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Chronicles of Arundel #1
Arundel
This is the classic series from Pulitzer Prize-winning historical novelist Kenneth Roberts, all featuring characters from the town of Arundel, Maine. Arundel follows Steven Nason as he joins Benedict Arnold in his march to Quebec during the American Revolution.
500 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1930
232 people are currently reading
2023 people want to read
About the author
Kenneth Roberts
95 books98 followersKenneth Lewis Roberts, a noted American, wrote his historical novels, including
Northwest Passage
(1937), about the colonial period.
Roberts worked first as a then popular nationally known journalist with the Saturday Evening Post from 1919 to 1928. Roberts specialized in regionalist historical fiction. He often wrote about terrain of his native state and also depicted other upper states and scenes of New England. He for example depicts, the main characters in Arundel and Rabble in Arms from Kennebunk, then called Arundel; the main character of Northwest Passage from Kittery, Maine, with friends in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; the main character in Oliver Wiswell from Milton, Massachusetts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth...
Roberts worked first as a then popular nationally known journalist with the Saturday Evening Post from 1919 to 1928. Roberts specialized in regionalist historical fiction. He often wrote about terrain of his native state and also depicted other upper states and scenes of New England. He for example depicts, the main characters in Arundel and Rabble in Arms from Kennebunk, then called Arundel; the main character of Northwest Passage from Kittery, Maine, with friends in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; the main character in Oliver Wiswell from Milton, Massachusetts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
August 11, 2012
I LOVED this book. It was our May Book Club selection and I was pretty lukewarm about it as a choice,but...it turned into one of those gems I never would have read on my own. Roberts lived in Kennebunkport ,ME. and a book club member has a house there and that was our venue. We wanted to read a book with Maine as a theme and this was GREAT. The genre is historical fiction.Basically it tells the story of a young man in love going to get back his girl who has been kidnapped. But,it is sooo much more. Details about the settler's life,their relationships with the Indians, (P.S.-the Abenakis saved the settler's butts on more than one occasion) what they ate,everything is wonderfully chronicled. The story involves real people as well,Benedict Arnold and Aaron Burr feature prominently. So it's researched day-to day life in them thar woods around 1775 and historical reporting of some early revolutionary war patriots. If you love to know what it was like to live in other times and if you're fantasies include a rough and rugged Daniel Boone type guy,then read this book.
July 22, 2024
To write historical fiction and have it appeal to a wide audience in both its factual accuracy and story development is quite an undertaking, but to accomplish this feat and still have a relevant page-turning masterpiece almost one hundred years later is incomprehensible. Acclaimed novelist Kenneth Roberts shows his knack and skill for producing an epic that can proudly stand the test of time, using language and descriptions that are easily comprehended by generations of readers looking for novella on the Revolutionary War.
The story gets its title from the town of Arundel in the province of Maine, and chronicles the life and service of Steven Nason. Spanning his childhood spent in maritime and fishery trade on the coast as well as communicating and being on friendly terms with the local Native American Abenaki tribe, the book begins by taking us through the final years of the French and Indian War with Wolfe and Montcalm struggling for control of Quebec. It’s here that Roberts segways from history to the main plot in Steven’s knight-like pursuit of his love, a local Arundel girl kidnapped and rumored to be on her way to captivity in France. The fictional characters depicted are somewhat lacking in their depth, though it’s their experiences and insight on the steps leading up to and igniting the American Revolution that make their development that much more gripping and unique:
It seemed as though every man had a bitter grievance for which he longed to bash someone over the head; and through all the talk there ran the moan that our liberty was being taken from us, and that no nation or people had the right to steal liberty from other people. I could not help but see that those who had lost the least, or had the least to lose, being the poorest and wretchedest of our people, with little land, less money and no vote. Yet I learned from travelers that this was the way of it throughout New England.
Roberts masterfully brings such rabble rousers as the Sons of Liberty, Benedict Arnold, and Daniel Morgan to the forefront, with mentions and appearances of Aaron Burr, Richard Montgomery, Ethan Allen, George Washington, and Robert Rogers to name but a few more. Arundel excels in its use of primary source material and research following both the Battle of the Plains of Abraham and the Battle of Quebec of 1775, with detailed narrative from Nason’s point of view illustrating the struggles, starvation, mishaps, and freezing temperatures that debilitated the Continentals’ invasion of Canada. Modern audiences may find the dialogue at times is aged and clumsy, with romance that tries too hard in its dramatic and emotional tone. Roberts is fair and exact on his measurements of Benedict Arnold’s bravery and tactical knowledge, and brings the history of the Battle of Quebec to the reader in an exciting and memorable fashion, leaving a desire for the sequel and his other books set in the Revolutionary period.
The story gets its title from the town of Arundel in the province of Maine, and chronicles the life and service of Steven Nason. Spanning his childhood spent in maritime and fishery trade on the coast as well as communicating and being on friendly terms with the local Native American Abenaki tribe, the book begins by taking us through the final years of the French and Indian War with Wolfe and Montcalm struggling for control of Quebec. It’s here that Roberts segways from history to the main plot in Steven’s knight-like pursuit of his love, a local Arundel girl kidnapped and rumored to be on her way to captivity in France. The fictional characters depicted are somewhat lacking in their depth, though it’s their experiences and insight on the steps leading up to and igniting the American Revolution that make their development that much more gripping and unique:
It seemed as though every man had a bitter grievance for which he longed to bash someone over the head; and through all the talk there ran the moan that our liberty was being taken from us, and that no nation or people had the right to steal liberty from other people. I could not help but see that those who had lost the least, or had the least to lose, being the poorest and wretchedest of our people, with little land, less money and no vote. Yet I learned from travelers that this was the way of it throughout New England.
Roberts masterfully brings such rabble rousers as the Sons of Liberty, Benedict Arnold, and Daniel Morgan to the forefront, with mentions and appearances of Aaron Burr, Richard Montgomery, Ethan Allen, George Washington, and Robert Rogers to name but a few more. Arundel excels in its use of primary source material and research following both the Battle of the Plains of Abraham and the Battle of Quebec of 1775, with detailed narrative from Nason’s point of view illustrating the struggles, starvation, mishaps, and freezing temperatures that debilitated the Continentals’ invasion of Canada. Modern audiences may find the dialogue at times is aged and clumsy, with romance that tries too hard in its dramatic and emotional tone. Roberts is fair and exact on his measurements of Benedict Arnold’s bravery and tactical knowledge, and brings the history of the Battle of Quebec to the reader in an exciting and memorable fashion, leaving a desire for the sequel and his other books set in the Revolutionary period.
September 7, 2009
Arundel is one of the finest books I have ever read. The characters come alive in such a manner that rereading the tale has been a yearly pleasure for me. The time period covered in "Arundel" is unique, our country before it was a country, only colonies and some men with ideas. The cast of characters is a mix of fictional and real, Benedict Arnold, Aaron Burr and others created in sync with the time and place. It is an epic tale of war, revenge, romance and friendship that entrances you from the beginning. I don't recall every learning of Arnold's fateful March to Quebec in school, only that he was a traitor to The Cause. In "Arundel" you get a glimpse of just maybe who he really was. The tale also encompasses our own illusions of what we want, or think we want to be content and how all that works out in the end.
October 30, 2010
This is probably the best work of historical fiction I have ever read. It is the story of Benedict Arnold's March to Quebec (when Arnold was still a good guy), as seen through the eyes of a teenage boy who comes along. It's like Last of the Mohicans meets Annakin Skywalker. It blows the Harry Potter books away, and I say that as one who absolutely loved the Potter series.
Arundel is full of adventure, great characters, unforgettable scenery, romance, humor, just about everything you could hope for in a book. And it is based on real history. Roberts used the journals of Arnold's soldiers as his primary source material.
I started reading this last night to my 7 year old when he couldn't fall asleep. Looking forward enjoying this adventure again.
Arundel is full of adventure, great characters, unforgettable scenery, romance, humor, just about everything you could hope for in a book. And it is based on real history. Roberts used the journals of Arnold's soldiers as his primary source material.
I started reading this last night to my 7 year old when he couldn't fall asleep. Looking forward enjoying this adventure again.
July 22, 2024
I read this in high school, after having read Rabble in Arms, which gave me a new perspective on Benedict Arnold. It was a well-written, engaging book.
May 31, 2017
This is how novels are supposed to be.
I came across this book by way of the Goodreads recommendation engine, which presented it to me when I was searching for "epics." The American Revolutionary War is far out of my time zone with respect to my own epic in progress, but since true epics are about the birth of nations and societies, and this book seemed to be very favorably viewed by critics, I thought I would give it a chance.
Am I ever glad I did. As soon as I downloaded the e-book to my Kindle and started reading the prologue, I was drawn in. The narrator and central character is one Steven Nason of Arundel (modern Kennebunkport) in the province of Maine, who, against his natural inclinations, is writing a book describing his role in Benedict Arnold's 1775 expedition to Quebec. He is driven reluctantly to this task by the grossly inaccurate tales that are current about the expedition and its members; he feels driven to set the record straight. In his own words:
What follows is a stirring tale of adventure, courage, passion, and humor, filled with surprises of all kinds.
For reasons that in time are revealed, Nason starts the story in his own boyhood, describing the circumstances that brought his father, a blacksmith, to settle on the bank of the Arundel River, and describing his family's way of life there. Everything about it is striking and has the stamp of authenticity (the author, Kenneth Roberts, was something like a fourth-generation native of Maine): the trees, the weather, the ocean, the food, down to delightful surprises like young Steven's pet seal Eunice. These are frontier people, and in fact their property is surrounded by a palisade and he refers to their residence as a "garrison house." Steven's family are in close, intimate contact with the Abenakis, the local Indians.
Indian characters and lifeways form a big part of the story. Roberts swings a wrecking-ball through the cliches of Indian-European relations and shows frontier society as a place where these two cultural groups collided, intermingled, interacted, and interbred. The Indian characters, like the white characters, are all distinct, vividly portrayed individuals with their own foibles and strengths. There is no monolithic them-versus-us consciousness, but rather a sense of individuals and groups acting from diverse motives as events swirl around them. When some Indians join the expedition to Quebec, their motives vary from personal loyalty to monetary gain to political calculation, among other things. In a book filled with memorable characters, one of the most vivid for me was the Indian Natanis, a superb woodsman who forms a strong bond with Steven and becomes an unsung hero of the expedition.
Another memorable character is Benedict Arnold, stocky, athletic, temperamental, and passionate. Nowadays his name is proverbial for treachery, and indeed I knew nothing else about him but that, but in this story we see a man of shrewdness and courage, a natural leader whom Steven regards as second only to George Washington as a model officer.
In brief, the story documents how Steven is engaged as a guide to the expedition, and how he travels with 1,000-odd ragtag American troops through the wilderness of Maine to reach Quebec City, which has been captured by the British. Among those who go with him are his burly, thieving friend Cap Huff, and a diminutive but resourceful and sharp-tongued local girl named Phoebe. Steven's own motivation is mostly personal: he knows that a girl he met in childhood, Mary Mallinson, is being held in Quebec and he intends to rescue her.
Everyone knew that the expedition would be no cakewalk, but no one expected the indescribable ordeal that they actually face. Much of the novel is an account of that ordeal, and it is an amazing survival story, mixed in with a lot of infighting, intrigue, and suspicion.
The quality of the writing itself is very high. Roberts is an intelligent, confident stylist who did a huge amount of research to get every detail right--and there are a lot of details. So everything has that wonderful, fresh, lifelike quality: unexpected but true. Steven Nason is a perfect narrator; he has great knowledge of what he's talking about, and a strong point of view that he's not shy about expressing. His plainspoken woodsman's perspective is often in contrast to the preening and dandyism of the more citified people he comes in contact with. Churlish and tongue-tied around women, he's incapable of expressing what he really feels. He needs their help.
In sum, this is one of the best novels I have ever read. If I had to hunt for flaws in it, I might say that there was perhaps a bit much wilderness adventure for my taste. But it is a story of an expedition, after all--and it does pay off. This novel was published in 1930 and is about events in the 18th century, but it reads as though it were published yesterday and relates events that happened the day before that. The characters are vivid, present, and timeless. This must be what classic means, if it means anything.
I serve notice to all my own readers, present and future: Kenneth Roberts is my role model. He is the standard I agree to be judged against. I won't measure up, but I will try.
I came across this book by way of the Goodreads recommendation engine, which presented it to me when I was searching for "epics." The American Revolutionary War is far out of my time zone with respect to my own epic in progress, but since true epics are about the birth of nations and societies, and this book seemed to be very favorably viewed by critics, I thought I would give it a chance.
Am I ever glad I did. As soon as I downloaded the e-book to my Kindle and started reading the prologue, I was drawn in. The narrator and central character is one Steven Nason of Arundel (modern Kennebunkport) in the province of Maine, who, against his natural inclinations, is writing a book describing his role in Benedict Arnold's 1775 expedition to Quebec. He is driven reluctantly to this task by the grossly inaccurate tales that are current about the expedition and its members; he feels driven to set the record straight. In his own words:
Above all, because of the lamentable occurrences at West Point, the countryside is filled with men of mighty hindsight who speak with scorn of Colonel Arnold, whose boots they were not fit to clean, and belittle or ignore the expedition to Quebec.
What follows is a stirring tale of adventure, courage, passion, and humor, filled with surprises of all kinds.
For reasons that in time are revealed, Nason starts the story in his own boyhood, describing the circumstances that brought his father, a blacksmith, to settle on the bank of the Arundel River, and describing his family's way of life there. Everything about it is striking and has the stamp of authenticity (the author, Kenneth Roberts, was something like a fourth-generation native of Maine): the trees, the weather, the ocean, the food, down to delightful surprises like young Steven's pet seal Eunice. These are frontier people, and in fact their property is surrounded by a palisade and he refers to their residence as a "garrison house." Steven's family are in close, intimate contact with the Abenakis, the local Indians.
Indian characters and lifeways form a big part of the story. Roberts swings a wrecking-ball through the cliches of Indian-European relations and shows frontier society as a place where these two cultural groups collided, intermingled, interacted, and interbred. The Indian characters, like the white characters, are all distinct, vividly portrayed individuals with their own foibles and strengths. There is no monolithic them-versus-us consciousness, but rather a sense of individuals and groups acting from diverse motives as events swirl around them. When some Indians join the expedition to Quebec, their motives vary from personal loyalty to monetary gain to political calculation, among other things. In a book filled with memorable characters, one of the most vivid for me was the Indian Natanis, a superb woodsman who forms a strong bond with Steven and becomes an unsung hero of the expedition.
Another memorable character is Benedict Arnold, stocky, athletic, temperamental, and passionate. Nowadays his name is proverbial for treachery, and indeed I knew nothing else about him but that, but in this story we see a man of shrewdness and courage, a natural leader whom Steven regards as second only to George Washington as a model officer.
In brief, the story documents how Steven is engaged as a guide to the expedition, and how he travels with 1,000-odd ragtag American troops through the wilderness of Maine to reach Quebec City, which has been captured by the British. Among those who go with him are his burly, thieving friend Cap Huff, and a diminutive but resourceful and sharp-tongued local girl named Phoebe. Steven's own motivation is mostly personal: he knows that a girl he met in childhood, Mary Mallinson, is being held in Quebec and he intends to rescue her.
Everyone knew that the expedition would be no cakewalk, but no one expected the indescribable ordeal that they actually face. Much of the novel is an account of that ordeal, and it is an amazing survival story, mixed in with a lot of infighting, intrigue, and suspicion.
The quality of the writing itself is very high. Roberts is an intelligent, confident stylist who did a huge amount of research to get every detail right--and there are a lot of details. So everything has that wonderful, fresh, lifelike quality: unexpected but true. Steven Nason is a perfect narrator; he has great knowledge of what he's talking about, and a strong point of view that he's not shy about expressing. His plainspoken woodsman's perspective is often in contrast to the preening and dandyism of the more citified people he comes in contact with. Churlish and tongue-tied around women, he's incapable of expressing what he really feels. He needs their help.
In sum, this is one of the best novels I have ever read. If I had to hunt for flaws in it, I might say that there was perhaps a bit much wilderness adventure for my taste. But it is a story of an expedition, after all--and it does pay off. This novel was published in 1930 and is about events in the 18th century, but it reads as though it were published yesterday and relates events that happened the day before that. The characters are vivid, present, and timeless. This must be what classic means, if it means anything.
I serve notice to all my own readers, present and future: Kenneth Roberts is my role model. He is the standard I agree to be judged against. I won't measure up, but I will try.
October 30, 2021
It's been a LONG time since I read any Kenneth Roberts, a writer very popular among my parents generation. Early American Colonial historical fiction is his specialty. I've read "The Lively Lady" and "Boon Island" previously. This one starts out in Maine, down along the southern coast not far up from Kittery, where my parents lived for many years. I was looking for an interesting and adventurous read and it looks like I made the right choice. The cover image is correct for the book I have, but the background is much more blue-ish than the gray-blue pictured. BTW, there is still a town and Village of Arundel, Maine. It has not been replaced by Kennebunkport, but rather sits right to the north and east of Bush-land. It was not clear in my Maine Atlas where exactly the town line sits as you get closer to the ocean, but it looks like Kennebunkport was carved out of old Arundel, taking it's coastline. Or vice versa - see Wiki for clarification if you so desire it!
Moving along as the baddies(French and Indian) have struck a blow. I assume this the fictional side of things, although random acts on nastiness did occur regularly along the lengthy interface between the French and British colonial territories. The narrator does point out that the French and Indian War was still dragging on and that nasty northern Indians and their French instigators were still a problem, even on the southern Maine coast. The massacre at Fort William Henry is mentioned. That's an important event in "The Last of the Mohicans" too. The specific French agent in this story points out cynically that when it come time for the colonists to fight for their freedom from England(coming VERY soon) their only allies will then be their current foes, the French. As we well know, he was right about that!
Moving on with plenty going on, but the big story hasn't started yet. I do know that Steven does not marry Mary, as the promotional "extras" at the end of the book identify his wife as Phoebe. At this point she's a mere annoyance to him! One of the things I'm liking so far is the setting(s). Very close by to my own domicile and many familiar place names come into play. The Kennebec, the Androscoggin, Brunswick, Swan Island. Lots of good history to be learned. The author/narrator is not terribly sympathetic to white/European culture/settlers. Much more liking is sent the way of the Abenakis, who are pretty much gone nowadays. Sad, indeed ...
Arnold's ill-fated Quebec trek has begun and Roberts spares now details on how challenging and miserable it was. In particular the weather was an obstacle. Not a bad time of year(Sept.-Oct.) ... depending. I remember climbing to the top(almost) of Saddleback(close to Arnold's route) one early November and it was a white-out blizzard. I went back a couple of weeks later and all the snow had been rained out and it was about 45 degrees and calm. Youneverknow ... Readers nowadays may grow impatient with the story as the author takes his time to paint a pretty detailed picture. Interesting to read of the differing attitudes of the white people toward the natives. Both Washington and Arnold seriously disliked and distrusted them - especially after the French and Indian war. I've stood on top of what Roberts calls Dead River Mountain(now called Bigelow) and looked down on Flagstaff Lake, whose creation covered over all those twists and turns of the Dead River that Steven complains about.
- more local shoutouts - Georgetown, Arrowsic, Popham Beach
- Major Return Meigs! No doubt an ancestor/relative of my neighbor Montgomery(Monty) Meigs Smith. He also had a famous Civil War General Meigs ancestor. The guy who created Arlington cemetery.
Will finish this tale tonight. The Arnold "Brigade" has finally made it to the Plains of Abraham with 2/3 of its original strength. Many left behind(and many of those dead) who succumbed to malnutrition and exhaustion, not to mention disease. What a mess. Roberts strongly implies that the expedition was dogged by spies and sabotage. I guess historical research must have revealed this. The lads will not be able to "take" Quebec(City) despite getting help. They will go on to glory in Upper New York at the critical battle of Saratoga. I assume that's not a part of this book, except for being mentioned a few times. BTW, a doggie gets killed and eaten by some hard-up troops. You eat a dog ... your going to hell. IMHO!
Finished with this sturdy, exciting tale last night. The historical accuracy is strong, as I assume it is in all of KR's books. The sequel to this book is "Rabble in Arms," which follows the further adventures of Cap, Steven, Phoebe et al during the northeast portion of the Revolutionary War in America. The only sort of "issue" with the books is the out and out fictional stuff: the Phoebe-Steven-Mary romantic triangle, the broad and boring antics of Cap(think Victor McLaglen in John Ford's western movies) and the speculation through prose about the personalities of Washinton, Burr, and Arnold. Other historical characters(Daniel Morgan) are more shallowly and straight-forwardly presented. An excellent book if you can stand the slog. How ironic that Steven's "gang" has such an easy time for it in their winter-time return to Arundel over the same path that Arnold's army took. All those obstacles were frozen and covered in snow, so they all skied home.
- 4.25* rounds down to 4* - Mr. Roberts is solid, but he's not Hilary Mantel.
Moving along as the baddies(French and Indian) have struck a blow. I assume this the fictional side of things, although random acts on nastiness did occur regularly along the lengthy interface between the French and British colonial territories. The narrator does point out that the French and Indian War was still dragging on and that nasty northern Indians and their French instigators were still a problem, even on the southern Maine coast. The massacre at Fort William Henry is mentioned. That's an important event in "The Last of the Mohicans" too. The specific French agent in this story points out cynically that when it come time for the colonists to fight for their freedom from England(coming VERY soon) their only allies will then be their current foes, the French. As we well know, he was right about that!
Moving on with plenty going on, but the big story hasn't started yet. I do know that Steven does not marry Mary, as the promotional "extras" at the end of the book identify his wife as Phoebe. At this point she's a mere annoyance to him! One of the things I'm liking so far is the setting(s). Very close by to my own domicile and many familiar place names come into play. The Kennebec, the Androscoggin, Brunswick, Swan Island. Lots of good history to be learned. The author/narrator is not terribly sympathetic to white/European culture/settlers. Much more liking is sent the way of the Abenakis, who are pretty much gone nowadays. Sad, indeed ...
Arnold's ill-fated Quebec trek has begun and Roberts spares now details on how challenging and miserable it was. In particular the weather was an obstacle. Not a bad time of year(Sept.-Oct.) ... depending. I remember climbing to the top(almost) of Saddleback(close to Arnold's route) one early November and it was a white-out blizzard. I went back a couple of weeks later and all the snow had been rained out and it was about 45 degrees and calm. Youneverknow ... Readers nowadays may grow impatient with the story as the author takes his time to paint a pretty detailed picture. Interesting to read of the differing attitudes of the white people toward the natives. Both Washington and Arnold seriously disliked and distrusted them - especially after the French and Indian war. I've stood on top of what Roberts calls Dead River Mountain(now called Bigelow) and looked down on Flagstaff Lake, whose creation covered over all those twists and turns of the Dead River that Steven complains about.
- more local shoutouts - Georgetown, Arrowsic, Popham Beach
- Major Return Meigs! No doubt an ancestor/relative of my neighbor Montgomery(Monty) Meigs Smith. He also had a famous Civil War General Meigs ancestor. The guy who created Arlington cemetery.
Will finish this tale tonight. The Arnold "Brigade" has finally made it to the Plains of Abraham with 2/3 of its original strength. Many left behind(and many of those dead) who succumbed to malnutrition and exhaustion, not to mention disease. What a mess. Roberts strongly implies that the expedition was dogged by spies and sabotage. I guess historical research must have revealed this. The lads will not be able to "take" Quebec(City) despite getting help. They will go on to glory in Upper New York at the critical battle of Saratoga. I assume that's not a part of this book, except for being mentioned a few times. BTW, a doggie gets killed and eaten by some hard-up troops. You eat a dog ... your going to hell. IMHO!
Finished with this sturdy, exciting tale last night. The historical accuracy is strong, as I assume it is in all of KR's books. The sequel to this book is "Rabble in Arms," which follows the further adventures of Cap, Steven, Phoebe et al during the northeast portion of the Revolutionary War in America. The only sort of "issue" with the books is the out and out fictional stuff: the Phoebe-Steven-Mary romantic triangle, the broad and boring antics of Cap(think Victor McLaglen in John Ford's western movies) and the speculation through prose about the personalities of Washinton, Burr, and Arnold. Other historical characters(Daniel Morgan) are more shallowly and straight-forwardly presented. An excellent book if you can stand the slog. How ironic that Steven's "gang" has such an easy time for it in their winter-time return to Arundel over the same path that Arnold's army took. All those obstacles were frozen and covered in snow, so they all skied home.
- 4.25* rounds down to 4* - Mr. Roberts is solid, but he's not Hilary Mantel.
September 3, 2016
This was my first venture into the writing of Pulitzer Prize winning (1957) Roberts but definitely will not be my last. This masterfully written account of Benedict Arnold's doomed 1775 march to Quebec has all of the hallmarks of fine historical fiction - impeccable research, a fascinating human story, wonderful period detail, and, in this case, there's humor, too. What Arnold's forces endured during their journey through Maine is a story of steely determination and bravery in the face of unimaginable hardships and it's one that should not be forgotten.
January 3, 2011
My wife read this first and told me I'd like it. And I did. I don't read a ton of historical fiction, but I was a history major and mainly focused on 17th-19th century America (well, as much as an undergrad major can be focused anyway), so this seemed like it would be a fun read. It is.
It's narrated by Steven Nason, who is from Arundel, Maine (now Kennebunkport), who leaves his home to become a guide/soldier in the Continental Army under Benedict Arnold as Arnold is charged by George Washington to take Quebec from the British.
It's not so much written as a page-turner but the book just moves along, just pulling you with it so you discover you've read 100 or so pages without even knowing the time has passed. And then you want to read more. There are all sorts of examples of dry, droll New England wit, with plenty of puns here and there. One of my favorites is when the young Steven and his father meet Arnold, before the war, and swap animal pelts for a short passage on Arnold's boat. After the deal is made, his father says to Steven, of Arnold: "That boy's a trader, Stevie. That was good trading you listened to, and your pa sort of out-traded him."
Finally, this book was enjoyable enough that I was happy to see that there was a sequel with the further adventures of these characters.
It's narrated by Steven Nason, who is from Arundel, Maine (now Kennebunkport), who leaves his home to become a guide/soldier in the Continental Army under Benedict Arnold as Arnold is charged by George Washington to take Quebec from the British.
It's not so much written as a page-turner but the book just moves along, just pulling you with it so you discover you've read 100 or so pages without even knowing the time has passed. And then you want to read more. There are all sorts of examples of dry, droll New England wit, with plenty of puns here and there. One of my favorites is when the young Steven and his father meet Arnold, before the war, and swap animal pelts for a short passage on Arnold's boat. After the deal is made, his father says to Steven, of Arnold: "That boy's a trader, Stevie. That was good trading you listened to, and your pa sort of out-traded him."
Finally, this book was enjoyable enough that I was happy to see that there was a sequel with the further adventures of these characters.
July 30, 2022
Wow, I didn't remember that the trek to Quebec took up most of the book! Plus the scenes I remember most take place in the sequel Rabble in Arms . I guess I will give that one a re-read as well.
There is a lot of early American history in the story, Benedict Arnold, Aaron Burr, among others, are characters and the story of Arnold's doomed march on Quebec in 1775 was a real event. The Native Americans are depicted very well for a book written in 1930.
There is a romance in the story but the focus is mainly on the suffering of the raggedy army and the horrific march from Maine to Canada. There is humor in the story, mainly provided by the sidekick Cap Huff.
American history buffs will really enjoy this book, never a dull moment!
There is a lot of early American history in the story, Benedict Arnold, Aaron Burr, among others, are characters and the story of Arnold's doomed march on Quebec in 1775 was a real event. The Native Americans are depicted very well for a book written in 1930.
There is a romance in the story but the focus is mainly on the suffering of the raggedy army and the horrific march from Maine to Canada. There is humor in the story, mainly provided by the sidekick Cap Huff.
American history buffs will really enjoy this book, never a dull moment!
July 15, 2022
I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this book! Historical fiction isn't really my go-to, but that may change going forward because I had such a good time with Arundel. The main female character is sooo cool and I just want to be her when I grow up. And I feel like I personally know George Washington and Aaron Burr and Benedict Arnold now. I also want to go get lost in Maine, but 100% not in the winter.
May 17, 2017
I struggled to get interested in this book. I read a lot of historical fiction and non-fiction, but I didn't enjoy this. I kept forcing myself to read a few more pages, which is not me at all. Finally, I decided it wasn't worth it. Also of interest is that my teenage son who devours all history books fiction and nonfiction just felt that it was "okay."
March 21, 2019
I don't think I can top the review by Margaret Deland which appears just after the title page in my copy of the book:
"Arundel is a permanent contribution to the literature of this country. It seems to me like a perfectly splendid plum pudding! No, I think it is more than that; I think it is brown bread, and roast beef, and beer! It is the REAL STUFF!"
Well said, Ms. Deland. Well said.
"Arundel is a permanent contribution to the literature of this country. It seems to me like a perfectly splendid plum pudding! No, I think it is more than that; I think it is brown bread, and roast beef, and beer! It is the REAL STUFF!"
Well said, Ms. Deland. Well said.
April 3, 2020
This was given to me a couple days ago as a very belated Christmas present. I think the giver should have held out for my birthday, which is only in two weeks. But it was a good book to read during slow periods at work, and a pretty good book in general.
Some thoughts:
-A book that makes me want to know just what the fuck happened with Benedict Arnold anyways, given that he's a decent colonel in this book and I don't actually know the story of that whole betrayal thing.
-For a book published in 1930, it's kind of progressive? I'm not super confident analyzing racial dynamics in historical fiction, but Roberts writes interesting Abenaki characters--I couldn't say, from Natanis and Hobomok and Jacataqua, who would be my favorite, but they're all different and really fun. It's not a book where all Indians are the same, or all of them are hostile, or where the noble savage trope is used--well, for the most part, though the narrator does occasionally make statements such as saying that Indians are generally more honest than white people, but historically speaking that's kind of true. Some characters in Arundel are racist, it's true, but this is clearly shown to be a flaw--in some cases laughable (Cap, for example) and in other cases devastating (Washington and Arnold being unwilling to trust Abenaki guides going up the Kennebec, to awful effect). And aside from racial dynamics, there's Phoebe, who's the main female character and a woman who co-owns and captains a sloop, and is tough enough to travel up to Quebec with all the rest of the army.
-Despite saying Phoebe's characterization and actions are kind of progressive, I still didn't like her romance with Steven that much! In the beginning of the book, she's outright rude, and her relationship with Steven throughout the book is the sort where antagonism grows into love--but the antagonism lasts for so long that I have a hard time buying the love in the end.
-At the beginning I was really bored by Steven going on about Maine food and Maine weather and such, but when I started getting hungry on shift, I felt very invested in all of Steven's descriptions of food and the times when it was hard to get or army rations were running low or wrecked by a storm. RELATABLE. I too want food constantly.
Anyways it was a pretty good book but also the prose is pretty thick for an adventure novel so I might not read the sequel right away even though we do have it in the house.
Some thoughts:
-A book that makes me want to know just what the fuck happened with Benedict Arnold anyways, given that he's a decent colonel in this book and I don't actually know the story of that whole betrayal thing.
-For a book published in 1930, it's kind of progressive? I'm not super confident analyzing racial dynamics in historical fiction, but Roberts writes interesting Abenaki characters--I couldn't say, from Natanis and Hobomok and Jacataqua, who would be my favorite, but they're all different and really fun. It's not a book where all Indians are the same, or all of them are hostile, or where the noble savage trope is used--well, for the most part, though the narrator does occasionally make statements such as saying that Indians are generally more honest than white people, but historically speaking that's kind of true. Some characters in Arundel are racist, it's true, but this is clearly shown to be a flaw--in some cases laughable (Cap, for example) and in other cases devastating (Washington and Arnold being unwilling to trust Abenaki guides going up the Kennebec, to awful effect). And aside from racial dynamics, there's Phoebe, who's the main female character and a woman who co-owns and captains a sloop, and is tough enough to travel up to Quebec with all the rest of the army.
-Despite saying Phoebe's characterization and actions are kind of progressive, I still didn't like her romance with Steven that much! In the beginning of the book, she's outright rude, and her relationship with Steven throughout the book is the sort where antagonism grows into love--but the antagonism lasts for so long that I have a hard time buying the love in the end.
-At the beginning I was really bored by Steven going on about Maine food and Maine weather and such, but when I started getting hungry on shift, I felt very invested in all of Steven's descriptions of food and the times when it was hard to get or army rations were running low or wrecked by a storm. RELATABLE. I too want food constantly.
Anyways it was a pretty good book but also the prose is pretty thick for an adventure novel so I might not read the sequel right away even though we do have it in the house.
January 9, 2023
Steven Nason witnesses the abduction of the young lady he believes he'll one day marry. When he learns she's been taken to Quebec, Nason joins Benedict Arnold's military campaign to try to wrest Quebec from the British. While the journey and battle portions of the novel were a little sluggish for me, the author includes interesting information about the pre-Revolutionary War movement in the colonies. I was especially interested in the early public perception of the "Sons of Liberty." He shows the "Sons" as "noisy brawlers and table-bangers...wild and foolish fellows who had no vote and screamed the loudest for paper money." Nason notes, "In the beginning they were the poorest and scurviest knaves that our village could boast, so that instead of being called 'Sons of Liberty,' they were more often called Sons of something entirely different, when mentioned by respectable folk.'"
October 5, 2024
Andrea’s Birthday Challenge to me—read a book & then make a dish or snack described in it. Thank you, Tim, for recommending one of your all-time favorites, Arundel by Kenneth Roberts published in 1930! As you told me, “a rollicking romp through the American Revolution with lots of hot buttered rum!” Cheers!
January 31, 2024
I just so enjoy Roberts' writing. I'm a sucker for his twists and turns. The place and time of pre-revolutionary America is wonderfully described with all its difficulties and splendor.
August 21, 2022
A fine example of what a story should be and one of the best I've probably ever read.
November 9, 2022
Arundel took me 8 months to read. Why? Because it's writing style, while authentic to the period, is hard to read in the context of American culture in the 2020s. Roberts is a master researcher unearthing period detail and facts that most others miss creating a vision of Revolutionary War era America that most never hear much less imagine. Its gritty. Its poor and dirty. Its unhealthy. Its chaotic, divisive, political and territorial. Its disloyal and heroically, unheroic.
The chances of developing the world's largest economy and global policeman out of this rabble are a million-to-one. But, retrospect proves it happened.
All that said, why the mediocre rating? Because its arduous to read. This book quickly becomes a labor of love versus page turning entertainment. Arundel demands patience and time to understand and absorb. It doesn't ask ... it demands.
I'd suggest anyone interested in an authentic image of America read this book. I'd guess that few beyond real students of the period will finish it.
The chances of developing the world's largest economy and global policeman out of this rabble are a million-to-one. But, retrospect proves it happened.
All that said, why the mediocre rating? Because its arduous to read. This book quickly becomes a labor of love versus page turning entertainment. Arundel demands patience and time to understand and absorb. It doesn't ask ... it demands.
I'd suggest anyone interested in an authentic image of America read this book. I'd guess that few beyond real students of the period will finish it.
August 6, 2016
I picked this book off my father's bookshelf. I am not sure how I missed it 50 years ago, or if it just recently appeared in his living room. When I asked Dad about it, he said that he read it in the 1930s as a boy, that it was very popular, and that he liked it a lot. I liked it a lot too. It is one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read. It was such a pleasure to read about ordinary people who are depicted with crystalline clarity in all their heroic strengths and foolish weaknesses. The bad guys are motivated by the usual normal vices. (Oh, for the good ol' days of the seven deadly sins driving antagonistic human behavior without any hint of brain-chemistry induced psycho/socio pathology a la a recently read novel by Dean Koontz.)
The story revolves around Benedict Arnold's torturous expedition with a rabble of an ill-equipped army through the Maine wilderness to assault and take Quebec in 1775. Through the voice of Stephen Nason, a young settler in coastal Maine, Kenneth Roberts depicts his characters with compassion, respect, love, and humor. Stephen's quest for the infatuatee of his life energizes his scouting efforts for the army. Betrayal is woven very democratically through relationships and events, and everyone suffers from the extreme Maine winter weather which Roberts makes the reader experience through Stephen's narration. There is a refreshing unselfconscious lack of stereotyping whether speaking of women, indigenous people, French Canadians, farmers and merchants turned soldiers, and even Benedict Arnold.
Roberts researched details using many local (Maine) sources which are referenced at the back of the book. I was also happy to discover some recommended books there and that Roberts has a few more books drawing on the same characters. Time to get online with my library to see what is actually available.
The story revolves around Benedict Arnold's torturous expedition with a rabble of an ill-equipped army through the Maine wilderness to assault and take Quebec in 1775. Through the voice of Stephen Nason, a young settler in coastal Maine, Kenneth Roberts depicts his characters with compassion, respect, love, and humor. Stephen's quest for the infatuatee of his life energizes his scouting efforts for the army. Betrayal is woven very democratically through relationships and events, and everyone suffers from the extreme Maine winter weather which Roberts makes the reader experience through Stephen's narration. There is a refreshing unselfconscious lack of stereotyping whether speaking of women, indigenous people, French Canadians, farmers and merchants turned soldiers, and even Benedict Arnold.
Roberts researched details using many local (Maine) sources which are referenced at the back of the book. I was also happy to discover some recommended books there and that Roberts has a few more books drawing on the same characters. Time to get online with my library to see what is actually available.
August 10, 2014
A couple years ago while we were up visiting our friends in Maine, we ventured into a used bookstore. I don't recall what I bought, but my friend found a copy of a book and purchased it. As we left the shop, he handed the book to me and said that he thought that I would really enjoy it. I do recall his saying it was a work of fiction although based on historical fact. He and I are both fans of George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman books, which are in the same genre.
It wasn't much later that I got my first Kindle and got hooked on reading digital books. My physical book collection has been collecting dust, but before heading to the beach, I decided it was probably wiser to take a physical book, than the Kindle Reader. Arundel was the first book that came to mind, and boy, am I glad it was!
By the end of the chapter I was hooked! The characters are just so well written that you almost feel you know them. One of the characters, Cap Huff, is a bit of a lovable scoundrel, and as such, easily one of my favorite characters.
But anyway, the story of Benedict Arnold's expedition to surprise the English at Quebec is an amazing story and damned hard to put down! Add to that the story of Steven Nason's quest to rescue his lost love, and you've got a winner that I will easily give 5 stars on Goodreads. Just on that alone, I can't imagine this book hasn't been scooped up to make a teen angst movie (and no, it doesn't read that way, I can just see how easily it could be played that way).
Highly recommended!
It wasn't much later that I got my first Kindle and got hooked on reading digital books. My physical book collection has been collecting dust, but before heading to the beach, I decided it was probably wiser to take a physical book, than the Kindle Reader. Arundel was the first book that came to mind, and boy, am I glad it was!
By the end of the chapter I was hooked! The characters are just so well written that you almost feel you know them. One of the characters, Cap Huff, is a bit of a lovable scoundrel, and as such, easily one of my favorite characters.
But anyway, the story of Benedict Arnold's expedition to surprise the English at Quebec is an amazing story and damned hard to put down! Add to that the story of Steven Nason's quest to rescue his lost love, and you've got a winner that I will easily give 5 stars on Goodreads. Just on that alone, I can't imagine this book hasn't been scooped up to make a teen angst movie (and no, it doesn't read that way, I can just see how easily it could be played that way).
Highly recommended!
March 20, 2021
I was so hoping 'Arundel' would be a gem. Unfortunately, it has not aged particularly well since its 1929 publication. Don't get me wrong. Some aspects of this book are outstanding. The description of Benedict Arnold's ill-fated trek to Quebec via the Kennebec River with the harrowing weather and seemingly unendurable hardships is highly compelling. The sympathetic treatment of the Abenakis and their culture is excellent. Roberts' seamless weaving of history and narrative makes this book fine historical fiction. And the clearly wrought descriptions of mid-18th century Maine life and environment are outstanding. But I found the drama layered on top of all that to be wanting. Arnold's ridiculous reaction upon Nason's return from visiting Colonel Enos rings hollow. The idea that Nason would moon over Mary Mallinson for 16 years based on single encounter with her as a boy defies belief. Finally, Nason's treatment of and dialog with Phoebe throughout the book grates on modern sensibilities. This is a good book. I did like it. But my opinion of it goes no further than that. Recommended for fans of historical fiction. Recommended with reservations (for flawed story elements) for everyone else.
December 15, 2010
This 1929 historical fiction novel about the American Revolution has not been made into a movie yet and I do not know why. It's a dense, academic read, but if you can read slowly and carefully, you'll find such rich characters and very funny lines -- especially those observing women. It might be my new favorite book. And it also highlights why Americans always go for the underdog -- we WERE the underdog. The other thing I like is that it's a quest book but on familiar landscape -- the trees and animals and such are all in MY backyard. Lots of quest books have hobbits and things I don't know well. This one is true. Loved it.
August 9, 2008
My view of Maine and what life was like in the Colonies was shaped by this book. This was the 1st one of Mr. Roberts that I read. I meant a person while I was a Boy Scout in MN who knew the author personally. I have forgotten who this person was, just that he had a British accent.
Thank you, thought for the memories.
Great book.
Thank you, thought for the memories.
Great book.
January 4, 2014
This book provides a fictional look at a factual event: Benedict Arnold's ill-fated attempt to take Quebec during the American Revolution.
I can't say enough good things bout this book. The writing is superb, the little-known tidbits of Abenaki lore are fun, and the historical detail is great.
This book is perfect for a wintery seasonal read.
I can't say enough good things bout this book. The writing is superb, the little-known tidbits of Abenaki lore are fun, and the historical detail is great.
This book is perfect for a wintery seasonal read.
May 4, 2019
I learned that Benedict Arnold was a patriot & a hero before he was a traitor. I also learned a lot about the country between the east coast of Maine & Quebec. My favorite character was Phoebe a woman ahead of her time. I liked the book, but at times it got a bit bogged down in details for me. Worth the read.
July 21, 2011
By bringing the experiences of one foot soldier alive in this exciting tale he brings to bear what feels like the timeless trials of deprivation and lack of focus by the generals that many soldiers have endured.
July 18, 2017
Having read several of Kenneth Robert's novels I was looking forward to this one. Boring. The first few chapters sets up the plot well enough and then the rest of the book is a dripping faucet... except for the last chapter. Very disappointed and not sure I will read anymore of his books.
June 4, 2018
I wanted to read this story. And I still want to read this story, but I want to read it in a more engaging way. I really tried, and I do think he is a proficient writer, but somehow this fell flat for me.
December 12, 2021
Good historical account of Colonel Benedict Arnold and his ill fated attempt to conquer Quebec. I really enjoyed book 3 and the descriptions of them traveling up the Kennebec River. Read this for a book club. wouldn't have sought it out myself.
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