God Save Benedict Arnold is a passable Revolutionary War book that allows readers to peek into the life of America’s well known traitor Benedict Arnold. Jack Kelly crafts a good book but nothing on the level of Chernow or Clavin.

History comes alive in this biography of one of the most notorious figures in United States History....or perhaps pre-history. All we are ever told is that he was a villainous traitor, but even the details of that have become vague over time.
The colonies were in a state of unrest and dissatisfaction. They felt that King George III, was just imposing too much on and against them. Early on, most of the colonists felt that their disagreements would be mended and life would continue on under British rule. King George scoffed at that, If the colonists wanted war, he would give it to them and put an end to their rebelliousness. They were farmers, it wouldn't take much to bring them back to heel.
Benedict Arnold was a successful owner of his own merchant business. He captain his own trading vessel and traveled to far off ports to negotiate. He was one of the few, early on, who knew that the unrest was destined to be much more. At great risk to himself, he gathered men to enlist in the colonial/Patriot army. He was a brilliant strategist. Decisive and quick to act, he accomplished the capture of a couple British forts, without a shot fired. As time went on, he sacrificed his own wealth and business to push forward the patriot cause towards independence. He felt under-appreciate through all his achievements and sacrifices. The colonial congress overlooked him many times and promoted men below him to higher military ranks and honors. Others took credit for his achievements.
As I read these accounts I could almost understand what lead to his downfall. It finally came to a climax after he received a major injury that left him out of action and able to brood on all the slights he had suffered. The British officers reporting back, after suffering major losses at Arnold's hand, paid him more respect then did most of his own colonial politicians.
Finally, Gen George Washington learned that Arnold, who he viewed as a close friend, was feeding intelligence to the British army. History has claimed it was from greed, the British were going to pay Arnold handsomely for his information and internal undermining of the patriot military locations. After reading this vivid biography, I believe it may be more than that. He seems to have been a very sensitive individual, every slight, perceived or real, was taken deeply and finally festered to the point where he acted out. After all, if it was money he wanted more than anything else, why spend his own in the beginning, leading his business into debt and ruin?

This is a good biography of one of the most notorious individuals during the history of our country. The author does a good job of covering Arnold’s role during the Revolutionary War. It is more a of cursory coverage of his early life and after he defected to the British compared to the actual war years. Overall a good book.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.

This was an absorbing read, impeccably researched, thoughtfully constructed, and impressive in notes and bibliography. The book reached brilliance in the vivid depiction of exactly what it was like to be toiling through rough country in search of the enemy especially in the early years of the revolution, when the forming nation wasn't even certain it wanted to be a nation.

I read this, as it happened, while I was traveling through the very areas Arnold and his troops struggled through. From the train windows, as I crossed the border, I could look out at the beautiful countryside and imagine just how terrible it was to be compounding with that terrain through the heat of summer, and the bitter winters.

I appreciated the plentiful quotations from period sources, and I looked forward to the revelation of "Why?" But we really don't get a why. What Kelly gives us are strong arguments supporting Arnold's decision to jump the fence, but we don't actually have direct evidence for his inner process. It's clear that Kiley went spelunking for clues, and these are on display, but the reader will still have to decide for themselves.

The aftermath, and what Arnold meant as a symbol, and the consequences of his actions--both for himself and for the early republic--are well laid out. Overall, an excellent addition to modern scholarship about the American Revolution.

Benedict Arnold being a traitor who joined the British is always the first thing that comes to mind when I think about him. I had no idea he was such a fascinating man or just how much he did for America before staining his legacy. Reading about all his deeds and misdeeds has given me a new view of the man, a much more nuanced one. If you have any interest in Arnold or the path that led him to treason, then you should pick up this book.

This book starts with Benedict's family life growing up and then dives right into the American Revolution and Arnold's eagerness to fight. Jack Kelly covers Arnold's military career and his decision to abscond, as well as the aftermath and other Americans who also committed similar treason. By the end of the book the author did a great job of setting Arnold up as a complex man who at times was as much a hero as he wound up being a traitor.

God Save Benedict Arnold
Written By Jack Kelly
Published By St. Martins Press
Release Date December 05, 2023


As I read this very interesting novel about the most hated man in America, I learned many things that were not taught in school. Things that I believe should have been taught. As a military officer he was brave, courageous, confident, and capable of taking on anyone who stepped in his way of conquering the war. Yet there was one thing that Arnold was accused of that set his path on a course that would change his good name forever.. Treason. Kelly has done an amazing job of researching Arnold and putting it all in words that can be read by many of any age. As I think about the historical events such as the Revolutionary War, I begin to see how America changed and those who helped make it better… well their names will always be synonymous with great things but those who started out great but ultimately made a path for themselves down the wrong road… well they will always be remembered for that one thing that made headlines everywhere. Right or wrong, Benedict Arnold stood firm in his belief that America was the land of the free. This book certainly does not exonerate Arnold for his misdeeds but it does show how he started his career in the military and how revered he once was.

5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me a copy to read in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

The name Benedict Arnold is synonymous with traitor and this book doesn't shy away from that but it does tell more of Arnold's story before his infamous act of betrayal. Well written and researched this book showed how the roll of Benedict Arnold in the American Revolution was central to the effort and his contributions were often overlooked or challenged by his enemies in the ranks as well as congress at the time and certainly after his dishonor. This book is full of contemporary observations by his peers (including George Washington) to bring Arnold to life and show his part in the revolution. Arnold was a courageous leader of men who put a lot of his own honor and treasure into the American cause and this book tells of his part in many pivotal campaigns for the Americans that don't get much attention because if Arnold's thwarted plot to turn West Point over to the British. I received a free ARC of this book from the Publisher.

Benedict Arnold was an extraordinary American patriot, thwarting British counterattacks and playing a crucial role in the victory at Saratoga. After a serious leg injury, his idleness got him into trouble.
Congress did not support the Continental Army and Arnold did not get the recognition he felt he deserved. He acted like a spoiled little boy who didn’t get his way. Before the war, he’d been a pushy, cocky merchant. He was excited by fighting and violence, not the concepts behind the war. No role model, he.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this look at the actions of one of America's first traitors, the actions that made him a hero of the Revolution and the dark thoughts that made him a villain for all time.

There is an acronym used by American intelligence to explain the motivations of why one would want to spy or become a traitor to one's home country. M. I. C. E. Money, Ideology, Coercion or Compromise, and finally Ego. When one looks at the current political landscape, and the news at night one can see how this is really a great summation of why people turn. Money makes the world go round, ideology can change with age, a strong supporter can see the cracks in belief as one gets older. Coercion and compromise can mean many things from threats to occupation, life or even family. Ego though. That's has brought down many a person, especially if one is always looking for slights, and dents to their self-esteem. Thinking one is the smartest, the bestest, the mega-something, makes one easy to fool if someone toadies up to them just right. Ego makes on feel they are bigger than loyalty, and loyalty is easily thrown away, for a very small price. Benedict Arnold was once a hero of the burgeoning Revolution, until his faults made his name synonymous with being a traitor. The truth as usual is quite complicated. Historian and author Jack Kelly in God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America's Most Hated Man looks at the Arnold as a man who have gone down in history as a hero, but Arnold's inability to handle the slings and arrows of those he considered lesser people let him down a much darker path.

Benedict Arnold was born in a family that had a name and some prominence, but trouble was soon to ruin this idyllic life. As Arnold was learning to be a gentleman, the family suffered a series of deaths in the family, that drove Arnold's father to drink, and lose the family's fortune. Arnold soon had to give up schooling, and his dreams of college, something that bothered him the rest of his life, and begin an apprenticeship. Arnold was a hard worker, and a man not afraid to get his hands dirty, working his way up to being a merchant who traveled south to engage in trade, making the best deals he could, and dealing with both outfitting a ship, and a crew that could be sometimes a little rough. At the time of the Revolution, Arnold quickly used his skills to gather a troop of men with plans to go North dealing with forts, and later to seize Canada. Arnold's time as a merchant taught him how to equip men, deal with officers make decisions, and more importantly gather intelligence. Along the way Arnold rubbed some people wrong, wrong enough to spread rumors that would effect his career later. Arnold was a brave soldier, gaining respect for his care with his men, and even catching the eye of George Washington. However, Arnold had another skill, that of making enemies, which combined with an attitude that took any slight as a mortal insult, also hindered his advancement. And dark thoughts began to take hold.

An very good book about a very complicated man. Jack Kelly is very good at describing the man that Arnold was, a hero in many ways. Arnold did enter the war with the best of intentions. However his lack of people skills, and ability to grate on people, combined with his inability to handle any besmirching of his character was his biggest downfall. Seizing forts, building navies, leading troops, paying his men when they weren't being paid, Arnold really was a good leader. However politics is filled with good people, and pople who are not, and many did have gripes with Arnold. Kelly does a very good job of describing both the battles and infighting that Arnold found himself in, why and how he might have turned sides, and the sad life that followed. The writing is very good, exciting and informative, with no passages that seem to drag or slow the story. A very interesting look at a man who betrayed himself before he betrayed his country.

Recommended for history readers especially readers of the Revolutionary War. The battle descriptions along with the politics are very well written and gave a better understanding about Arnold. Also for people who like books on complicated people, and for those who want to understand why people do the things they do. M.I.C.E really does explain quite a bit about human behavior.

God Save Benedict Arnold by Jack Kelly was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. I had not knowingly read this author before but history books or historical fiction books, I will always read. Benedict Arnold almost every American can tell you was a "traitor." most do not know why or when but we all know the name. This book tells the whole story of Benedict, before, during, and after his treasonous act(s). The author's writing style does not get boring either, things are written that sound interesting, and they do not bog down in minutae. If you, or someone you buy gifts for enjoys books about historical figures, give this one a read.

4 Stars

Benedict Arnold was one of my favorite characters when I was teaching. As my students began to see patterns in how history is written to favors the "winners," his was the perfect example of how an American hero quickly became the villain. But Arnold's story is so much more complex than simply being a traitor.

Jack Kelley's God Save Benedict Arnold is a wonderfully researched and lyrical narrative of this man's life. It's highly accessible to anyone and gives a complete and fair assessment of him. I'd recommend it to anyone, but especially to fellow American history teachers and students of the subject.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read an early copy of this book in exchange for a review through NetGalley.

In the vein of the current trend of telling a story from the villain’s perspective, Jack Kelly takes on the nonfiction account of America’s most notorious villain, the traitor, Benedict Arnold. And just like fictional retellings, real life proves just as complicated. Arnold, like all people, had his weaknesses. Readers will quickly pick up on his thin skin and desire to be respected and perceived as genteel. His tendency to butt heads with important people and lack of charisma (along with being a self made man lacking the right connections) likely set him down a contentious path with the Continental Congress, who was in charge of military promotions, not George Washington. Being denied promotion and having subordinates promoted over him would have been a blow to any person’s pride, but for someone with his personality it was likely crushing. This book is a great reminder of everything he was involved in to support the patriots before his betrayal. I will admit that the transition from patriot to traitor feels abrupt in this book, and I wonder if that is because so little documentation exists of his thoughts that there may be no way to ever know how abrupt or gradual his decision was. With as ardent a supporter of the cause as Arnold was initially, it couldn’t help but lead me to wonder what would have happened if someone like George Washington had been dismissed the way Arnold was despite his achievements. The two men got along very well before Arnold defected. Or what if Arnold had received the accolades he deserved for his accomplishments early during the war? Or if he hadn’t of been severely injured and put in a state of idleness and a location that might have pushed him over the edge for the attention he sought. Reading history books is great, but reading ones that prompt you to imagine an alternate path of history itself are even better. I really enjoyed reading the story of the notorious and perhaps misunderstood Benedict Arnold. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I consider myself a bit of a history buff, and enjoy reading just about anything I can about the Revolutionary War, and I can definitely say I learned a lot of things about Benedict Arnold that I didn't know before I read this book. I knew that he wasn't always a traitor, but I really enjoyed learning about how involved he was in many of the victories that helped us win our independence from the British, and how, had he been given the recognition he felt he was due, things may have turned out very differently for him. I enjoyed Jack Kelly's writing style very much, and think that added to how quickly I was able to read what was quite an in depth look into Benedict Arnold's life, both professional and personal.

Highly recommend - 5/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Jack Kelly for the opportunity to read God Save Benedict Arnold.

Benedict Arnold was a hot head who acted upon emotion and not logic. He desperately needed recognition and would literally risk life and limb to get it. That is the first important thing for you to learn. Second, is that time and retelling change the public perception of personalities and events. An example other than Arnold is that Ethan Allen has long been perceived as a patriotic hero. Instead, contemporaneous writings indicate that he was self-promoting and coarse. (Note: It appears that some of my ancestors married into some of his descendants so I have no reason to slam him other than what appears in the written record. I am so disappointed.) This author endeavors to "set the record straight" by giving us a look at Arnold the man as well as others around him. In doing so the reader can judge for themselves whether Arnold was a villain, a hero, or a tortured combination of both. I am going with the last.

Arnold's exploits are very clearly related; he was an amazing military man, very clever, and very brave. He put everything on the line, losing his fortune, his business, and having his wife die while he was gone. And in return the Continental Congress refused to recognize how much we benefitted from his hard work and ability to construct brilliant military strategy. If they hadn't so incredibly stingy with reimbursements and praise, I am certain history would have been radically different.

The book is heavy on historical detail, mostly that which has never been taught in the U.S. public schools. It is well-supported with footnotes and sources. There is a great deal of very specific information that I did not know about the Revolutionary War, and was happy to learn. For example, I had no idea that the first Continental Congress wanted to give back captured arms and fortresses when relations would be normalized between the colonies and Great Britain. I found it very interesting that our Founding Fathers didn't have the taste for war that has somehow been written into the narrative of the beginnings of our country. Instead of being war hawks, or even determined to prevail in all of our issues, they seemed to want to put everything back where it had been and continue to be a colony.

The author noted that King George scoffed at the notion of reconciliation with the colonies and that he declared them to be in rebellion. Ok, but he was a constitutional monarch by that time, as I understand it. The King could declare what he wanted but it was Parliament that needed to declare war.

I really disliked the footnoting in the edition I had and hope it is fixed in the final published version. The sentence needing a citation would start, and the footnote would be at the end of the first word, not at the end of the sentence. It arrested your fluent reading of what was written. I've never seen that before in a career that included law school, writing draft opinions on behalf of a judge I worked for, and many years of legal practice. It's really annoying. Also, the links in the edition I was provided did not work both ways; if you followed the link to the citation, you were dumped in no-man's land and had to go to the beginning of the entire text and page in. That has to be corrected in the print copy.

I definitely can recommend this book as being very interesting and enlightening. Thank you to Jack Kelly, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a pre-publication copy to read and review. My opinions are my own and I received nothing in return for my review.

This was an interesting look into Benedict Arnold. Aside from the traitorous characterization most assign to him, Kelly does a great job showing other facets of his life. This will definitely go well with any Colonial American history buffs collection.

God Save Benedict Arnold by Jack Kelly is an exciting book! This book was written so well that not one time did it feel like someone just plainly stating facts. The story was continually progressing and kept very alive and interesting throughout.
I enjoyed this and found it to be clear, informative, and not overloaded in details.
Kelly did an outstanding job here.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Benedict Arnold was a soldier. He loved his family. He was a man who committed crimes against the United States. He had few morals. This book was very insightful.

A very well-wriitwn biography on Benedict Arnold. It's going to read like a history book because that's what it is. There's going to be very little dialogue but there's a lot of historical details to get to Benedict Arnold and his life.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC

This book does a fantastic job of showcasing the military prowess and accomplishments of Benedict Arnold. It also delves into the choices and reactions that Arnold made when faced with adversity. This is a fascinating study into character. One can be as talented and fortunate to achieve victories in the face of overwhelming odds just as Arnold did when battling and beating the British in several engagements in Canada and New England during the American Revolutionary war. However, his inability to accept that others may make decisions that impact his life and his own insecurity about his capabilities when compared to others often led to rash decisions that put him at odds with those who were championing his contribution.
He had several interactions with George Washington and other military leaders which seriously impacted his advancement all because he misinterpreted their motives when looking through his own lens of insecurity. In the end, his decisions could only lead to one ending.
Jack Kelly did a wonderful job of detailing the meticulous nature of warfare in the 18th century and how Benedict Arnold played a role. Kelly's well researched book gives a view into a complex but ultimately deeply flawed and insecure man that most casual observers have missed. For the majority of Americans, Arnold is a traitor and his name has become synonymous with being a traitor. However, Kelly shows us that there was so much more to this than a simple betrayal.
The most telling statement that will stay with me is that had Arnold died due to his wounds from battle, he would have been lauded as one of the biggest military heroes of the time. However, his later actions, due to his need for fame or money or respect, completely covers his earlier contributions to the American effort during the Revolution.
I found this to be an intriguing book and a very readable account of a time that most Americans have a difficult time imagining.
Thank you to Macmillan for providing me an opportunity to review this.

Well written and researched book. We’ve all heard of Benedict Arnold’s treason, but we forget that prior to that he was George Washington’s best fighting general. He was the General Patton of his day, playing a major role in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga, the assault on Quebec and was the hero of the Battle of Saratoga, the turning point of the war. Even less known is that he was a very capable ship’s captain and led a small fleet in a daring engagement against the British navy in the Great Lakes. The author’s description of battlefield action is outstanding and reads like a novel. After all of that, Arnold’s treachery is very hard to understand, but I think this author has probably the best explanation. If there is any complaint it is the several times that the author breaks from his chronology to jump back in time. I found this to be a bit confusing and felt it was unnecessary. Overall this was a fascinating look at one of the most controversial figures in American history. I recommend this to anyone interested in the American Revolution. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advance copy in exchange for a review.