cover image JOHN THE PAINTER: Terrorist of the American Revolution

JOHN THE PAINTER: Terrorist of the American Revolution

Jessica Warner, . . Thunder's Mouth, $24.95 (320pp) ISBN 978-1-56858-315-0

During the early days of the American Revolution, James Aitken, alias John the Painter, set fire to the Royal Navy dockyards of Portsmouth and Bristol, briefly striking terror into the hearts of the English. Completely forgotten today, Aitken strove to gain notoriety through various criminal acts, culminating in the arson he committed in support of the American rebels. In an entertaining successor to her fascinating Craze: Gin and Debauchery in an Age of Reason , Warner traces Aitken's life from his restless childhood in the poverty and grime of Old Town, Edinburgh, to his exploits as an indentured servant in the colonies, from his time as a British soldier—and repeated deserter—to his plots against the Crown. Warner points out that Aitken's loneliness, the taunts he received as a Scot in London and his desire to be seen as a mastermind led him to seek revenge through robbery, rape and murder. Aitken believed that if he could destroy British ports and thus hobble the great Royal Navy, then America would win the war. Warner points out that Aitken even tried to enlist prominent Americans, such as Benjamin Franklin, to support his plots. Warner's blend of social history and psychology (she teaches in the department of psychiatry at the University of Toronto) brings new life to this little-known character who briefly gained fame by terrorizing England. B&w illus. Agent, Katinka Matson. (Oct. 15)