peers, who made a choice that continues to reverberate through American history. Packed with military adventure and political intrigue, this tautly written account shows the human side of an American villain and seeks the man behind the rumors and legends.