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The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery by Steve Sheinkin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sheinkin's ode to Benedict Arnold was awesome! I found myself thoroughly immmersed in the world of the American Revolution, Benedict Arnold and his perplexing personality (hard worker, soldier, but also rude and self-absorbed) and the life and times of this important period in our history. The way Arnold's life unfolds will definitely interest students, teachers and reluctant readers. The author has a flair for the dramatic in painting Benedict Arnold as a young man driven to succeed, where his father failed. Arnold has passion and boldness where his soldiers and combat are concerned and he exposes himself to danger often and without thought about how he will fare. This may be a wonderful attribute but we see throughout the war, this attitude garnered Arnold enemies and those enemies plotted time and again against him. Sheinkin;s research was very thorough and he provides many primary sources and secondary sources in order to present the enigma that was Benedict Arnold. I look forward to doing more reading and research on Arnold, George Washington, and other notables during the American Revolution.

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