The life of Joan of Arc is an amazing adventure in suspending one's scientific mind, and allowing faith to take hold. This story is obviously well-researched, but still hard to believe. It was enlightening and inspiring. Sometimes Twain's dialogues felt a bit forced and false, but the story remains powerful.

It has been many years since a friend recommended this excellent book to me and I have thought of it many times, always positively and with appreciation. Now I am back looking to buy copies as gifts. I, too, was unaware that Mark Twain wrote such a serious book and I took it eagerly to read. I do not associate with any particular religion and did not feel a great amount of judgment or need to take a religious side or point of view in reading it. Rather, I read it as a story, a tale of a heroic young female figure, set in a time when young women were not so respected or admired.

We know today about sexism and prejudice. These topics are studied and accepted today and through history. Mark Twain wrote this book 100 years ago about a country girl born about 1412. To imagine what she faced and overcame from powerful men in her time. It is simply an amazing read about well researched amazing accomplishments and experiences of young Joan of Arc. I recommend this book highly for those interested in feminist inspiration, general (or religious) history, and for an inspiring, well written tale by a master story teller, Mark Twain.

I will mention here a similar feeling of inspiration reading about the life of Grace O'Malley (b. 1530) , a proud and accomplished Irish Cheiftan/sea captain who was known as the "pirate queen." She defied stereotypes of her time by controlling the west coast of Ireland and beyond, also fighting against the English.

Never thought that Mark Twain would have written this book. It shows his admiration for Joan of Arch. It is a great portrait of her life. Excellent reading for our youth now a days. With God on our side, we can conquer the impossible!

I am not sure what got me interested in joans' story but i was pleased to find that twain had taken on the subject. the genius of this book is twains narrative gimmick; a translation of a fictional characters first hand account of the life an times of 'the maid of orleans'. the use of a fictional narrator allows him to stick to the bones of the story without endless digression and and scholarly citation that would have dried up such a wonderful story. while staying true to the important historical facts(except the physical description of joan) the trick allows twain to cobble together several years of research into a story that is readable and moving. some complain that twain made no issue of joans' divine visions, believing that the events the book describe become uninteresting to those who are of a skeptical nature. i too am skeptical but if she did have visions the story is amazing if on the other hand she made them up the story is all the more profound...

This is one of Mark Twain's best books, in my estimation. It was the last book he wrote. He also wrote it under an assumed name, for fear that his reputation as a humorist would detract from the seriousness with which he hoped his readers would approach the topic. Moreover, it is a highly spiritual book written by a self-described atheist.

The book is narrated by Joan's aide-de-camp, and childhood friend, as an old man telling a story to his grandchildren. And what a story he tells. Of the transformation of a poor village girl into the military savior of France from the English invasion, while hardly more than a child. A transformation which not only resulted in the military hero of the century, but which is at its center based on Joan's love for God and trust in his miracle. My book buddy Marcia Makepeace read Joan of Arc, as her 21st book, in this the 30th day of our 60 day readathon. I'm close behind with 18, reading furiously in San Francisco.