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Defiant Brides: The Untold Story of Two Revolutionary-Era Women and the Radical Men They Married
The story of two Revolutionary–era teenagers who defy their Loyalist families to marry radical patriots, Henry Knox and Benedict Arnold, and are forever changed
When Peggy Shippen, the celebrated blonde belle of Philadelphia, married American military hero Benedict Arnold in 1779, she anticipated a life of fame and fortune, but financial debts and political intrigues prompted her to conspire with her treasonous husband against George Washington and the American Revolution. In spite of her commendable efforts to rehabilitate her husband’s name, Peggy Shippen continues to be remembered as a traitor bride.
Peggy’s patriotic counterpart was Lucy Flucker, the spirited and voluptuous brunette, who in 1774 defied her wealthy Tory parents by marrying a poor Boston bookbinder simply for love. When her husband, Henry Knox, later became a famous general in the American Revolutionary War, Lucy faithfully followed him through Washington’s army camps where she birthed and lost babies, befriended Martha Washington, was praised for her social skills, and secured her legacy as an admired patriot wife.
And yet, as esteemed biographer Nancy Rubin Stuart reveals, a closer look at the lives of both spirited women reveals that neither was simply a “traitor” or “patriot.” In Defiant Brides, the first dual biography of both Peggy Shippen Arnold and Lucy Flucker Knox, Stuart has crafted a rich portrait of two rebellious women who defied expectations and struggled—publicly and privately—in a volatile political moment in early America.
Drawing from never-before-published correspondence, Stuart traces the evolution of these women from passionate teenage brides to mature matrons, bringing both women from the sidelines of history to its vital center. Readers will be enthralled by Stuart’s dramatic account of the epic lives of these defiant brides, which begin with romance, are complicated by politics, and involve spies, disappointments, heroic deeds, tragedies, and personal triumphs.
When Peggy Shippen, the celebrated blonde belle of Philadelphia, married American military hero Benedict Arnold in 1779, she anticipated a life of fame and fortune, but financial debts and political intrigues prompted her to conspire with her treasonous husband against George Washington and the American Revolution. In spite of her commendable efforts to rehabilitate her husband’s name, Peggy Shippen continues to be remembered as a traitor bride.
Peggy’s patriotic counterpart was Lucy Flucker, the spirited and voluptuous brunette, who in 1774 defied her wealthy Tory parents by marrying a poor Boston bookbinder simply for love. When her husband, Henry Knox, later became a famous general in the American Revolutionary War, Lucy faithfully followed him through Washington’s army camps where she birthed and lost babies, befriended Martha Washington, was praised for her social skills, and secured her legacy as an admired patriot wife.
And yet, as esteemed biographer Nancy Rubin Stuart reveals, a closer look at the lives of both spirited women reveals that neither was simply a “traitor” or “patriot.” In Defiant Brides, the first dual biography of both Peggy Shippen Arnold and Lucy Flucker Knox, Stuart has crafted a rich portrait of two rebellious women who defied expectations and struggled—publicly and privately—in a volatile political moment in early America.
Drawing from never-before-published correspondence, Stuart traces the evolution of these women from passionate teenage brides to mature matrons, bringing both women from the sidelines of history to its vital center. Readers will be enthralled by Stuart’s dramatic account of the epic lives of these defiant brides, which begin with romance, are complicated by politics, and involve spies, disappointments, heroic deeds, tragedies, and personal triumphs.
264 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
88 people are currently reading
2103 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Rubin Stuart
10 books43 followersNancy Rubin Stuart is an award-winning author and journalist whose many traditionally published books specialize in women, biography and social history.
Her most recently published book is the acclaimed DEFIANT BRIDES; The Untold Story of Two Revolutionary-Era Women Who Married Radical Men, a double biography of the wives of Benedict Arnold and General Henry Knox.This work was a selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club 2 and the History and Military Book Clubs.
She is currently completing a book about Benjamin Franklin’s Women for Beacon Press.
A former journalist, Nancy’s work has appeared in the New York Times, Huffington Post,The New England Quarterly, The Los Angeles Times,The Stamford Advocate, American History , Family Circle , Ladies Home Journal, Parents magazine and other national publications.
She currently serves as Executive Director of the Cape Cod Writers Center in Osterville, Massachusetts.
Earlier books include Nancy’s 2008THE MUSE OF THE REVOLUTION: The Secret Pen of Mercy Otis Warren and the Founding of a Nationfor which she received the Historic Winslow House Book Award. That was preceded by the 2005 publication ofTHE RELUCTANT SPIRITUALIST:The Life of Maggie Foxwhich won the American Society of Journalists and Authors’ Outstanding Book Award in Nonfiction.
Under her previous byline, Nancy Rubin, she published the best-selling AMERICAN EMPRESS; The Life and Times of Marjorie Merriweather Postnow in paperback and available as an audio book on Amazon. Earlier books under that byline were ISABELLA OF CASTILE: The First Renaissance Queen, THE MOTHER MIRROR: How a Generation of Women Is Changing Motherhood in America and THE NEW SUBURBAN WOMAN: Beyond Myth and Motherhood .
Honors include a William Randolph Hearst Fellowship from the American Antiquarian Society; three Telly Awards from the cable television industry, the 1992 Author of the Year Award from the American Society of Authors and Journalists, the Washington Irving Award from the Westchester Library System, a Time, Inc. scholarship from the Bread Loaf Writers Conference and a fellowship from the MacDowell Colony.
Nancy has spoken to hundreds of live audiences as well as on national radio and television. In 2019 she appeared in the History Channel’s “The Food That Built America” in connection withAMERICAN EMPRESS.Among her national media appearances are C-Span's BookTV, the A & E Series “Mansions, Monuments and Masterpieces” and “America’s Castles,” Oprah, CBS Morning News and National Public Radio.
She enjoys speaking to book clubs and colleges because it brings her closer to readers in audiences ranging from the Palm Beach Society of the Four Arts to Manhattan's National Arts Club. During the pandemic Nancy continues to reach readers through Zoom and other internet sites.
Nancy is a graduate of Tufts University and Brown University Graduate School, and holds a Doctorate in Humane Letters from Mount Vernon College, now part of Georgetown University.
Born in Boston, she and her husband Bill returned to Massachusetts from Manhattan in 2008 where she enjoys, dancing, gardening, music, and the cultural life of Boston and New York.
Nancy began writing as a child. Her first book was about the family dog. “It’s not published,” she admits, “ but I still have a frayed foolscap copy of that work.”
Her most recently published book is the acclaimed DEFIANT BRIDES; The Untold Story of Two Revolutionary-Era Women Who Married Radical Men, a double biography of the wives of Benedict Arnold and General Henry Knox.This work was a selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club 2 and the History and Military Book Clubs.
She is currently completing a book about Benjamin Franklin’s Women for Beacon Press.
A former journalist, Nancy’s work has appeared in the New York Times, Huffington Post,The New England Quarterly, The Los Angeles Times,The Stamford Advocate, American History , Family Circle , Ladies Home Journal, Parents magazine and other national publications.
She currently serves as Executive Director of the Cape Cod Writers Center in Osterville, Massachusetts.
Earlier books include Nancy’s 2008THE MUSE OF THE REVOLUTION: The Secret Pen of Mercy Otis Warren and the Founding of a Nationfor which she received the Historic Winslow House Book Award. That was preceded by the 2005 publication ofTHE RELUCTANT SPIRITUALIST:The Life of Maggie Foxwhich won the American Society of Journalists and Authors’ Outstanding Book Award in Nonfiction.
Under her previous byline, Nancy Rubin, she published the best-selling AMERICAN EMPRESS; The Life and Times of Marjorie Merriweather Postnow in paperback and available as an audio book on Amazon. Earlier books under that byline were ISABELLA OF CASTILE: The First Renaissance Queen, THE MOTHER MIRROR: How a Generation of Women Is Changing Motherhood in America and THE NEW SUBURBAN WOMAN: Beyond Myth and Motherhood .
Honors include a William Randolph Hearst Fellowship from the American Antiquarian Society; three Telly Awards from the cable television industry, the 1992 Author of the Year Award from the American Society of Authors and Journalists, the Washington Irving Award from the Westchester Library System, a Time, Inc. scholarship from the Bread Loaf Writers Conference and a fellowship from the MacDowell Colony.
Nancy has spoken to hundreds of live audiences as well as on national radio and television. In 2019 she appeared in the History Channel’s “The Food That Built America” in connection withAMERICAN EMPRESS.Among her national media appearances are C-Span's BookTV, the A & E Series “Mansions, Monuments and Masterpieces” and “America’s Castles,” Oprah, CBS Morning News and National Public Radio.
She enjoys speaking to book clubs and colleges because it brings her closer to readers in audiences ranging from the Palm Beach Society of the Four Arts to Manhattan's National Arts Club. During the pandemic Nancy continues to reach readers through Zoom and other internet sites.
Nancy is a graduate of Tufts University and Brown University Graduate School, and holds a Doctorate in Humane Letters from Mount Vernon College, now part of Georgetown University.
Born in Boston, she and her husband Bill returned to Massachusetts from Manhattan in 2008 where she enjoys, dancing, gardening, music, and the cultural life of Boston and New York.
Nancy began writing as a child. Her first book was about the family dog. “It’s not published,” she admits, “ but I still have a frayed foolscap copy of that work.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
August 18, 2025
Historian Nancy Rubin Stuart returns to the Revolutionary War era with a dual biography of two leading ladies, with her sights set on the lives and relationships of both Lucy Flucker Knox and Margaret “Peggy” Shippen. Having previously written a phenomenal chronicle of Mercy Otis Warren’s life and times, Stuart sets out in her introduction with a determination to answer critical questions revolving around the two wives’ relationships, decisions, and actions that would later impact both their future livelihoods and overall social standing. She also makes it clear that while both indeed came from similar class backgrounds, they should not be judged solely on the basis of their choice in husbands—nor for one being branded a “Loyalist” over the more welcoming “Patriot” label.
With the opening chapter discussing Peggy’s teenage introduction to Philadelphia society via a British masquerade ball, Stuart easily weaves in a gripping narrative strung with an assortment of facts such as her father, Edward Shippen, being acquainted with fellow Junto Club member Benjamin Franklin. Italian in name and celebrated with Turkish costumes, this “Mischianza” gala was presented to the Howe brothers for their recent victories by the budding officer, John André, whom Stuart insists was amicably attached to the flirtatious and beautiful Shippen from that night on—not romantically as the long-held rumor has suggested. Easily keeping the reader’s attention and sticking with a well-structured pace, the following chapter appropriately switches to Lucy Knox’s upbringing and early life, proving to choose love over her family’s deep Loyalist ties by swiftly marrying the radically-minded Henry Knox in 1775.
Indeed, her parents would go on to shun and snub the couple for years to come, intentionally skipping their wedding and leaving Lucy heartbroken as they sailed for Nova Scotia and England one year later. Well-researched and rich with primary sources, letter after letter between both women’s attachments and liaisons are dutifully picked apart—praising the birth of a child, the direction of a battle, promotions, death, worry, and of course love and passion. A unique and interesting part of this dual biography involves Stuart weaving together the instances in which these historical figures happen to coincidentally meet and become acquainted with one another—with Benedict Arnold and Lucy Knox traveling together by coach to Valley Forge, and Henry Knox befriending British officer John André on two separate occasions, among other happenstances:
That month, as two other blizzards swept over the region, burying Philadelphia and New York in five feet of snow, both Peggy and Lucy remained in suspense: Peggy, in luxurious surroundings at the Masters-Penn mansion, and Lucy, at Knox’s simpler quarters in Morristown. Had the two women met, they would have discovered much in common that chilly January. Born to privilege and linked to the Revolution through their husbands, both women were pregnant and both hoped for Arnold’s acquittal.
The infamous betrayal and treason at West Point is discussed in great detail, with explanations of the meetings and incognito letters between Major André and both Peggy and Benedict Arnold, while also including his subsequent capture and Arnold’s eventual retreat to the British. Here, Peggy plays a marvelous role as a raving mad damsel in distress—with Stuart characteristically capturing all aspects of her frantics from that eventful day, until her eventual agreed upon release to the British months later. Although split into three separate parts, it becomes clear about halfway through the book that Stuart has a tendency to focus more so on the Arnold’s relationship, which leaves the depth and excitement of the Knox’s overall love and escapades paling by comparison.
Fortunately, there are not a few clever moments where Stuart grafts together pivotal moments in the Revolutionary War with that of the Knox’s writing to one another—with Henry’s artillery blasting the enemy away with cannonball at Yorktown, and all the while sending updates and everlasting love notes to his Lucy. Stuart not only brings in the occasional new fact and other less-known tidbits from her research of the Revolutionary and Founding eras, but also explains how each couple jointly suffered through the pain and misfortune of losing a child, oftentimes months after a pregnancy. Similarly, both the Knox family and the Arnold’s would live highly beyond their means, displaying their wealth (indeed, increasingly lack thereof) with fine dress and gourmet dining, as well as stately mansions and apartments. One of which, Montpelier—the Knox’s grand estate in Maine—Stuart describes in exceptional detail by noting the architecture, landscape, guests, and activities of the day.
Never ceasing to disappoint, Defiant Brides stays faithful to both of the wives' final days spent as widows, where Lucy would live distraught and mourning her late husband with the last of only three of their thirteen surviving children—along with a happy and growing brood of grandchildren. Conversely, Peggy would rally in spirit and in society by paying off Arnold’s debts and providing education and expenses for not only their own children, but honorably those of his prior marriage and to his sister, Hannah. Stuart’s biography stands as a tribute to these two women: capturing their affections, flaws, and historical significance as the devoted wives of two generals of the American Revolution. Concluding with the Knox and Arnold family legacies over subsequent generations, a useful index and the few known silhouettes and portraits to survive are also provided.
With the opening chapter discussing Peggy’s teenage introduction to Philadelphia society via a British masquerade ball, Stuart easily weaves in a gripping narrative strung with an assortment of facts such as her father, Edward Shippen, being acquainted with fellow Junto Club member Benjamin Franklin. Italian in name and celebrated with Turkish costumes, this “Mischianza” gala was presented to the Howe brothers for their recent victories by the budding officer, John André, whom Stuart insists was amicably attached to the flirtatious and beautiful Shippen from that night on—not romantically as the long-held rumor has suggested. Easily keeping the reader’s attention and sticking with a well-structured pace, the following chapter appropriately switches to Lucy Knox’s upbringing and early life, proving to choose love over her family’s deep Loyalist ties by swiftly marrying the radically-minded Henry Knox in 1775.
Indeed, her parents would go on to shun and snub the couple for years to come, intentionally skipping their wedding and leaving Lucy heartbroken as they sailed for Nova Scotia and England one year later. Well-researched and rich with primary sources, letter after letter between both women’s attachments and liaisons are dutifully picked apart—praising the birth of a child, the direction of a battle, promotions, death, worry, and of course love and passion. A unique and interesting part of this dual biography involves Stuart weaving together the instances in which these historical figures happen to coincidentally meet and become acquainted with one another—with Benedict Arnold and Lucy Knox traveling together by coach to Valley Forge, and Henry Knox befriending British officer John André on two separate occasions, among other happenstances:
That month, as two other blizzards swept over the region, burying Philadelphia and New York in five feet of snow, both Peggy and Lucy remained in suspense: Peggy, in luxurious surroundings at the Masters-Penn mansion, and Lucy, at Knox’s simpler quarters in Morristown. Had the two women met, they would have discovered much in common that chilly January. Born to privilege and linked to the Revolution through their husbands, both women were pregnant and both hoped for Arnold’s acquittal.
The infamous betrayal and treason at West Point is discussed in great detail, with explanations of the meetings and incognito letters between Major André and both Peggy and Benedict Arnold, while also including his subsequent capture and Arnold’s eventual retreat to the British. Here, Peggy plays a marvelous role as a raving mad damsel in distress—with Stuart characteristically capturing all aspects of her frantics from that eventful day, until her eventual agreed upon release to the British months later. Although split into three separate parts, it becomes clear about halfway through the book that Stuart has a tendency to focus more so on the Arnold’s relationship, which leaves the depth and excitement of the Knox’s overall love and escapades paling by comparison.
Fortunately, there are not a few clever moments where Stuart grafts together pivotal moments in the Revolutionary War with that of the Knox’s writing to one another—with Henry’s artillery blasting the enemy away with cannonball at Yorktown, and all the while sending updates and everlasting love notes to his Lucy. Stuart not only brings in the occasional new fact and other less-known tidbits from her research of the Revolutionary and Founding eras, but also explains how each couple jointly suffered through the pain and misfortune of losing a child, oftentimes months after a pregnancy. Similarly, both the Knox family and the Arnold’s would live highly beyond their means, displaying their wealth (indeed, increasingly lack thereof) with fine dress and gourmet dining, as well as stately mansions and apartments. One of which, Montpelier—the Knox’s grand estate in Maine—Stuart describes in exceptional detail by noting the architecture, landscape, guests, and activities of the day.
Never ceasing to disappoint, Defiant Brides stays faithful to both of the wives' final days spent as widows, where Lucy would live distraught and mourning her late husband with the last of only three of their thirteen surviving children—along with a happy and growing brood of grandchildren. Conversely, Peggy would rally in spirit and in society by paying off Arnold’s debts and providing education and expenses for not only their own children, but honorably those of his prior marriage and to his sister, Hannah. Stuart’s biography stands as a tribute to these two women: capturing their affections, flaws, and historical significance as the devoted wives of two generals of the American Revolution. Concluding with the Knox and Arnold family legacies over subsequent generations, a useful index and the few known silhouettes and portraits to survive are also provided.
September 2, 2025
I found this book thanks to the review of a GR friend. Histories of our Founders are always of interest to me and this one offered a glimpse into the lives of a couple of their wives. Better yet one of these wives was Peggy Shippen Arnold wife of Benedict Arnold. I've read 7 or 8 biographies of Arnold as he has become a fascination for me personally since his story is replete with life lessons that we all should be familiar with. I have already read a full biography of his wife but there's always the chance to learn something more so a purchase was made.
Now I wasn't expecting too much from this book and it is only 212 pages of text so my expectation was reinforced by number of pages for what is a biography of two women. The author's preface further informs the reader that there isn't much primary source material available for women in general from this period of history. As the author explains women were rarely ever part of the events that comprise history as their roles were restricted to domestic responsibilities. As a consequence very little was ever written about women or written by women so the challenge of this book was to find enough material upon which to assemble a respectable history. The two women the author has chosen are Peggy Shippen Arnold and Lucy Flucker Knox, wife of Henry Knox, Revolutionary War general and our first secretary of war.
Both of these women have similar lives and origins prior to their marriages. Both were from prominent families and both had advantageous lives. The Shippen family were politically neutral during the Revolution. I would term them more as fence straddlers never declaring for one side or the other but cooperating with whom ever was in power at the moment. Lucy's family were Loyalists and left for England when things became heated. Neither of these two families approved of the choices their daughters made for a husband. The Shippens tolerated Arnold for the sake of peace with their spoiled daughter Peggy while the Fluckers refused to attend the wedding of their headstrong daughter Lucy and then left for London. The pairing of these two women and their marriages is very interesting, more interesting than I expected.
I'm giving this book 4 stars though it's closer to being a 3.5 star book. What pushes it to 4 is the amount of detail reported in the everyday affairs these 2 women and their friends and families. The reader will be treated to learning about the social lives of well to do 18th century women and what their values, concerns, joys, and sorrows were. My God, Lucy Knox had 13 children in a time when childbirth was an extremely dangerous undertaking. Of that 13 children only 3 survived and the reader can't help but wonder how she stayed sane and functioning. Every few pages Lucy is pregnant and then a few more pages and one of the kids is sick and then dead. Keep in mind that these women were well off by the standards of the day so can the reader imagine the lives of the wives of the ordinary Revolutionary soldier of the time? I love histories that give the reader a look at ordinary life taking place during historic events. These women weren't ordinary but the quality of their lives was no walk in the park so the reader can only imagine the lives of others.
Since the available material for these women isn't very extensive it is more than what there probably is available for any other woman of the time. The author I believe is forced to compensate for the lack of really meaty detail by including how these women were affected by the lives of their husbands. Considering the role of women in this time such inclusion should be expected. I was very familiar with Arnold and his treason but this book offered detail that I had not discovered in any of the numerous biographies of Arnold that I have read. That alone was enough for me to earn the 4th star but that's a bias of mine. But I also have to say that I really didn't know that much about Knox so this book is also a partial biography of the 2 husbands of these 2 wives. So while the book is supposed to be about 2 women it would be impossible to write their story without including their husbands. This was an engaging and informative little treasure of a book about a very small part of our Revolutionary history. Enjoy
Now I wasn't expecting too much from this book and it is only 212 pages of text so my expectation was reinforced by number of pages for what is a biography of two women. The author's preface further informs the reader that there isn't much primary source material available for women in general from this period of history. As the author explains women were rarely ever part of the events that comprise history as their roles were restricted to domestic responsibilities. As a consequence very little was ever written about women or written by women so the challenge of this book was to find enough material upon which to assemble a respectable history. The two women the author has chosen are Peggy Shippen Arnold and Lucy Flucker Knox, wife of Henry Knox, Revolutionary War general and our first secretary of war.
Both of these women have similar lives and origins prior to their marriages. Both were from prominent families and both had advantageous lives. The Shippen family were politically neutral during the Revolution. I would term them more as fence straddlers never declaring for one side or the other but cooperating with whom ever was in power at the moment. Lucy's family were Loyalists and left for England when things became heated. Neither of these two families approved of the choices their daughters made for a husband. The Shippens tolerated Arnold for the sake of peace with their spoiled daughter Peggy while the Fluckers refused to attend the wedding of their headstrong daughter Lucy and then left for London. The pairing of these two women and their marriages is very interesting, more interesting than I expected.
I'm giving this book 4 stars though it's closer to being a 3.5 star book. What pushes it to 4 is the amount of detail reported in the everyday affairs these 2 women and their friends and families. The reader will be treated to learning about the social lives of well to do 18th century women and what their values, concerns, joys, and sorrows were. My God, Lucy Knox had 13 children in a time when childbirth was an extremely dangerous undertaking. Of that 13 children only 3 survived and the reader can't help but wonder how she stayed sane and functioning. Every few pages Lucy is pregnant and then a few more pages and one of the kids is sick and then dead. Keep in mind that these women were well off by the standards of the day so can the reader imagine the lives of the wives of the ordinary Revolutionary soldier of the time? I love histories that give the reader a look at ordinary life taking place during historic events. These women weren't ordinary but the quality of their lives was no walk in the park so the reader can only imagine the lives of others.
Since the available material for these women isn't very extensive it is more than what there probably is available for any other woman of the time. The author I believe is forced to compensate for the lack of really meaty detail by including how these women were affected by the lives of their husbands. Considering the role of women in this time such inclusion should be expected. I was very familiar with Arnold and his treason but this book offered detail that I had not discovered in any of the numerous biographies of Arnold that I have read. That alone was enough for me to earn the 4th star but that's a bias of mine. But I also have to say that I really didn't know that much about Knox so this book is also a partial biography of the 2 husbands of these 2 wives. So while the book is supposed to be about 2 women it would be impossible to write their story without including their husbands. This was an engaging and informative little treasure of a book about a very small part of our Revolutionary history. Enjoy
March 17, 2024
I bought this book because I was hoping to learn more about Peggy, but alas it was not to be. But ask me about Benedict I got you
Edit:there is finally there is a bio of Peggy! I think I bought it i dont know I can't remember what it's called I want to say the word beauty is in the title? There is a book about Benedict I bought recently too. Both look at least interesting. I can tell you if you are interested the book about Benedict is on my American nonfiction shelf and Peggy is on my notorious women shelf.
Edit:there is finally there is a bio of Peggy! I think I bought it i dont know I can't remember what it's called I want to say the word beauty is in the title? There is a book about Benedict I bought recently too. Both look at least interesting. I can tell you if you are interested the book about Benedict is on my American nonfiction shelf and Peggy is on my notorious women shelf.
August 21, 2023
A duel biography of Lucy Flucker Knox and Margaret “Peggy” Shippen, teenage brides of Revolutionary men.
The first 1/3 of the book introduces the women and their future husbands, and then tells the story of their lives with Henry Knox and Benedict Arnold. I started enjoying the book more when we entered life after the American Revolution. There were a lot tidbits here, about both families, that I had not read before. However, like in the other book I read by Rubin, the information on the women is not as in depth as I would have liked. As I said in that review, women were not considered important enough at the time for their diaries and writings to be preserved.
A decent account of an era that is very interesting for me. I do doubt I will read another Rubin book. Although her writing and storytelling is ok, therein lies the problem, for me. Haven't the desire to read "just OK" books at this stage of my reading life.
Recommended as a good introduction for those just beginning to explore The American Revolution
The first 1/3 of the book introduces the women and their future husbands, and then tells the story of their lives with Henry Knox and Benedict Arnold. I started enjoying the book more when we entered life after the American Revolution. There were a lot tidbits here, about both families, that I had not read before. However, like in the other book I read by Rubin, the information on the women is not as in depth as I would have liked. As I said in that review, women were not considered important enough at the time for their diaries and writings to be preserved.
A decent account of an era that is very interesting for me. I do doubt I will read another Rubin book. Although her writing and storytelling is ok, therein lies the problem, for me. Haven't the desire to read "just OK" books at this stage of my reading life.
Recommended as a good introduction for those just beginning to explore The American Revolution
November 6, 2018
In the second sentence of the book, the author states that Peggy Shippen Arnold & Lucy Flucker Knox were both born in 1760, but one sentence later, this author tells us that the two women were born 4 years apart!
May 5, 2021
I had such hopes for this one, but alas it was not to be.
It should be said that this is a review of a DNF, I read enough to know what wasn’t working for me but with the due date at the library’s arrival I had to give it back and I don’t miss it. Proceed with that knowledge, because I’m probably going on a little bit of a rant here.
Here we go: I am so freaking tired of women’s stories being told through the lens of the men in their lives as the predominant view. SO. TIRED. This book purports to be the story of two women and the radical men they married. Fine. Then it needs to be at least even handed between the genders, if not tipped to the women because the title is literally Defiant Brides. That is not what happened here. Listen, I’m a fan of Henry Knox, you know? Who doesn’t appreciate a bookseller who uses his shipping and organizational prowess to turn the tides of the war? But if I wanted a book about Henry Knox (or, I guess Benedict Arnold) I would have picked up a biography about him. I did not do that.
And you know why I don’t read biographies of military officers from any war? I CAN’T STAND THE MINUTIA OF WAR. I’m a history major, I did my time. I respect the hell out of the people who serve, but the history of battles and campaigns bores me to tears. I dared to dream I was safe with this one, as the subtitle says revolutionary era. The time surrounding the war! I can totally dig on the social history surrounding times of conflict. THIS BOOK IS HIP DEEP IN THE EARLY CAMPAIGNS OF THE WAR WITHIN TWENTY-FIVE PAGES. Friends, that was not what I signed up for.
And one more thing before I get off my soapbox and go about forgetting I ever wasted time on this book: I was promised previously unpublished writings of these women. I suppose Stuart works them into her narrative, but fuck if I could tell.
Skip it.
It should be said that this is a review of a DNF, I read enough to know what wasn’t working for me but with the due date at the library’s arrival I had to give it back and I don’t miss it. Proceed with that knowledge, because I’m probably going on a little bit of a rant here.
Here we go: I am so freaking tired of women’s stories being told through the lens of the men in their lives as the predominant view. SO. TIRED. This book purports to be the story of two women and the radical men they married. Fine. Then it needs to be at least even handed between the genders, if not tipped to the women because the title is literally Defiant Brides. That is not what happened here. Listen, I’m a fan of Henry Knox, you know? Who doesn’t appreciate a bookseller who uses his shipping and organizational prowess to turn the tides of the war? But if I wanted a book about Henry Knox (or, I guess Benedict Arnold) I would have picked up a biography about him. I did not do that.
And you know why I don’t read biographies of military officers from any war? I CAN’T STAND THE MINUTIA OF WAR. I’m a history major, I did my time. I respect the hell out of the people who serve, but the history of battles and campaigns bores me to tears. I dared to dream I was safe with this one, as the subtitle says revolutionary era. The time surrounding the war! I can totally dig on the social history surrounding times of conflict. THIS BOOK IS HIP DEEP IN THE EARLY CAMPAIGNS OF THE WAR WITHIN TWENTY-FIVE PAGES. Friends, that was not what I signed up for.
And one more thing before I get off my soapbox and go about forgetting I ever wasted time on this book: I was promised previously unpublished writings of these women. I suppose Stuart works them into her narrative, but fuck if I could tell.
Skip it.
August 18, 2022
To be honest, this is really more a biography of Generals Arnold and Knox than of the Mrs Arnold and Knox. However, it was nice to get an overview of two important figures of the American Revolution that includes their familial context. Great men (and women) are often presented in history studies as though they were nothing but their historic deeds - they had no friends, families, or personal interests that could have possibly been significant or worth mentioning. Yet those things can that are of personal importance to powerful people often drives their decisions of historic import. This book helps illustrate that neglected point. I didn’t find this to be a gripping, definitive book, but it’s interesting and accessible, and provides a valuable take on feminine and familial contributions to our history.
April 3, 2013
There must be something in the air. This is the second book that I have read in the past few weeks that is primarily focused on correspondence of the focal characters. In a uniquely parallel perspective of two contemporaries, we follow the stories of Peggy Shippen Arnold, wife of Benedict, and Lucy Flucker Knox, wife of Henry. Both men are familiar to everyone who is familiar with the American Revolution, although in most accounts of the time the women’s contributions to the course of history are often ignored in their entirety.
A solid grounding in research, providing a curiously parallel track of the lives of these two women allows the reader to enhance their knowledge of some key players in the Revolution, from a different perspective; bringing freshness to the male-dominated history that we are all familiar with.
I don’t know that I saw either woman as particularly defiant, perhaps in marrying beneath their established social strata, or in their determination to persevere all the challenges thrown at them in their positions of helpmate and supporter of their husband’s activities. While there is a subtle lean on the part of the author to suggest Peggy Shipton Arnold is more deserving of recognition and a revamp of her image as wife of the most infamous traitor of the time, it did not distract from my reading. Perhaps it is so, far easier to be associated with a man and a name that is not reviled, but the relationship that was detailed between Lucy and Henry Knox was one that felt most modern and contemporary, despite the conventions of the day.
This book was an interesting read, providing volumes of information without reading like a history text: annotations are peppered throughout and give additional information, while the reproductions of portraits give face to the people featured in the book. The deft handling of the two stories, to compare and contrast their lives serves to enhance both their stories and is an elegant introduction to their lives.
I received an eBook copy from the Publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
A solid grounding in research, providing a curiously parallel track of the lives of these two women allows the reader to enhance their knowledge of some key players in the Revolution, from a different perspective; bringing freshness to the male-dominated history that we are all familiar with.
I don’t know that I saw either woman as particularly defiant, perhaps in marrying beneath their established social strata, or in their determination to persevere all the challenges thrown at them in their positions of helpmate and supporter of their husband’s activities. While there is a subtle lean on the part of the author to suggest Peggy Shipton Arnold is more deserving of recognition and a revamp of her image as wife of the most infamous traitor of the time, it did not distract from my reading. Perhaps it is so, far easier to be associated with a man and a name that is not reviled, but the relationship that was detailed between Lucy and Henry Knox was one that felt most modern and contemporary, despite the conventions of the day.
This book was an interesting read, providing volumes of information without reading like a history text: annotations are peppered throughout and give additional information, while the reproductions of portraits give face to the people featured in the book. The deft handling of the two stories, to compare and contrast their lives serves to enhance both their stories and is an elegant introduction to their lives.
I received an eBook copy from the Publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
August 3, 2021
Three and a half stars really for this very interesting double biography of the wives of Henry Knox and Benedict Arnold. I think it’s difficult to write a biography of women who weren’t entirely public figures themselves, and I learned many nice pieces of trivia and got a full and sympathetic image of both women and the families around them. I did think there were little errors and hiccups that made this a bit harder to enjoy. Some were small (as another reviewer pointed out, on the first page the author lists their birth years as being identical and then says one was four years older than the other) and some were just nitpicky on my part (she makes it sound like the Washingtons’ son who died after Yorktown was a child, while he was actually George’s 26 year old stepson). Mostly she used sources well, but sometimes the ellipses seemed to have eliminated words that made the syntax difficult to understand, and there were a LOT of names and places to keep track of. My biggest hesitation though was in her stated attempt to do some “both sides” work, to show that Peggy had good qualities and Lucy had flaws, regardless of what their husbands did. Which … fair. But she seemed very fixated on the fact that Lucy complained in her letters a lot about missing Henry, while Peggy really “grew up” and became stoic and resilient after her marriage and after Arnold died. To me that MIGHT be an indication of character … or it MIGHT be that one was married to a charming, cheerful, brilliant man she adored and the other was married to a guy who infuriated everyone he met, went overseas for years at a time, and left behind debts and a possible illegitimate son when he died. (Also, Lucy had 13 pregnancies and buried 10 children, so frankly it doesn’t bother me that she was sometimes snobby with the locals and liked to play cards … I say she gets a free pass for that stuff.) AND also, more than one person from the 20th century was referred to as an “Arnold apologist” who went around paying for memorial plaques and … yeah, sorry, no on that one too. An interesting and ultimately worthwhile snapshot of two interesting women and their families.
September 24, 2018
3.5
I've been reading quite a bit about the Revolutionary War lately and I appreciated hearing the point of view of 2 important women from the time period. I find Peggy Shippen very interesting, did she cause Benedict Arnold to become a traitor, influence him, or just stand by his side like many women of the era did for their husbands? We can't fully know, but as she was paid by the English government and some of her fits of hysteria and burning of papers make it seem like she was involved. I found Lucy Knox less interesting, but still enjoyed reading about. I can't even imagine what women of that day went through, not seeing their husbands for years, losing so many children etc. Lucy bore 13 children and only 3 survived! Not all of them died in infancy, some seemed like fluke accidents. So sad! So while the general public might not love this book, I do think someone into the history of the time period who wants to hear a women's voice would enjoy it.
I've been reading quite a bit about the Revolutionary War lately and I appreciated hearing the point of view of 2 important women from the time period. I find Peggy Shippen very interesting, did she cause Benedict Arnold to become a traitor, influence him, or just stand by his side like many women of the era did for their husbands? We can't fully know, but as she was paid by the English government and some of her fits of hysteria and burning of papers make it seem like she was involved. I found Lucy Knox less interesting, but still enjoyed reading about. I can't even imagine what women of that day went through, not seeing their husbands for years, losing so many children etc. Lucy bore 13 children and only 3 survived! Not all of them died in infancy, some seemed like fluke accidents. So sad! So while the general public might not love this book, I do think someone into the history of the time period who wants to hear a women's voice would enjoy it.
October 11, 2024
Review of the audio book, read by Ann M. Richardson.
A narrator can make or break an audio book and Richardson very nearly broke this one for me. Her voice was just so boring. I think, think, I might have liked this book one or at least a half a star better if it had had a different narrator.
Other than that it was the little details that got me. No, I honestly didn't know much of anything about Arnold, Peggy, Lucy or Henry going into this book. But I do know that George and Martha Washington didn't have any children of their own so when the author states that their son died, it should have been their stepson. And when it's said that the two women were born the same year then not long after they were born 4 years apart... well, an editor should have caught both of these things but that's also on the author to know their source material too.
I do think it is hard to write about women of this time period because so much about them and their writings weren't preserved the way that of men was. But when you decided to write a book about women in this time, you take on that challenge.
A narrator can make or break an audio book and Richardson very nearly broke this one for me. Her voice was just so boring. I think, think, I might have liked this book one or at least a half a star better if it had had a different narrator.
Other than that it was the little details that got me. No, I honestly didn't know much of anything about Arnold, Peggy, Lucy or Henry going into this book. But I do know that George and Martha Washington didn't have any children of their own so when the author states that their son died, it should have been their stepson. And when it's said that the two women were born the same year then not long after they were born 4 years apart... well, an editor should have caught both of these things but that's also on the author to know their source material too.
I do think it is hard to write about women of this time period because so much about them and their writings weren't preserved the way that of men was. But when you decided to write a book about women in this time, you take on that challenge.
July 30, 2018
What I enjoyed most about this book was the glimpses into these women's thoughts and minds through their correspondence and the sense the book gave of what it was like to live through this tumultuous time period.
I read the book for research purposes and found much of use, though sometimes the writing style grated on me (if I have to read "subsequent to" instead of *AFTER* one more time, I will certainly scream) and there were a few times I questioned the author's conclusions. Still, it was refreshing to see women's roles in the Revolutionary War examined more thoroughly.
I read the book for research purposes and found much of use, though sometimes the writing style grated on me (if I have to read "subsequent to" instead of *AFTER* one more time, I will certainly scream) and there were a few times I questioned the author's conclusions. Still, it was refreshing to see women's roles in the Revolutionary War examined more thoroughly.
March 22, 2022
I finished this one only because it was for a DAR book club discussion. My 2c: we don’t know much about these two women because they were fairly ordinary women of their time except for growing up wealthy and marrying men who ended up famous (or infamous). I see nothing wrong with that: the world needs plenty of ordinary people to keep it going round. But it does make for dull history reading; either woman would be better served by a carefully written historical fiction than a tedious catalog of every bit of information the author could find.
The parallels between Mrs. Knox and Mrs. Arnold are also less compelling the cover would have us believe, which makes for disjointed reading as the narrative swings back and forth between the two women’s lives.
The parallels between Mrs. Knox and Mrs. Arnold are also less compelling the cover would have us believe, which makes for disjointed reading as the narrative swings back and forth between the two women’s lives.
August 7, 2013
The first half of the book is more about Henry Knox and Benedict Arnold, rather than their wives. Lucy Knox comes across as whiny, although I'm sure losing 10 children out of 13 must have had a big impact on the poor woman. Peggy Shippen Arnold was much more interesting. The most interesting part of this book was it's exploration of the impact of the Revolution on the lives of the families, although in some respects the book just skimmed the surface, and left me wanting more.
April 21, 2024
While I have a fair amount of knowledge about Peggy Shippen, I confess to having much background on Lucy Flucker. This is criminal, I know, as she is the one with the stronger connection to my own home state of Maine. This book seeks to expose the lives of these ladies that have been buried under the shadow of their husbands. To some extent this succeeds as it at least keeps them as a prominate part of the conversation. While I recognize that it is impossible to separate them given the role given to women in the time, I still felt the focus to be at least nearly half on Knox and Arnold.
One aspect I did enjoy was that Stuart did not idolize either women and was quick to note their flaws. However, I did feel there was still a nudge of vehemence against Peggy or at least full cause of scorn to her husband which is the common attitude though one I believe lacks a nuance. There is so much of times as murky as the revolutionary war where much of how history falls and choices are made depend on choices that could have led to the polar opposite at any given time.
A solid overview, it was approachable, and did its best to highlight how active these ladies were in the time and the influence they held over their husbands. However, I'm not entirely sure why these particular two women are positioned as parallels though they ran in similar circles. Not the most engaging, but did enlighten me on some elements.
One aspect I did enjoy was that Stuart did not idolize either women and was quick to note their flaws. However, I did feel there was still a nudge of vehemence against Peggy or at least full cause of scorn to her husband which is the common attitude though one I believe lacks a nuance. There is so much of times as murky as the revolutionary war where much of how history falls and choices are made depend on choices that could have led to the polar opposite at any given time.
A solid overview, it was approachable, and did its best to highlight how active these ladies were in the time and the influence they held over their husbands. However, I'm not entirely sure why these particular two women are positioned as parallels though they ran in similar circles. Not the most engaging, but did enlighten me on some elements.
August 17, 2022
This book had some fun anecdotes and I loved the use of contemporary letters! The author had some great source material and I thought injected it into the narrative effectively and smoothly. That said, I can’t stand when a book has an obvious bias. To me, it seemed that the author thought much more highly of Peggy Arnold than Lucy Knox. It seemed to annoy the author that Lucy was so in love with her husband and wanted to be with him or hear from him. Peggy by contrast seemed to flourish when Benedict Arnold was absent, which the author made clear she respected. I’m wondering if perhaps she is judging these women not on the cultural norms of their time but on those of a more modern feminism. She even mentions how Peggy Arnold is forgotten by history, yet I’ve seen Peggy portrayed in far more movies, shows, and novels than Lucy Knox. In fact, where has Lucy Knox been remembered? Side note from my disappointment in the bias of this book- several times in this and other historical books it is mentioned that Lucy Knox was fat. So fat in fact that people wrote about it in their letters to one another, in a time when paper, quills, and ink were expensive, post was unreliable, and you had sunlight or candle to see by. So I looked it up, apparently they think she was about 250lbs, so now we know!
July 14, 2017
This is a double biography of Peggy Shippen Arnold and Lucy Flucker Knox both Revolutionary War era teen-age brides who married "beneath" them against their families' wishes. One married a man who would eventually be known as a traitor and would aid him in this endeavor, and the other married one of the strongest and most effective patriots of the Revolutionary War. Both were deeply in love with and devoted to their husbands throughout their lives. The author was very effective in contrasting their parallel lives. As a lover of American history, I found this an important book. I enjoyed getting glimpses of other heroes of the time, even a brief glimpse of young Alexander Hamilton as George Washington's aide after reading about him in another book. Although there was quite a contrast in the men, both wanted to live above their means which led to problems as time went by. I highly recommend this book and really would give it 4 stars when compared to other historical biographies. It was well done!
April 19, 2022
The two women are Lucy Flucker Knox, wife of Henry Knox, a high-ranking Revolutionary general and later Secretary of War in George Washington's cabinet; and Peggy Shippen Arnold, wife of Benedict Arnold, the best-known traitor of the time. The women are alike in some ways, very different in others, but always fascinating, as they struggled through the upheaval and divisiveness of that time period. They experienced how having to choose sides in the War led to the splitting of families, how the primitive medical awareness of the time led to the deaths of their children, plus having to endure lengthy separations from their husbands and extreme financial stress. And much more. The question of whether Peggy was complicit in Arnold's treachery, or an innocent victim, is definitively answered.
Over many years, I've found reading about women in history to be consistently enjoyable, and Defiant Brides was no exception.
Over many years, I've found reading about women in history to be consistently enjoyable, and Defiant Brides was no exception.
June 5, 2018
Compares the wife of Benedict Arnold (Peggy Shippen) and Henry Knox (Lucy) as a way of exploring loyalties and personalities during the American Revolution, and in its aftermath. Benedict Arnold famously moved from the Revolution back to the British side, some say encouraged and abetted by his 18 year old bride. Lucy was stalwart in support of the Revolution, but was personally an odd mixture of public joy and private nagging.
While interesting, it is a little flat - in some ways these two women don't make for an interesting comparison.
Notes for self. Wouldn't recommend, but enjoyed.
While interesting, it is a little flat - in some ways these two women don't make for an interesting comparison.
Notes for self. Wouldn't recommend, but enjoyed.
October 7, 2018
HEavily researched, many quotes. Sometimes choppy. A slog of a read in many parts but also a relatively short read. Some interesting things are included but I probably would have preferred a work of historical fiction to this piece of non-fiction, which was boring and/or bland in some spots despite the claim of the characters being defiant. I wasn't shocked by much other than the mortality rate. The book did teach me a few things so it wasn't a waste of time but it took me a long time to get through.
May 30, 2024
I appreciate the author's research and work to compare/contrast these two intriguing women. Most know of Peggy Shippen Arnold, but less so the wife of Henry Knox. Lucy Knox was very engaged with her husband's work as George Washington's right-hand man. There was more to Peggy's life than just the period of the American Revolution and Arnold' betrayal. The book is very informative, including personal, social and political aspects of their lives.
June 26, 2018
Considering the major error in the very first paragraph (both born in 1760, but “born four years apart” 🙄) it made it difficult to not wonder about the editing of the rest of the book. I felt it was a misnomer to imply this was a look into these women’s lives because it was still all about their respective husbands and then just assumptions about how the women felt or handled various situations.
May 14, 2024
I had read about Peggy Shippen’s life earlier, but only about the period when she first met Benedict Arnold.
I knew nothing about Lucy Flucker Knox.
Both women led different lives from what they must have imagined as young brides.
This is a wonderful look at the American Revolution through a very different lens.
I knew nothing about Lucy Flucker Knox.
Both women led different lives from what they must have imagined as young brides.
This is a wonderful look at the American Revolution through a very different lens.
July 8, 2020
Well written and well sourced story of two young women who lead interesting and challenging lives. Due to the time period, there's more information on their husbands than on the women, but I am happy with the original sources (their letters) and stories that have been told.
May 25, 2021
I just loved this book! I really did not know much about Benedict Arnold except that he was a traitor. Just an interesting read about the wives of Arnold and General Henry Knox. And lots of history of the Revolution.
March 29, 2022
This was a good read. I learned a lot about Knox and Arnold in addition to his wives. How sad that the Knoxes lost 10 of their 13 children. The publisher should fire their proofreader. There were at least a dozen typos and grammatical errors—not quotes from correspondence.
June 22, 2022
This was an okay book. I'm not really into non-fiction but some parts were interesting. I liked learning more facts about Lucy Knox and Margaret Arnold. I would of liked it more if it was fiction sprinkled with some facts.
September 3, 2018
Interesting story of two women I really knew nothing about. I thoroughly enjoyed.
October 1, 2018
Very well done, reminiscent of the book comparing Benedict Arnold and George Washington. Well written.
Want to read
July 21, 2021Texas DAR Book Club - Daughters of the American Revolution
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