Joan of Arc: Her Story (Paperback)

by Régine Pernoud (Author), Marie-Véronique Clin (Author), Jeremy duQuesnay Adams (Translator) "READERS MAY FIND USEFUL a rapid sketch of two great crises that shaped Joan's historical moment, the Hundred Years War and the Great Schism of..." (more)
Key Phrases: nullification trial, gold saluts, condemnation trial, Joan of Arc, Philip the Good, University of Paris (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
The peasant girl who led an army against the English and placed Charles VII on the French throne has inspired countless books since her death at age 19. While others have claimed Joan the Maid (as she called herself) for every cause from feminism to working-class radicalism, this meticulous volume by two French scholars sticks close to the known facts. The authors make extensive use of contemporary documents that bring to life the turbulent political scene in which Joan operated as well as her forceful personality. Joan followed the directives of voices she believed were sent to her by God; her deep piety, self-assurance, decisiveness, and shrewd intelligence radiate from her letters and from her responses to hostile questioning at the rigged trial that resulted in her being burned alive as a heretic in 1431. General readers may be intimidated at first by a detailed narrative studded with lengthy quotations, but those who persevere will discover a story all the more moving because it is not manipulated to make a modern-day point. This English translation updates the 1986 French volume's bibliography, supplements the biographies in part 2 with sketches of historical figures less familiar outside of France, and generally makes the book more accessible for English-language readers. --Wendy Smith --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly
Joan of Arc means many things to many people: the incarnation of French patriotism, a Fascist mascot for anti-Semitism, the symbol of working-class resistance, the ultimate proto-feminist, the political prisoner, the innocent woman persecuted for heresy. In order to separate legend from fact, her uses from herself, Pernoud and Clin have ingeniously turned the mystifying question "Who is Joan of Arc?" into the more manageable "What is [her] historical record?" Joan's history was brief: a year of fighting, a year of imprisonment. In 1429, inspired by holy "voices," she traveled to the failing dauphin Charles (later King Charles VII) and declared that she would free the city of Orleans from his English enemies and lead him to his coronation. Shortly after fulfilling both prophesies, she was captured by the English, who tried her for heresy and burned her at the stake. In 1455, 24 years after her death, a new trial concluded that the English inquisition was improperly conducted and nullified its decision. Throughout their descriptions of these events, the authors draw upon copious letters and trial transcripts to present a vivid portrait of the young woman whose intelligence, courage, determination and unshakable faith astonished all of Europe. A brief introduction and a section of profiles of the major players make this thorough book accessible to the general reader. Though the writing is sometimes dry, Pernoud and Clin do an admirable job of bringing clarity to their complicated subject. This is the first English translation of a book published in 1986 in France. 12 illustrations, 8 maps.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (October 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312227302
• ISBN-13: 978-0312227302
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #34,934 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Books on the Subject!, January 14, 2000

By	Aussie Reader ""Rick"" (Canberra, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Joan of Arc: Her Story (Hardcover)

Not much can be added to the previous reviews. I would highlight the point that it would be wise to read the forward and preface before getting stuck into the book. The layout of the book is somewhat different to your normal biography but in this case it works well. The story is excellent and is well presented and as mentioned by other reviews without any noticeable bias either way. The authors have produced a gripping and entertaining story and have also provided the reader with some detailed lists of principal characters, issues and images and appendices that have copies of some letters written by `Joan of Arc'. The list of characters was very detailed and makes the book a must have for any decent library. Overall this is a very well researched account of this amazing woman and the story was a joy to read. Recommend to anyone who loves good history.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended, November 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Joan of Arc: Her Story (Hardcover)

This is possibly the best book about La Petite Pucelle to be released in the last few decades: Regine Pernoud presents the evidence without injecting bias or speculation into the mix, and also includes the text of Joan of Arc's surviving letters and other relevant information. Along with her other books (such as "Joan of Arc, By Herself and Her Witnesses"), this is a must-read for anyone who wishes to study the historical Joan.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Read the preface and be prepared!, July 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Joan of Arc: Her Story (Hardcover)

I think it wise for anyone who reads this book to begin with the prefaces which give a clue to the overall presentation of the book. I did find myself captivated by the book upon first reading. And though it is easy for us to become lost in the maze of characters involved in St. Joan's life, a testament of how many she affected in the brief time she was alive, there are the second and third parts to enlighten us. The book does well with the presentation of her life. Further, there is plenty of information in the appendices to give someone not familiar with the "life and times" of the late Medieval Age to come away with enough background to have a better understanding of the events that unfold in this book. More interesting reading would be found in Pernoud's "Joan of Arc: In Her Own Words." if one is interested solely in her story without having to worry about a lot of the historical contexts.