Benedict Arnold always carried things too far. As a boy he did crazy things like climbing atop a burning roof and picking a fight with the town constable. As a soldier, he was even more reckless. He was obsessed with being the leader and the hero in every battle, and he never wanted to surrender. He even killed his own horse once rather than give it to the enemy.

Where did the extremism lead Arnold? To treason.

America's most notorious traitor is brought to life as Jean Fritz relays the engrossing story of Benedict Arnold -- a man whose pride, ambition, and self-righteousness drove him to commit the heinous crime of treason against the United States during the American Revolution.

"A highly entertaining biography illuminating the personality of a complex man." --Horn Book

"A gripping story. . . As compelling as a thriller, the book also shines as history." --Publishers Weekly

An ALA Notable Book

A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the Year

A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

An ABA Pick of the Lists

A Horn Book Fanfare Title