AnyBook4Less.com	Find the Best Price on the Web Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Home  |  Store List  |  FAQ  |  Contact Us  |
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money Keyword AuthorISBN

Title: Benedict Arnold: Traitor to the Cause (Revolutionary War Leaders) by Norma Jean Lutz, Arthur M., Jr Schlesinger ISBN: 0791057011 Publisher: Chelsea House Publishing Pub. Date: March, 2000 Format: Library Binding Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $8.95

Your Country USA Canada United Kingdom Australia Austria Belgium France Germany Italy Netherlands Switzerland Currency AutoUSD CAD GBP EUR AUD CHF Delivery Only cheapest delivery All delivery options Include Used Books Are you a club member of: Barnes and Noble Books A Million Chapters.Indigo.ca

Average Customer Rating: 5

Rating: 5
Summary: A nice psychological potrait of how Arnold turned traitor
Comment: Picking the most infamous traitor in American History for a volume in the Revolutionary War Leaders series might seem strange, but there is a certain logic to it. First, the rule of thumb had always been that during the American Revolution one-third of the colonists supported independence, one-third remained loyal to Britain, and the last third pretty much wanted to be left alone. So in one regard Benedict Arnold represents the majority of Americans who, technically at least, did not desire independence. But the second and more compelling reason is that although Arnold's act of treason is usually mentioned in American History textbooks the exact motivation for his action is usually ignored. In this juvenile biography by Norman Jean Lutz young readers will learn why Arnold did what he did.

The young Benedict Arnold was admittedly a coward, who turned this failing into a dramatic impulse to be the center of attention. Although he would later be known as a solider, Arnold made his initial reputation in shipping. However, at the battle of Concord he was a captain of militia and then joined forces with Ethan Allen to seize Fort Ticonderoga. But after the fort was seized, Arnold was outraged when another man was sent to be in command. This sense that he was not getting his due reward would, of course, be key in his decision to betray his new country. Because he was headstrong and reckless, Arnold's heroism in battle was negated by his disobedience to orders. In Lutz's perspective, the desire to be a "hero" again was what ultimately prompted Arnold to offer his services to the British.

Lutz does a good job of keeping the focus on how despite his many successes Arnold was almost always dissatisfied. Feeling that he was not being appreciated, Arnold used his position to try and gain wealth and honor. By the time it was clear to him that he would never be a hero to the colonists, Arnold decided that he would become a hero to the British, although being a spy was never considered an honorable role in war. However, the important thing in regards to this juvenile biography is that Lutz makes it clear from the beginning that Benedict Arnold was a deeply flawed human being. The man loses the reader's sympathies well before he decides to turn traitor. Consequently, Lutz does a nice job of presenting a psychological profile of how Arnold went from hero to traitor.