The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure,
Heroism & Treachery
Sheinkin, S.
(2010). The notorious Benedict Arnold: a
true story of adventure, heroism and treachery. New York: Macmillan.
This biography of Benedict Arnold tells the story most
American don’t know about Arnold, about how before he was a traitor, he was a
hero. Arnold was a complicated man whose story hasn’t really been told. He was man
who showed unbelievable bravery against all odds. He had a knack for leading
and inspiring men to follow him into suicidal battles. He led troops to help
capture Fort Ticonderoga, he stopped the invasion of New York at the Battle of
Lake Champlain and helped win the pivotal Battle of Saratoga. Sadly, Arnold
never received the recognition he deserved, mainly due to politics. With the
help of his young wife, he began talks with the British to help them capture
West Point in turn for a serious financial reward. His plot failed but he
managed to reach the British camp and safety, so he was never on trial as a
traitor. General Washington was a strong supporter of Arnold who felt deeply
betrayed when he turned traitor. Arnold lived the rest of his life poor and as
an outcast in Canada and Great Britain.
This historical nonfiction narrative is extremely
well-documented and researched by the author. He includes an extensive list of
source notes, quote notes and an index. There are also maps of the newly termed
United States of American and several of the battle sites which were extremely
helpful to fully understanding the story. Even with such detailed
documentation, the story of Benedict Arnold was brought to life and will make
the reader think about this interesting Revolutionary figure. Sheinkin does an
outstanding job of explaining why
Arnold turned traitor. This would be a wonderful book for
any YA library collection.
Awards
Boston-Globe Horn Book Award (2011)
Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction (YALSA) (2012)
Interesting Links:
Hour long video done by the author about Benedict Arnold
Books by Steve
Sheinkin:
King George: What was
his Problem?
Bomb: The Race to
Build and Steal the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon
Lincoln’s Grave
Robbers
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