Books for Prep | |
 - historyThis book gives a good overall view of Joan of Arc. It is a easy read and informative. Rating:  - Excellent biography by renowned historianThis biography is a great choice for both new students of Saint Joan of Arc as well those already familiar with her story. Régine Pernoud was considered to be one of the great authorities on medieval history and Joan of Arc. She spent her life researching Joan of Arc and being French she was able to utilize all of the original source materials that still exist. Her writing style is straightforward and honest and, most importantly, made heavy use of historical documentation. The one problem I have with this biography is that it is a little tough to read in places. I think the problem comes from it being a translation. The old phrase "loses something in translation" comes to mind. That said if you can get though the dry parts you will have a great understanding of Saint Joan's life as well as some idea about the people in which she interacted during her life. If you read this book and Pernoud's other great biography, Joan of Arc: By Herself and Her Witnesses, you should come away knowing most of the known history of Saint Joan of Arc. Rating:  - A ripoffI got this book for two reasons: 1) none other than Winston Churchill said that to try to understand the meaning of sainthood one had to read Joan of Arc's trials, and 2) I have become an ardent fan of Regine Pernoud's work. This book disappoints on both fronts: 1) References and quotations from both of Joan's trials are scant, which is truly inexcusable given the wealth of information available, and 2) Mme. Pernoud's incomparably lucid descriptions and illuminating analyses of the Middle Ages are sorely lacking in this book. The proceedings from both of Joan of Arc's trials have survived almost intact. As a result, there is no other saint (and almost no other historical figure for that matter) of whose life we have such meticulous firsthand documentation. This book gives such shorthrift to coverage of the trials, that one will need to seek elsewhere for a glimpse of Joan's brilliance. I'd venture to speculate that since this book was published close to Mme. Pernoud's death, she did not have much of a hand in its' writing, but her co-author did. Pernoud's name was left on the cover to capitalize on her prestige, which is why I'm calling this book a ripoff. If you know absolutely nothing about Joan of Arc you might get something out of this book, but I advise potential readers that a better bet may be Pernoud's other book on Joan of Arc which has no co-authors. Rating: - An Excellent ChoiceRegine Pernoud was a rare type of author: equally respected among scholars and laymen. As conservator of the Archives of France she brought a great deal of documentary information within reach of the general public, enhanced by her own impeccable research and insightful analysis. She is remarkably fair to divergent historical theories, yet not shy about calling some ideas patent nonsense and then demonstrating in plain language why they fail to stand up to analysis. Her prose style is witty and sharp, well preserved in this translation, and you may laugh out loud as she deflates a few fringe theories. I confess a preference for "Joan of Arc by Herself and Her Witnesses" as my favorite Pernoud book. Joan of Arc: Her Story is among Pernoud's final works and the narrative portion is slender. The exceptionally rich indexes are the real treasure. If you've ever looked at Joan of Arc's name and wondered, "Where the heck was Arc?" you'll be surprised and engrossed by the discussion of her name. If you're familiar with the outline of her life and wondered what became of all those other people she encountered, you'll find biographical essays on every significant figure. Rating: - A Profound documentary researchThis historical research about one of the most incredible events in human history, establishes its analysis on many authentic documents. We go step by step, accompanied by the relevant papers and letters, through the short tragic history of Jeanne D'arc. This method gives this book a tremendous reliability; the reader feels almost at hand with Jeanne, and as he proceeds reading, he enters deeper and deeper into her soul. By the end, you feel that you have lost a friend, a true person of high spirit and blazing convictions. In association with Amazon.com | |