Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Mark Twain
A classic novel of the 'Maid of Orleans, Mark Twain's masterful storytelling transports readers to a time of chivalry, intrigue, and political turmoil, weaving together fact and fiction to create a positively classic work of literature that still resonates today with the timeless themes of sacrifice, patriotism, and the power of belief.
Mark Twain's famous fictional account of the life of the 15th century French heroine and patron saint, Joan of Arc, was originally a serial written for and appearing in Harpers Magazine in 1895. It appeared in book form in the following year, representing itself almost as 'faction' and citing its source as the translation into English of a French manuscript written by Joan's page, Sieur Louis de Conte.
The actual historical de Conte was Joan's page and in this novel he is employed as narrator by virtue of his presence in the three principal passages of her life, from the divine visions of her youth and becoming the successful commander of King Charles VII's French Army against the English during the Hundred Years War and finally to her trial at Rouen which led to her execution by burning at the stake aged just nineteen years.
Originally written under a pseudonym, this novel is arguably Twain's most serious and mature work. It necessarily lacks the humor for which he was renowned, but he has created instead a work regarded by many as an American classic of the late nineteenth century.
Immerse yourself in the epic tale of Joan of Arc and discover why this enduring classic continues to captivate readers around the world!
