<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Not your typical Mark Twain book
Review: "Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc" is a unique entry in the catalog of Mark Twain's works. The reader will find here little of the humor and irreverence which mark most of Twain's earlier works, and none of the darkness and despair which mark a few of his later works. Instead the reader will find a moving story of the life of Joan of Arc, the poor, uneducated peasant girl who was called by God to liberate France, who led a dispirited and broken French army in victory after victory, who was put to death by a corrupt church hierarchy, and who was later canonized as a Catholic saint. While many of the details in the book are fictionalized, the major points of the story are in harmony with the known facts of Joan's life. In fact, Twain spent twelve years doing research for this book.
I was pleasantly surprised by Mark Twain's reverent treatment of religion in "Joan of Arc." Judging by Twain's other writings, it seems clear that he did not have a very high opinion of the Catholic Church (especially during the Middle Ages), or of religion in general. Yet this book is a moving and poignant portrait of a medieval Catholic saint, which shows a great respect for Joan's religious convictions. And Twain makes it clear from the very outset, in the preface to the book, that he believes Joan of Arc to have been one of the greatest people ever to have lived; he says that her character "occupies the loftiest place possible to human attainment, a loftier one than has been reached by any other mere mortal."
Mark Twain is quoted as saying that "Joan of Arc" was the book which he liked "best among all my books." I would not go quite that far, as there are several other books of his that I think are better. But this is clearly one of Twain's more underrated and overlooked works. It is somewhat long and slow-moving, but taken as a whole it is an inspiring and enjoyable account of the extraordinary life of Joan of Arc.
Rating: 
Summary: The importance of "Joan of Arc" to Mark Twain
Review: Albert Paine's biography, "The Adventures of Mark Twain" says: "It was just at this time [while Clemens was still in Hannibel working for his brother's paper] that an incident occurred which may be looked back upon now as a turning-point in Samuel Clemens's life. Coming home from the office one afternoon, he noticed a square of paper being swept along by the wind. He saw that it was printed . . . . He chased the flying scrap and overtook it. It was a leaf from some old history of Joan of Arc, and pictured the hard lot of the 'maid' in the tower of Rouen . . . . Sam had never heard of Joan before -- he knew nothing of history. He was no reader. . . . But now, as he read, there awoke in him a deep feeling of pity and indignation, and with it a longing to know more of the tragic story. It was an interest that would last his life through, and in the course of time find expression in one of the rarest books ever written. The first result was than Sam began to read. He hunted up everything he could find on the subject of Joan, and from that went into French history in general -- indeed, into history of every kind. Samuel Clemens had suddenly become a reader . . . ."
Rating:
Summary: The importance of "Joan of Arc" to Mark Twain
Review: Albert Paine's biography, "The Adventures of Mark Twain" says: "It was just at this time [while Clemens was still in Hannibel working for his brother's paper] that an incident occurred which may be looked back upon now as a turning-point in Samuel Clemens's life. Coming home from the office one afternoon, he noticed a square of paper being swept along by the wind. He saw that it was printed . . . . He chased the flying scrap and overtook it. It was a leaf from some old history of Joan of Arc, and pictured the hard lot of the 'maid' in the tower of Rouen . . . . Sam had never heard of Joan before -- he knew nothing of history. He was no reader. . . . But now, as he read, there awoke in him a deep feeling of pity and indignation, and with it a longing to know more of the tragic story. It was an interest that would last his life through, and in the course of time find expression in one of the rarest books ever written. The first result was than Sam began to read. He hunted up everything he could find on the subject of Joan, and from that went into French history in general -- indeed, into history of every kind. Samuel Clemens had suddenly become a reader . . . ."
Rating:
Summary: Good read, confused about its orgins when I first saw it
Review: I found this book in a library and read it. I was surprised that Mark Twain wrote such a serious piece -- it did not contain his typical wit or sarcasm, but was a rather sentimental account of Joan of Arc. I wasn't sure when I started or finished it if it was actually a translation he made from a real account or if he had written it himself as a sort of historically based piece of fiction. I gather from what I have seen elsewhere that this is considered fiction -- a novel -- but he was painstaking in his attention to historical details and facts. It was a wonderful book, and I found it inspiring. He persuaded me to believe her story.
Rating:
Summary: Good read, confused about its orgins when I first saw it
Review: I found this book in a library and read it. I was surprised that Mark Twain wrote such a serious piece -- it did not contain his typical wit or sarcasm, but was a rather sentimental account of Joan of Arc. I wasn't sure when I started or finished it if it was actually a translation he made from a real account or if he had written it himself as a sort of historically based piece of fiction. I gather from what I have seen elsewhere that this is considered fiction -- a novel -- but he was painstaking in his attention to historical details and facts. It was a wonderful book, and I found it inspiring. He persuaded me to believe her story.
Rating:
Summary: All time greatest book on Joan of Arc
Review: Mark Twain's best. I couldn't put it down. I was away for the weekend, found it on a book table in the lobby, and bought it for bedtime reading. The rest of the weekend was devoted to living Joan's story. A great weekend. An incredible book. This book will make you feel like you walked with Joan, knew her, loved her - READ THIS BOOK. Truly one of the greatest reads of my life! A Book that really changed my perspective on a lot of things.
Rating:
Summary: Overlooked, yes; but wonderful
Review: There are not enough words to properly rate this book. Mark Twain stepped away from his typical writing style, and the results are amazing. What first drew me to the book was the fact that he had written it, and I simply liked Joan of Arc. This book made me fall in love with her. Yes, it's long, but once you start, you simply can not stop reading. He tells the events of her life beautifully, speaking as Sieur Louis de Conte, her lifelong friend and companion. Everything from the Fairy Tree to her death is enthralling, and he draws medieval France as it was. France was falling, and Joan saved it. Her intelligance beat that of fifty scholars, yet she never learned to read. She could outwit the priest when she was a young child. She overcame all odds, and led France's army to victory. Not many people have read this book, be one of the few that has. I promise that you will not regret it.
<< 1 >>
|
