Review: Bipolar Benedict
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 24, 2013
JoeDanDonigiThis book is a mix of fascinating read and historical detail.  I learned so much about early antebellum Revolutionary history, which quite honestly I did not know too much about.  It taught me a lot in very historical and entertaining manner.  This by no means a historical novel it's much better than that.  The author uses letters and other historical documents in such a way to make it really quite fascinating.  I love the way Arnold's portrayed as overzealous patriot and one of the true American heroes.  But that is the main flaw in the book.Why the change?  He couldn't become a traitor overnight.  Of course I know there were complicating factors-him being passed over for command by relative novices, political infighting, back stabbers, Congress holding up paying him, jealously among competing generals-meanwhile Washington was getting rich off the common soldier's bounty lands.  Maybe its not too hard to understand after all.  But switch seemed too sudden.  It seemed as though it was written by two authors or maybe one author several years apart.  I still recommend it thoroughly.Photoman35mm