Review: Long, but thorough
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 6, 2013
I have a mixed reaction to this book.  It is very long, and perhaps too detailed.  On the other hand, the author did a lot of in-depth research, and it is good that he's gathered all this information for us in one place.  I was fascinated to learn that new information is still being discovered about the Arnolds, as their papers are turning up in Britain.  I personally didn't need all the details about the battles and campaigns, yet the book wouldn't have been complete if the author had left them out.  Perhaps the solution is for the author to put it all in the book, and the reader skims and picks through what s/he finds interesting.  The author's writing style is better than average.  It's definitely a readable book, though I feel like I've been plodding away at it forever.One thing that I really liked was that the author didn't play armchair psychiatrist.  He didn't read between the lines and try to assign motives or feelings to Arnold, as many modern historians do.I was more sympathetic towards Arnold at the beginning of the book than I was by the end.  He seems to have lost sight of his ideals along the way.  At first he was a dedicated patriot, who cared about his country.  By the end of his life he spent much of his time engaged in petty lawsuits, even fighting a duel over his supposed honor.  As he grew older, he got more involved with the politics and infighting both while he was in the American army, and when he turned coat and joined the British army.  Money became more important to him, and he always seemed to be chasing schemes to get rich.I'd say this book was definitely worth the low, low price I paid for the Kindle edition.