I am reviewing this book from the perspective of the Christian worldview.
For most American, no name symbolizes betrayal and treason like the name Benedict Arnold. Yet for most people, no other historical details usually accompany the name besides the fact that he lived during the Revolutionary War and eventually sided with the British. This book is an excellent read of the story of Benedict Arnold and the author wrote it in a narrative form that feels like a novel. Halfway into the book my mind started comparing Benedict Arnold to Judas who betrayed Jesus; not that the two committed the same level of betrayal but the journey were similar in that they were on one side before their allegiance switched—and switched over for the sake of money. This is a story of someone who was ambitious from the start—in the beginning of the revolutionary we read of a businessman name Benedict Arnold who hilariously went up to a group of militia from another state and audaciously told them he has authorization from his own state to be their commanders. Despite the soldiers laughing, Benedict Arnold went on to become one of America’s finest general who was highly esteemed by none other than Washington himself. Arnolds’ exploits of military genius and courage is also balanced by problems that always arise whenever he has free time and has to deal with politics. It definitely confirms the principle that free time often gives us time to entertain our inner depraved thoughts, what all of us if we truly understand our hearts ought to be careful of. Also, Arnold’s inability to understand the politics around him—whether it’s inter-colonial rivalries or the jealousy of Continental Congress over the military—only led to his frustration and paranoia of assuming that there people really out to destroy him with defamation. This wasn’t help when he was bypassed for promotion or had commanders who didn’t report fairly his contribution in battles. These seed of wanting recognition more than he got led him to eventually turn against the very cause he was fighting for—and willing to now turn his allegiance to the British. How Arnold was caught is itself an amazing story of providence. Matter fact the whole story of Arnold’s military life is filled with many acts of providences that is more than mere coincidences. I recommend this book for one’s reading pleasure and perhaps some lesson about human nature and man’s condition—then and now.
The Domain for Truth 