Joan of Arc

Rating:
Summary: Interesting biography, but not Belloc's best
Review: Eminent Bellocian and Catholic philosopher Frederick Wilhelmsen called it the "finest panegyric" ever written about St. Joan. Yet others have found it too lacking in detail, with the over-generalization that hinders some of Belloc's other works. In its favor, it is concise and the prose style is a lively imitation of the Medievals. The author does offer some fascinating insights, and helps to fit St. Joan into the time and help us understand her role better than many secular biographies. Unfortunately, Belloc's best and most important character studies -- James II, Richelieu, Cromwell, Cranmer, Louis XIV, etc. -- remain out-of-print.