num_pages: 312
description: In 1776 and 1777, during the American Revolution, a young Scot known only as John the Painter took his war to England by committing acts of terror in the dockyards of the mighty British navy.This is the first full-length biography of that brilliant but disturbed young man. His story offers chilling parallels to the present – and insights into why certain young men are driven to commit unspeakable crimes. Warner has written a book of history that reads like a picaresque novel, but always with a modern twist. Its hero travels to France and receives the blessing of the American envoy there. King George III offers a reward for his capture. Bow Street Runners are sent out inpursuit. Newspapers print sensational stories. A bill to suspend habeas corpus is rushed through Parliament and American privateers – the unlawful combatants of their day – are held without being charged. The Incendiary takes readers on a fascinating journey from Europe to colonial America and finally to the gallows at Portsmouth.In this atmospheric and deftly researched tale of a young man who tried to bring down a superpower, Warner has crafted a popular history with contemporary implications.From the Hardcover edition.
language: English
title: The Incendiary: The Misadventures Of John The Painter, First Modern Terrorist
titlecomplete: The Incendiary: The Misadventures Of John The Painter, First Modern Terrorist
genres: Biography, American Revolution, Nonfiction, American History, Terrorism, American Revolutionary War, History
ratings_count: 73
publisher: McClelland & Stewart