A review by quodfelix
Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution by Nathaniel Philbrick

5.0

I thoroughly enjoyed both parts of this story, Arnold's military adventures and daring-do in the larger context of the early American military efforts, then the story of his descent into treason told in great detail. The opening story of the invasion of New York is one of the clearest and most compelling I've read. So too was the account of Trenton (though too brief and not as good as the account by Chernow in his biography of Washington). I've never really understood Saratoga as well as I have now having read Philbrick's account. He story of Armold's decision to betray his new country is a bit too buried in detail for me, but necessary I suppose. I simply found it less interesting.

The remarkable thing Philbrick's has done, I think, is show Arnold as a flawed but admirable hero in the first half, explain the basis for Arnold's unhappiness and dissatisfaction, but then still leave me disappointed with Armold's decision to betray his country, apparently for money and arguably for love.

I admired Nathaniel Greene as a young boy, so I am really looking forward to Philbrick's next one!