About this item
Why did the once-ardent hero of the American Revolutionary cause become its most dishonored traitor? General Benedict Arnold's failed attempt to betray the fortress of West Point to the British in 1780 stands as one of the most infamous episodes in American history. In the light of a shining record of bravery and unquestioned commitment to the Revolution, Arnold's defection came as an appalling shock. Contemporaries believed he had been corrupted by greed; historians have theorized that he had come to resent the lack of recognition for his merits and sacrifices. In this provocative book Stephen Brumwell challenges such interpretations and draws on unexplored archives to reveal other crucial factors that illuminate Arnold's abandonment of the revolutionary cause he once championed.
About the Author
Stephen Brumwell is an award-winning writer and historian with a specialist interest in eighteenth-century Britain and North America. Born in Portsmouth, England, he worked as a newspaper reporter in Cornwall and Devon before his enduring passion for history prompted him to give up his job and enrol as a mature student at the University of Leeds. After gaining a First-Class degree in History, he was awarded British Academy funding to research the British Army during the North American campaigns of the Seven Years' War. His doctoral dissertation formed the basis of his first single-authored book, 'Redcoats: the British Soldier and War in the Americas, 1755-63', which was widely-praised as a ground-breaking work. This was followed by 'White Devil', which explored the truth behind the legendary exploits of the New England ranger Robert Rogers during the bloody French and Indian War of the 1750s. Having tackled a monograph and a narrative, Stephen's next book project was a biography, 'Paths of Glory: The Life and Death of General James Wolfe'. Challenging prevailing views of its subject, it won both the Charles P. Stacey Prize for Canadian Military History, and the Distinguished Book Award of the Society of Colonial Wars of New York. The same concern for credible research and accessible, compelling narrative characterizes Stephen's latest book, 'George Washington: Gentleman Warrior', which takes a fresh look at the dramatic and chequered military career of one of history's most pivotal figures. It won the 2013 George Washington Book Prize, which is awarded annually for what the judges consider to be the previous year's best book about America's founding era, and also won the Biography / Autobiography category at the 2013 New England Book Festival. An experienced speaker to audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, in April 2012 Stephen attracted global media coverage after he successfully championed Washington as 'Britain's Greatest Foe' at a lively day of talks held at the National Army Museum, Chelsea. Married with a daughter and son, he lives in Amsterdam.
