God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America's Most Hated Man
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- Create Date：2023-12-18 13:21:44
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Jack Kelly
- ISBN：1250281954
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Summary
Benedict Arnold committed treason— for more than two centuries， that’s all that most Americans have known about him。
Yet Arnold was much more than a turncoat—his achievements during the early years of the Revolutionary War defined him as the most successful soldier of the era。 God Save Benedict Arnold tells the gripping story of Arnold’s rush of audacious feats—his capture of Fort Ticonderoga， his Maine mountain expedition to attack Quebec， the famous artillery brawl at Valcour Island， the turning-point battle at Saratoga—that laid the groundwork for our independence。
Arnold was a superb leader， a brilliant tactician， a supremely courageous military officer。 He was also imperfect， disloyal， villainous。 One of the most paradoxical characters in American history， and one of the most interesting。 God Save Benedict Arnold does not exonerate him for his treason—the stain on his character is permanent。 But Kelly’s insightful exploration of Arnold’s career as a warrior shines a new light on this gutsy， fearless， and enigmatic figure。 In the process， the book offers a fresh perspective on the reasons for Arnold’s momentous change of heart。
Yet Arnold was much more than a turncoat—his achievements during the early years of the Revolutionary War defined him as the most successful soldier of the era。 God Save Benedict Arnold tells the gripping story of Arnold’s rush of audacious feats—his capture of Fort Ticonderoga， his Maine mountain expedition to attack Quebec， the famous artillery brawl at Valcour Island， the turning-point battle at Saratoga—that laid the groundwork for our independence。
Arnold was a superb leader， a brilliant tactician， a supremely courageous military officer。 He was also imperfect， disloyal， villainous。 One of the most paradoxical characters in American history， and one of the most interesting。 God Save Benedict Arnold does not exonerate him for his treason—the stain on his character is permanent。 But Kelly’s insightful exploration of Arnold’s career as a warrior shines a new light on this gutsy， fearless， and enigmatic figure。 In the process， the book offers a fresh perspective on the reasons for Arnold’s momentous change of heart。
Reviews
Jean Kolinofsky
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Every school child associates the name Benedict Arnold with an act of treason at the time that America was fighting for its’ independence， but there is so much more to the man that they are not taught。 Originally from a well known family， his father became an alcoholic and lost the family fortune。 Arnold became a merchant and gained leadership experience by taking command of his own ships。 When war came to the American shores， he was involved with the takeover of Ticonderoga as well as the campa Every school child associates the name Benedict Arnold with an act of treason at the time that America was fighting for its’ independence， but there is so much more to the man that they are not taught。 Originally from a well known family， his father became an alcoholic and lost the family fortune。 Arnold became a merchant and gained leadership experience by taking command of his own ships。 When war came to the American shores， he was involved with the takeover of Ticonderoga as well as the campaign against Quebec。 Jack Kelly offers not only a look into his contributions to the war， but also the harsh conditions and starvation that the patriots faced as they followed Arnold into Canada。 While Kelly offers no excuses for Arnold’s betrayal， he does give a clear picture of who Arnold was， including his disagreements with his peers， the frustration of being passed over for promotions and his own personal losses。 This is highly recommended for readers with an interest in American history。 I would like to thank NetGalley and St。 Martin’s Press for providing this book or my review。 。。。more
Jhs4
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Excellent book。 Adds a depth to Arnold。
Donna Huber
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I usually struggle with history nonfiction but this one was an easy read。 There weren't long lists of names and dates - at times it read more like a novel。 Full review soon。 I usually struggle with history nonfiction but this one was an easy read。 There weren't long lists of names and dates - at times it read more like a novel。 Full review soon。 。。。more
Nancy
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Benedict Arnold: A Complex ManBenedict Arnold’s name is synonymous with traitor。 That’s sometimes the only thing we remember about him。 However， he was much more。 He was brave to the point of recklessness， a brilliant strategist and a charismatic leader。 His capture of Fort Ticonderoga was instrumental in helping to end the war。 His attack on Quebec illustrates his ability to inspire men to follow him。 Arnold was also thin-skinned feeling he didn’t get the recognition he deserved。 His feelings o Benedict Arnold: A Complex ManBenedict Arnold’s name is synonymous with traitor。 That’s sometimes the only thing we remember about him。 However， he was much more。 He was brave to the point of recklessness， a brilliant strategist and a charismatic leader。 His capture of Fort Ticonderoga was instrumental in helping to end the war。 His attack on Quebec illustrates his ability to inspire men to follow him。 Arnold was also thin-skinned feeling he didn’t get the recognition he deserved。 His feelings of betrayal were not completely unjustified。 The congress overlooked him several times for promotion raising men in lesser positions to higher rank。 When Arnold suffered a severe injury， he had time to brood on his injustices。 This is apparently what led him to accept the British offer and start passing them military intelligence。 While it’s easy to speculate that money was the lure that drove Arnold to treason， he was a sensitive individual who felt he had many grievances。 This may have played a part in his decision。 This is a well researched biography。 I particularly liked the quotations from period sources。 I think this is a great addition to the history of the Revolutionary War period。 The book was easy to follow。 I felt I learned a great deal。 Thanks to the published and Net Galley for this review copy。 。。。more
Steve's Book Stuff
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Ask Americans who Benedict Arnold was and just about every one of them will know that he was a traitor to America during the Revolutionary War。 But unless they are students of the Revolutionary time period， they may not realize that Arnold was a well-regarded and accomplished Revolutionary War hero before he betrayed the new nation。In fact， he was one of our most successful war leaders， taking the fight to the British in Canada， then fending off a British invasion from there。 He also played a cr Ask Americans who Benedict Arnold was and just about every one of them will know that he was a traitor to America during the Revolutionary War。 But unless they are students of the Revolutionary time period， they may not realize that Arnold was a well-regarded and accomplished Revolutionary War hero before he betrayed the new nation。In fact， he was one of our most successful war leaders， taking the fight to the British in Canada， then fending off a British invasion from there。 He also played a critical role at the battle of Saratoga， a turning point in the war and the first time an entire British army had surrendered。 Historian and author Jack Kelly says at the start of the book that Americans “have hated Benedict Arnold for 250 years”， as he gives us a chance to take another look at both the good and bad of a man whose name is synonymous with “traitor”。 You can find other books， like Nathaniel Philbrick’s Valiant Ambition， that cover much of the same subject matter as God Save Benedict Arnold。 Philbrick’s book， like all his books， is an excellent read， but it is a history not a biography of Arnold as Kelly’s book is。 In Kelly’s account we follow Arnold from his boyhood to his days of business success as a high seas trader， and then right onto the battlefields of the Revolution。 He puts us at the scene as Arnold narrowly escapes death or serious injury in countless clashes with the British。 He provides insights into Arnold’s genius at battle， both in planning and in taking advantage of opportunities once the battle has been joined。Arnold’s prickly pride and quickness to take offense are also on full display in Kelly’s book。 His pride was often wounded by the actions of the Continental Congress， which kept for itself the prerogative of promoting and awarding the officers of the Continental Army。 Congress was full of men who did not know battle， and their rationale for their dealings with the Army’s generals were often at odds with the feelings of those leaders - up to and including George Washington himself。 Congress’s actions in not promoting Arnold， while they did promote others around him， is seen by many historians as a major contributing factor （given Arnold’s prickly pride） to his eventually turning traitor。 In this Kelly seems to particularly blame John Adams。This is an excellent book， but if Kelly’s hope was that the reader might feel more sympathy for Arnold after reading it， I’m not quite sure he succeeds。 Knowing more of his contributions， and the crucial nature of his successes for the American side before he agreed to spy for the British gives me more of an understanding， not less， for why Americans have hated Arnold for 250 years。RATING: Four Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐Rating Comment: A well written and easy to read biography of Benedict Arnold。 Worth reading for those who don’t have an understanding of Arnold’s contributions to the Revolution， or those looking for a refresher on the events in the northern colonies during the Revolution。NOTE: I read an advanced ebook copy courtesy of NetGalley and St。 Martin’s Press。 The book became available to the public December 5， 2023。 。。。more
Samantha
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A fine account of the career of Benedict Arnold if you’re not familiar with him beyond the bounds of a U。S。 History class。I found this to be competently researched and organized， though I’m not sure I really learned anything new about Arnold。 Though thorough， there’s not a lot here that Revolutionary history won’t already be aware of， and if you’ve read the author’s book Valcour， you’ll find a lot of duplicate information。I was hoping for a bit more insight into the man himself， since his milita A fine account of the career of Benedict Arnold if you’re not familiar with him beyond the bounds of a U。S。 History class。I found this to be competently researched and organized， though I’m not sure I really learned anything new about Arnold。 Though thorough， there’s not a lot here that Revolutionary history won’t already be aware of， and if you’ve read the author’s book Valcour， you’ll find a lot of duplicate information。I was hoping for a bit more insight into the man himself， since his military career has been very well-documented。 The title and publisher’s summary here led me to believe we might get some new or at least newly examined insight into Arnold’s treason and defection to Britain， but there’s nothing unique here。If you’re new to material about Arnold this is a perfectly good book to start on， but if you’re looking for something beyond the usual content， look elsewhere。*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review。* 。。。more
CYIReadBooks （Claire）
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I've enjoyed historical nonfiction in the past。 So I was intrigued with the idea of reading more about the infamous traitor。Well， so much for wanting to learn more about U。S。 history。 I got really bored with the narrative。 However， I did like the author's writing style。I wasn't a fan of U。S。 history during high school and college and I guess things haven't changed much since then （though I had hoped it did。） I did find it strange that I enjoyed the historical nonfiction novel， Empire of Ice and I've enjoyed historical nonfiction in the past。 So I was intrigued with the idea of reading more about the infamous traitor。Well， so much for wanting to learn more about U。S。 history。 I got really bored with the narrative。 However， I did like the author's writing style。I wasn't a fan of U。S。 history during high school and college and I guess things haven't changed much since then （though I had hoped it did。） I did find it strange that I enjoyed the historical nonfiction novel， Empire of Ice and Stone， but didn't care for God Save Benedict Arnold。I'm sure U。S。 history buffs will certainly enjoy God Save Benedict Arnold。 Unfortunately， I didn't and gave up early on in the reading process。 Two stars because， while I didn't finish the novel， I did like the writing style of the author。 Too bad the subject matter wasn't appealing enough for me。I was invited to read a DRC from St。 Martin's Press through NetGalley。 The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions。 。。。more
Laurel
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Really interesting to hear the events from Arnold's perspective with the aid of historical references and letter narratives。Not to excuse Arnold， but I understand why he felt jilted and decided to betray the Colonies and the newly formed wobbly American government。 Really interesting to hear the events from Arnold's perspective with the aid of historical references and letter narratives。Not to excuse Arnold， but I understand why he felt jilted and decided to betray the Colonies and the newly formed wobbly American government。 。。。more
Bookreporter。com Biography & Memoir
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Award-winning author Jack Kelly has set his sights on a man whose very name traditionally has been synonymous with betrayal: Benedict Arnold。Arnold was born in the American colonies to a family of British immigrants。 His father inherited little but gained much as a merchant。 However， he later slipped into alcohol addiction， which forced Arnold to abandon his hopes for higher education and work as a tradesman， at which he seemed destined to succeed。 Much of his youthful years were filled with a s Award-winning author Jack Kelly has set his sights on a man whose very name traditionally has been synonymous with betrayal: Benedict Arnold。Arnold was born in the American colonies to a family of British immigrants。 His father inherited little but gained much as a merchant。 However， he later slipped into alcohol addiction， which forced Arnold to abandon his hopes for higher education and work as a tradesman， at which he seemed destined to succeed。 Much of his youthful years were filled with a sense of tension about what seemed like an inevitable revolution。At age 34， Arnold drew together a voluntary militia unit in his home region of New Haven and was much admired for his fiery determination。 Once his participation in the war was made official， he was involved in key battles at Lexington， Concord and Ticonderoga， taking a leading role in the latter。 But his difficult personality garnered criticism among his fellow officers， though the men he led retained admiration for him。Arnold did not gain the recognition that he craved， but he did have a comradely relationship with President George Washington。 Believing Arnold to possess “resourcefulness and imagination，” Washington gave him the role of colonel in the newly formed Continental Army。 But then Arnold， who had taken a second wife （the daughter of a British Loyalist clan）， was assigned the protection of West Point。 There he embarked on covert， treasonous actions with a co-conspirator， John André， revealing his intention to switch sides in a hard-fought war。 Once the treachery was discovered， Arnold had joined with the British military， while André was caught and swiftly hanged as a traitor。 Arnold served with the British， and after the war ended， he moved to England where he remained until his death。Kelly has presented his main characters in a new light。 Washington is a sterling leader who did what had to be done， censoring Arnold as was needed， in a judicious manner。 Arnold is the victim of a fraught， difficult childhood whose frustrations and losses gave him greater determination to succeed， even if it meant betraying the nascent nation he had been assigned to defend。In a closing chapter， Kelly allows readers the latitude to consider thoughtfully if Arnold was a traitor to be scorned or an unusual exemplar of the American spirit --- gritty， entrepreneurial and staunchly independent。 He concludes that Arnold will always be “an enigma， his motives lost in the impenetrable alchemy of the human heart。”Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott 。。。more
Theresa
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Enjoyed this book on Benedict Arnold。 We'll never know why he did it， but this book adds reason to think about。 I was really into this telling of a life we'll never understand。 Enjoyed this book on Benedict Arnold。 We'll never know why he did it， but this book adds reason to think about。 I was really into this telling of a life we'll never understand。 。。。more
Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews
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Growing up， we learned that being a “Benedict Arnold” was being a traitor， yet school history texts didn’t delve into the how’s and why’s。 God Save Benedict Arnold reintroduces us to a complicated man who was also one of the patriot’s best soldiers before becoming a turncoat。Kelly’s has a two-part theory about Benedict Arnold and his treachery。 Arnold was a brilliant strategist and soldier， charismatic and capable。 He was a vital cog in the early days of the revolution。 On the other side of the Growing up， we learned that being a “Benedict Arnold” was being a traitor， yet school history texts didn’t delve into the how’s and why’s。 God Save Benedict Arnold reintroduces us to a complicated man who was also one of the patriot’s best soldiers before becoming a turncoat。Kelly’s has a two-part theory about Benedict Arnold and his treachery。 Arnold was a brilliant strategist and soldier， charismatic and capable。 He was a vital cog in the early days of the revolution。 On the other side of the coin， Benedict Arnold was also a brash egomaniac， thin-skinned and always shooting off at the mouth to his superiors， frequently getting into trouble。 He felt he deserved special praise and attention， especially after taking a bullet in the leg that never healed properly。 Yet some of his actions brought about a court martial。If you enjoy reading about battle history， you’ll enjoy this telling of some key battles in the Revolutionary War and the key players besides Arnold。 Normally， I don’t like reading about specific battles， but in this case， it’s necessary to get to know Arnold and his psyche better。 It’s an even-handed representation of the people involved， without falling into the trap of making these men super-human。 Kelly tries to unpeel the layers to figure out why Benedict Arnold ultimately went over to the British side， but without his own words， there’s no definitive conclusion。I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and St。 Martin’s Press。 I am leaving this review voluntarily。For more reviews， visit www。bargain-sleuth。com 。。。more
Janalyn Prude
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Benedict Arnold was a man who was canceled long before the term was fashionable after fighting for the American revolution a greedy social climber became turncoat to the country he once defended and the friends he wants fought with。 In the end even the people he spied to help would think of him as a man with no scruples morals or principles。 He was the grandson of a wealthy governor but by the time he came around the wealth was gone his dad was a cobbler and Benedict Arnold would grow up strivin Benedict Arnold was a man who was canceled long before the term was fashionable after fighting for the American revolution a greedy social climber became turncoat to the country he once defended and the friends he wants fought with。 In the end even the people he spied to help would think of him as a man with no scruples morals or principles。 He was the grandson of a wealthy governor but by the time he came around the wealth was gone his dad was a cobbler and Benedict Arnold would grow up striving to get back the wealth and respectability he thought he deserved。 This was a really good book that tells Arnold’s story in detail from his home life with his wife Peggy whom he lost during the war the actions he took that had people calling him hero all the way to what he did that caused two continents to call him traitor。 I love nonfiction books and especially those written by historians but in this one it talks of people dying and Benedict Arnold Bing shooken up by the death but these are the same soldiers that had they lived， he would’ve turned on them and put them in the British’s line of fire。 so I guess it is up to the reader and as far as this one goes I still do not like him。 I did however enjoyed this book immensely。 I want to think Saint martins press and Net galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review。 。。。more
Rhonda Lomazow
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Really interesting look at Benedict Arnold known as the traitor，Jack Kelly show us that there are many more layers to him 。This was really well written interesting look at this time in history。#netgalley #st。Martins
Bobby
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I really enjoyed this book。 It wasn’t long but it spend the majority of the time related Benedict Arnold’s battlefield successes prior to committing treason。 The writing was excellent and it provided insight into why Arnold committed treason。 Well-written and enjoyable reading。
Deb
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God Save Benedict Arnold by Jack KellyIf you are unsure of any fact concerning Benedict Arnold， this book will clarify everything。 Researched as well as any doctoral thesis， you will come to understand Arnold’s betrayal。 While many factors caused Arnold to turn on the country he loved， he ultimately sold his soul for money。 If you relish stories of battles， names of fighters and how we barely conquered the British， this book will fill your passions。 It is remarkable that the ragtag bunch of ill- God Save Benedict Arnold by Jack KellyIf you are unsure of any fact concerning Benedict Arnold， this book will clarify everything。 Researched as well as any doctoral thesis， you will come to understand Arnold’s betrayal。 While many factors caused Arnold to turn on the country he loved， he ultimately sold his soul for money。 If you relish stories of battles， names of fighters and how we barely conquered the British， this book will fill your passions。 It is remarkable that the ragtag bunch of ill-equipped young men battled so long and so hard。 Where was Congress with all the money？Thank you to St Martin’s Press for providing this book for review via Net Galley。 All opinions are my own。 I’ll give this fact-filled work four stars for Kelly’s achievement。 It will appeal especially to avid historians。 。。。more
Tami
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Thank you， Jack Kelly， for giving me a new perspective on the life of Benedict Arnold。 Like many who grew up in the United States， I knew Benedict Arnold as a traitor to America and little else。 You have shown me he was a gifted war strategist and a multi-faceted person。The American Revolution and the Civil War share some important similarities in that often times family members and friends were on opposing sides。 And there were many people who remained neutral。 It’s easy to see how the lines co Thank you， Jack Kelly， for giving me a new perspective on the life of Benedict Arnold。 Like many who grew up in the United States， I knew Benedict Arnold as a traitor to America and little else。 You have shown me he was a gifted war strategist and a multi-faceted person。The American Revolution and the Civil War share some important similarities in that often times family members and friends were on opposing sides。 And there were many people who remained neutral。 It’s easy to see how the lines could become blurred for individuals living during those times。In Benedict’s case， he wanted to be rewarded for his military successes and it often seemed someone else stole the spotlight and that Congress overlooked him for promotions。 At times he was serving under individuals who had once been serving under him。 He felt humiliated and was dissatisfied in serving for the Patriot cause。 Most likely the only reason he stayed as long as he did was because of his belief in the cause and his favorable relationship with George Washington。I loved reading this and learning about a side of American history I knew little about。 This would be a great gift for readers who love history and the strategies of war during the American Revolutionary times。Many thanks to NetGalley and St。 Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy。 I am happy of offer an honest review and recommend this to other readers。 。。。more
Debra Pawlak
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I received an advance reading copy （arc） of this book from NetGalley。com in return for a fair review。 Whenever you think of the name 'Benedict Arnold'， a few words come to mind。。。words like turncoat， traitor， or defector。 We don't think of Arnold as an exemplary officer or valiant soldier or brilliant strategist--all things he embodied before he turned。 Author Jack Kelly has done an amazing job of describing a complex man who thrived on the battlefield and led the Colonial Army to major victorie I received an advance reading copy （arc） of this book from NetGalley。com in return for a fair review。 Whenever you think of the name 'Benedict Arnold'， a few words come to mind。。。words like turncoat， traitor， or defector。 We don't think of Arnold as an exemplary officer or valiant soldier or brilliant strategist--all things he embodied before he turned。 Author Jack Kelly has done an amazing job of describing a complex man who thrived on the battlefield and led the Colonial Army to major victories on Valcour Island and Saratoga。 Had he died in battle in either of these arenas， no doubt Benedict Arnold would have gone down in history as one of America's greatest heroes。 In the days of the Revolutionary War， however， it was the Continental Congress who designated ranks。 General George Washington could submit his recommendations， but the final decisions were up to those men running the government and Benedict Arnold's arrogance rubbed many the wrong way。 He was overlooked time and time again while his subordinates were promoted over him， but that was no excuse for the path he chose。 When he defected to the British side， General Washington was genuinely heartbroken to find his trust betrayed in the worst possible way。 This book was very well-written and researched。 Author Jack Kelly gives a well-rounded picture of the man who went down in history as the worst of the worst。 。。。more
Jack Reidy
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God Save Benedict Arnold by Jack KellyPosted on November 29， 2023 by Jack （https://www。jackreidy。com/blog/2023/1。。。）Benedict Arnold was a hero and General in the American Revolution before he became a traitor late in the war。 Why did he do this？ Most of us may know little but his treason。 This book fills in all those details of what came before the treason and discusses possible reasons why he became a traitor。 The full title is God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America’s Most Hated Ma God Save Benedict Arnold by Jack KellyPosted on November 29， 2023 by Jack （https://www。jackreidy。com/blog/2023/1。。。）Benedict Arnold was a hero and General in the American Revolution before he became a traitor late in the war。 Why did he do this？ Most of us may know little but his treason。 This book fills in all those details of what came before the treason and discusses possible reasons why he became a traitor。 The full title is God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America’s Most Hated Man。Jack Kelly （https://www。amazon。com/stores/Jack-Ke。。。） has written a wonderful book that will educate and thrill us as we learn about this complicated American hero and traitor。The book will be published December 5。 I thank both Netgalley （https://www。netgalley。com） and St。 Martin’s Press （https://us。macmillan。com/stmartinspress/） for the chance to read this before publication。 I highly recommend God Save Benedict Arnold to anyone with an interest in the American Revolution。 。。。more
Andrea Wenger
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This book chronicles the complex character of Benedict Arnold—an audacious， brilliant soldier whose early exploits were pivotal to American independence， yet whose treason remains indelible。 Shedding new light on Arnold’s motives， this exploration offers a fresh perspective on his legacy as both hero and turncoat。This thorough and well-researched military history provides a detailed account of Arnold's campaigns and battles。Thanks， NetGalley， for the ARC I received。 This is my honest and volunta This book chronicles the complex character of Benedict Arnold—an audacious， brilliant soldier whose early exploits were pivotal to American independence， yet whose treason remains indelible。 Shedding new light on Arnold’s motives， this exploration offers a fresh perspective on his legacy as both hero and turncoat。This thorough and well-researched military history provides a detailed account of Arnold's campaigns and battles。Thanks， NetGalley， for the ARC I received。 This is my honest and voluntary review。 。。。more
Thomas
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4 solid stars for a balanced biography of of Benedict Arnold。 Arnold is chiefly remembered as a traitor。 This book details his crucial contributions to the American cause prior to turning traitor。1: He conquered Fort Ticonderoga from the British。 Ticonderoga's canons made possible the American victory at Boston。2 He led the failed expedition through the Maine wilderness to capture Quebec city。3 。 He prevented the British from taking control of Lake Champlain at the battle of Valcour。4。 His leade 4 solid stars for a balanced biography of of Benedict Arnold。 Arnold is chiefly remembered as a traitor。 This book details his crucial contributions to the American cause prior to turning traitor。1: He conquered Fort Ticonderoga from the British。 Ticonderoga's canons made possible the American victory at Boston。2 He led the failed expedition through the Maine wilderness to capture Quebec city。3 。 He prevented the British from taking control of Lake Champlain at the battle of Valcour。4。 His leadership at the battle of Saratoga was crucial to the American victory。Without his leadership， the American Revolution would have been strangled in its infancyHowever， his contributions were frequently ignored by the Continental Congress and causing him to be angry and embittered。This book is a page turner。 I read it in 2 days。One quote， author's description of Benedict Arnold: "In many ways， he was a typical American-cocky， restless， grasping， perpetually optimistic， quick to take offense。 He was a vivid example of the self-reliance and rugged individualism that would be celebrated by Americans from Ralph Wales Emerson to Ronald Reagan。 But self-reliance can beget arrogance。" #GodSaveBenedictArnoldThank you Katie Holt at St。Martin's Press for sending me this eARC through NetGalley。 。。。more
Brendan Dowd （History Nerds United）
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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。 And 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 appr 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。 And 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 in particular 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。 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。） 。。。more
Naomi's Bookshelf
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I am a Canadian so I never learned the finer details of American history。 This extended to players in many wars and things that are “common knowledge” for American history buffs。 I love learning about those people now and Benedict Arnold was a fascinating person to discover。 I was enthralled from page one and I could not stop。 It was incredible to see the development of a patriotic soldier to a traitor。 I was so engaged and invested that I wanted more in the best way possible。 I think that this I am a Canadian so I never learned the finer details of American history。 This extended to players in many wars and things that are “common knowledge” for American history buffs。 I love learning about those people now and Benedict Arnold was a fascinating person to discover。 I was enthralled from page one and I could not stop。 It was incredible to see the development of a patriotic soldier to a traitor。 I was so engaged and invested that I wanted more in the best way possible。 I think that this is a must read for anyone interested in the Revolutionary War， even people who think they know the story of this infamous man。 I happily received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review。 。。。more
Lisa
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Wow。 This account of Benedict Arnold immediately made me question my opinion of him and if it was based on all of the facts at hand。 I love when a book makes me question my convictions。 It touched on many battles and events， as well as military leaders of the Revolutionary War that are rarely elaborated on in other text。 I learned a lot。 I would not recommend this as a starter book for those just beginning education on the Revolutionary War， but one further into that education。 Knowing many of w Wow。 This account of Benedict Arnold immediately made me question my opinion of him and if it was based on all of the facts at hand。 I love when a book makes me question my convictions。 It touched on many battles and events， as well as military leaders of the Revolutionary War that are rarely elaborated on in other text。 I learned a lot。 I would not recommend this as a starter book for those just beginning education on the Revolutionary War， but one further into that education。 Knowing many of whom the players were already was very helpful in understanding the events discussed。 There were times I wished the author would have included the word "American" or "British" before the word "General/Col" throughout the writing because lesser-known military leaders were discussed and I wasn't always sure which side the author was referring to without looking back in the text。The author did a great job of describing the failures of Congress during the war and the negative contributions that made to the War as a whole。 The last twenty pages or so of discussion on causation of Benedict Arnold's switch were fantastic。 The author presents his own ideas as well as statements made from people throughout history on what may have contributed to Arnold's actions。 He delves into not just what motivated Benedict Arnold but what motivates humans as a whole。 I took many lessons as a leader away about my responsibility in knowing my people and strategically placing them in positions in which they will excel。 It means I must put in the work to know what motivates the people subordinate to me and use that information strategically。 As a person that has always been a risktaker and thrives in dangerous situations， I personally related to this quote， about halfway through the text in reference to Benedict Arnold: "There was something about the precarious gap between life and death that attracted him。 It was on that knife-edge that he felt most fully alive。 No wonder he excelled at war。 A battle was for him a kind of homecoming， a place where he found himself poised on the roof beam of existence。" 。。。more
MarilynW
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God Save Benedict Arnold by Jack KellyI remembered very little about Benedict Arnold from my history classes back oh so long ago。 I did remember that he was a traitor and that being a "Benedict Arnold" was a bad thing。 Going back this far in my reading was taking me back to history that I was fuzzy on but I'm enjoying history books more and more nowadays and this book has me wanting to learn more about the people and events around the Revolutionary War。 Benedict Arnold was an amazing man in many God Save Benedict Arnold by Jack KellyI remembered very little about Benedict Arnold from my history classes back oh so long ago。 I did remember that he was a traitor and that being a "Benedict Arnold" was a bad thing。 Going back this far in my reading was taking me back to history that I was fuzzy on but I'm enjoying history books more and more nowadays and this book has me wanting to learn more about the people and events around the Revolutionary War。 Benedict Arnold was an amazing man in many ways and it does seem his accomplishments were often overlooked or claimed by others。 Arnold probably wanted recognition， fame， and glory even more than he wanted wealth but in the end he'd take wealth if he couldn't have the other things。 Arnold's success as a solder carried over from one side to the other。 He was able to accomplish what others could not during battle。 He seemed to have no qualms about risky situations and he was brilliant at leading men into the direst of battles and coming out on top。 Strategy in war or business was his forte。 Getting along with people， especially those who he thought had slighted him， not so much。 Arnold was resentful and bitter for not getting the recognition he felt he deserved and from this book it does look like， time and time again， he was overlooked and undermined when it came to promotions and rank。 Even when Arnold continued to do a great job of leading on the battlefield， he was simmering inside， so when he finally was recognized for what he had done， it was too late。 In hindsight， Arnold was a powder keg that was going to blow in some way and blow he did。 Nothing can excuse his betrayal of those he had fought for and with and of those he led。 Once he went to the other side he was instrumental in killing the very people he had lived among。 Did this make him a hero to the other side？ No， in the end Arnold was a traitor and despite all of his many accomplishments， Arnold is remembered as a traitor。 I learned about many other men of this time and the bibliography and footnotes in this book are very helpful in leading me to other works that I want to read。 Even though I knew how this story ended history-wise， I still enjoyed remembering/learning how we got there。 It is a hard read though， as are all books of war， and as usual， it's the common man/woman， as soldiers or as civilians， who seem to take the brunt of war's beatings。 Pub December 5， 2023Thank you to St。 Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC。 。。。more
Sarah-Grace （Azrael865）
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History comes alive in this biography of one of the most notorious figures in United States History。。。。or perhaps pre-history。 All we are ever told is that he was a villainous traitor， but even the details of that have become vague over time。 The colonies were in a state of unrest and dissatisfaction。 They felt that King George III， was just imposing too much on and against them。 Early on， most of the colonists felt that their disagreements would be mended and life would continue on under Britis History comes alive in this biography of one of the most notorious figures in United States History。。。。or perhaps pre-history。 All we are ever told is that he was a villainous traitor， but even the details of that have become vague over time。 The colonies were in a state of unrest and dissatisfaction。 They felt that King George III， was just imposing too much on and against them。 Early on， most of the colonists felt that their disagreements would be mended and life would continue on under British rule。 King George scoffed at that， If the colonists wanted war， he would give it to them and put an end to their rebelliousness。 They were farmers， it wouldn't take much to bring them back to heel。 Benedict Arnold was a successful owner of his own merchant business。 He captain his own trading vessel and traveled to far off ports to negotiate。 He was one of the few， early on， who knew that the unrest was destined to be much more。 At great risk to himself， he gathered men to enlist in the colonial/Patriot army。 He was a brilliant strategist。 Decisive and quick to act， he accomplished the capture of a couple British forts， without a shot fired。 As time went on， he sacrificed his own wealth and business to push forward the patriot cause towards independence。 He felt under-appreciate through all his achievements and sacrifices。 The colonial congress overlooked him many times and promoted men below him to higher military ranks and honors。 Others took credit for his achievements。 As I read these accounts I could almost understand what lead to his downfall。 It finally came to a climax after he received a major injury that left him out of action and able to brood on all the slights he had suffered。 The British officers reporting back， after suffering major losses at Arnold's hand， paid him more respect then did most of his own colonial politicians。 Finally， Gen George Washington learned that Arnold， who he viewed as a close friend， was feeding intelligence to the British army。 History has claimed it was from greed， the British were going to pay Arnold handsomely for his information and internal undermining of the patriot military locations。 After reading this vivid biography， I believe it may be more than that。 He seems to have been a very sensitive individual， every slight， perceived or real， was taken deeply and finally festered to the point where he acted out。 After all， if it was money he wanted more than anything else， why spend his own in the beginning， leading his business into debt and ruin？ 。。。more
Casey Wheeler
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This is a good biography of one of the most notorious individuals during the history of our country。 The author does a good job of covering Arnold’s role during the Revolutionary War。 It is more a of cursory coverage of his early life and after he defected to the British compared to the actual war years。 Overall a good book。I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley， Goodreads， Amazon and my This is a good biography of one of the most notorious individuals during the history of our country。 The author does a good job of covering Arnold’s role during the Revolutionary War。 It is more a of cursory coverage of his early life and after he defected to the British compared to the actual war years。 Overall a good book。I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley， Goodreads， Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog。 I also posted it to my Facebook page。 。。。more
Sherwood Smith
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This was an absorbing read， impeccably researched， thoughtfully constructed， and impressive in notes and bibliography。 The book reached brilliance in the vivid depiction of exactly what it was like to be toiling through rough country in search of the enemy especially in the early years of the revolution， when the forming nation wasn't even certain it wanted to be a nation。I read this， as it happened， while I was traveling through the very areas Arnold and his troops struggled through。 From the t This was an absorbing read， impeccably researched， thoughtfully constructed， and impressive in notes and bibliography。 The book reached brilliance in the vivid depiction of exactly what it was like to be toiling through rough country in search of the enemy especially in the early years of the revolution， when the forming nation wasn't even certain it wanted to be a nation。I read this， as it happened， while I was traveling through the very areas Arnold and his troops struggled through。 From the train windows， as I crossed the border， I could look out at the beautiful countryside and imagine just how terrible it was to be compounding with that terrain through the heat of summer， and the bitter winters。I appreciated the plentiful quotations from period sources， and I looked forward to the revelation of "Why？" But we really don't get a why。 What Kelly gives us are strong arguments supporting Arnold's decision to jump the fence， but we don't actually have direct evidence for his inner process。 It's clear that Kiley went spelunking for clues， and these are on display， but the reader will still have to decide for themselves。The aftermath， and what Arnold meant as a symbol， and the consequences of his actions--both for himself and for the early republic--are well laid out。 Overall， an excellent addition to modern scholarship about the American Revolution。 。。。more
Leslie Zemeckis
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New little about Arnold-But through this book gained a greater appreciation of his wins for America and his tetchy personality that led to his betrayal
Kate
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Benedict Arnold being a traitor who joined the British is always the first thing that comes to mind when I think about him。 I had no idea he was such a fascinating man or just how much he did for America before staining his legacy。 Reading about all his deeds and misdeeds has given me a new view of the man， a much more nuanced one。 If you have any interest in Arnold or the path that led him to treason， then you should pick up this book。This book starts with Benedict's family life growing up and Benedict Arnold being a traitor who joined the British is always the first thing that comes to mind when I think about him。 I had no idea he was such a fascinating man or just how much he did for America before staining his legacy。 Reading about all his deeds and misdeeds has given me a new view of the man， a much more nuanced one。 If you have any interest in Arnold or the path that led him to treason， then you should pick up this book。This book starts with Benedict's family life growing up and then dives right into the American Revolution and Arnold's eagerness to fight。 Jack Kelly covers Arnold's military career and his decision to abscond， as well as the aftermath and other Americans who also committed similar treason。 By the end of the book the author did a great job of setting Arnold up as a complex man who at times was as much a hero as he wound up being a traitor。 。。。more
Laura Hundley
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God Save Benedict ArnoldWritten By Jack KellyPublished By St。 Martins PressRelease Date December 05， 2023As I read this very interesting novel about the most hated man in America， I learned many things that were not taught in school。 Things that I believe should have been taught。 As a military officer he was brave， courageous， confident， and capable of taking on anyone who stepped in his way of conquering the war。 Yet there was one thing that Arnold was accused of that set his path on a course t God Save Benedict ArnoldWritten By Jack KellyPublished By St。 Martins PressRelease Date December 05， 2023As I read this very interesting novel about the most hated man in America， I learned many things that were not taught in school。 Things that I believe should have been taught。 As a military officer he was brave， courageous， confident， and capable of taking on anyone who stepped in his way of conquering the war。 Yet there was one thing that Arnold was accused of that set his path on a course that would change his good name forever。。 Treason。 Kelly has done an amazing job of researching Arnold and putting it all in words that can be read by many of any age。 As I think about the historical events such as the Revolutionary War， I begin to see how America changed and those who helped make it better… well their names will always be synonymous with great things but those who started out great but ultimately made a path for themselves down the wrong road… well they will always be remembered for that one thing that made headlines everywhere。 Right or wrong， Benedict Arnold stood firm in his belief that America was the land of the free。 This book certainly does not exonerate Arnold for his misdeeds but it does show how he started his career in the military and how revered he once was。5 starsThank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me a copy to read in exchange for my unbiased and honest review。 。。。more
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god save benedict arnold the true story of america's most hated man