Joan of Arc: In Her Own Words

I bought this book several years ago and it is one purchase that I do not regret. Wonderful for grabbing a thought, it often ends up in the pile of my inspirational books. There is nothing like a word from Joan before facing the day. As history, it is an excellent tool from which to derive direct quotations from one of the greatest enigmas of all time. JOAN OF ARC: IN HER OWN WORDS puts the reader in contact with the mind of the saint and the events which she faced so courageously. Her boldness, her femininity, her adandonment and her triumph are all there.

Having read many books on La Pucelle, I must say that reading her actual words - the way she spoke, her own phrasing, her own expressions - brings her to life in a way no other writings about her can. Her words, lifted from the actual transcripts of her trials and from letters which she dictated, bring to life the living, breathing girl complete with her feelings; her deep love of her Lord, her frustrations, her anger, her anguish; along with her firsthand account of her childhood! This is not a story - if you are looking for the telling of the story of Jehanne d'Arc, invest in any of Regine Pernoud's books for complete historical acuracy without distorted legend. This particular book gives only Jehanne's words (along with the words of her interrogators), in the progressive order of the transcripts of her trials and her words in letters which she dictated.There are very few informational notes and there is no story to speak of. A must-read for all! I recommend it highly!

This is a unique and worthwhile presentation of the life of Joan of Arc. It takes all of her statements which appear in random places in the trial transcripts and orders them chronologically. Since it contains only quotes by Joan, discriptions of the surrounding events are missing. However, for anyone already familiar with the context, this is a great collection and a valuable companion piece to other complete biographies. I will read this volume many times.

Makes a vivid case for Sainthood, not only for Joan, but for Sainthood as a genuine phenomenon. How this unlettered, 20 year old peasant girl could fathom the deepest, most profound issues of religious reality, and do so in this ravishing, self-effacing and accessible manner will be one of humankind's lasting mysteries. Inspiring and baffling beyond description. Moves me to tears on every subsequent rereading. Incomparable. Unmissable!

I love this book because of the direct way in which it tells the story. You get a sense of Joan's character through the most significant words she spoke. Whatever she could not tell, the wonderfully written afterword does. Also, the cover art (a b & w photo) is worth having in itself- it's incredible compared to most other Joan of Arc books. In short: Most books I pick up never fail to bore me, but this text is truly gripping.