Anatole France’s The Life of Joan of Arc, here in both volumes, is a major biography of the peasant girl who led French armies to victory in the Hundred Years’ War and was burned as a heretic in 1431. France approaches his subject with a sceptical, rationalist eye, examining the historical record, the visions, and the politics of fifteenth-century France. The result is a richly detailed, sometimes controversial, account of one of history’s most extraordinary figures.
Written by one of France’s finest authors, the work sets Joan within the turbulent world of the war between France and England, the rival claims to the throne, and the religious atmosphere of the age. France’s literary skill and critical method make for a compelling portrait. Readers interested in Joan of Arc, the Hundred Years’ War, or medieval France will find it rewarding.