Mark Twain : Historical Romances : The Prince and the Pauper / A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court / Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc (Library of America)

Customer Reviews:

Good collection by a master of wit.......2002-05-10

Huck Finn, I could take or leave. Conn Yankee is among my favorit e classics. Joan of Arc---better than other interpretations of
warrior women. I recommend this collection and "Damsel in the Rough" by Ann M. Tempesta.

a great collection.......1999-06-23

for fans who wish there were another Huck Finn or Tom Sawyer, you will find Mark Twain's 'joan of arc' just as beautifully written as his more famous 'prince an the pauper' and 'connecticut yankee'. for catholics, 'joan of arc' is even more of a must read, a stunning proof how this great saint has captured the hearts of so many, regardless of their skepticism or creed. Library of America editions are beautifully bound, lightweight, and readable. here they contain the two most famous of his non-mississippi writings with a gem most of us never knew existed. a keepsake for the decades.

A fabulous collection of perhaps Twain's very best works!.......1999-02-20

This collection contains my 2 childhood and all-time Twain favorites - Prince & Pauper, and Connecticut Yankee - and added the magical ingredient of a historical romance I never knew Twain had written - Joan of Arc. Now that I have read this as well, I see that it may be even better than the other two!

The wry sense of humor characteristic of Twain definitely is most in evidence in CT Yankee. All 3 of these works deliver Twain's wide understanding of human nature in different times and sociological conditions, and his admiration of human nobility and greatness of heart in adversity. Joan of Arc unquestionably is the most inspiring of these tales, being the story of the greatest hero (or heroine). The Prince and the Pauper, however, remains a jewel of an adventure story, which any child can identify with, and learn from.

Book Description

Regarded by many as the most luminous example of Twain's work, this historical novel chronicles the French heroine's life, as purportedly told by her longtime friend — Sieur Louis de Conté. A panorama of stirring scenes recount Joan's childhood in Domremy, the story of her voices, the fight for Orleans, the splendid march to Rheims, and much more.

Customer Reviews:

Inspiring.......2007-08-13

I enjoyed reading about Joan of Arc very much. Her accomplishments and faith were inspiring. Twain's obvious respect and admiration of her character were apparent and promoted his reader's to feel the same. I highly recommend this work.

Mark Twain brings Saint Joan to life!.......2007-07-17

The master storyteller, Mark Twain, used his immense talent to create this fictionalized account of Saint Joan's life. Even though it is fiction, it is still very historically accurate and stays true to the story of Saint Joan of Arc. Because it is fiction, Twain is able to bring out Saint Joan's personality in a way that reminds us that she was a beautiful, vibrant, passionate young woman who sacrificed everything to serve God and save her country

I think the very fact that Twain would even choose to write a biography about Saint Joan is a further testament to her greatness. Twain was personal friends with U.S. Grant and could much more easily have written a biography about him. He also lived at a time when some of the greatest military leaders ever lived like Lee, Jackson, etc., so if all he had been looking for was a famous military leader he could have also chosen one of them. Obviously, he was looking for someone even greater to write about. I think his own words probably explain why he chose Saint Joan when he said that: "She was perhaps the only entirely unselfish person whose name has a place in profane history."

Whether you are a Saint Joan devotee or not I think you will enjoy reading this book. It is well written and easy to read and covers one of the greatest stories in world history. If you already know about the life of Saint Joan, I also think you will end up loving this account because of the way Twain brings her to life. Definitely one of the best of all the biographies written about Saint Joan of Arc and considered by Twain himself to be his greatest work. Five stars are probably not enough.

"She was Patriotism embodied, concreted, made flesh, and palpable to the touch.".......2006-06-16

A paean to the bravery and spirit of Joan of Arc, this novel by Mark Twain is also his most scholarly, having taken twelve years to write. Clearly fascinated by Joan's "voices" and her sense of mission, Twain delves into her religious passion and her belief that God has chosen her to free France from England and restore the Dauphin to the throne. Often focusing on the arguments and trials in which Joan participates throughout her life, Twain shows her childhood attempt to "save the fairies," her struggle to become general of France, and ultimately, her defense against heresy and sorcery. Through these, Twain attempts to reconcile her spiritual commitment with the tumultuous temporal world in which she is engaged.

Born in Domremy in 1412, seventy-five years after the beginning of the Hundred Years War, Joan, an Armagnac, supports the isolated Dauphin, son of Charles VI; another faction supports the Duke of Burgundy, allied with the British. When Joan is fifteen, her angelic voices tell her she will lead God's armies, win back France, and restore the Dauphin. By the time she is seventeen she is General-in-Chief of France. After lifting the siege of Orleans, achieving many victories, and finally, standing beside the Dauphin at his coronation, she is, however, captured by the Burgundians. Sold to the English, she is later surrendered to an Inquisition in Rouen for trial as a heretic and sorceress. The Dauphin fails to intervene, and at age nineteen she is burned at the stake.

Twain creates a fast-paced story about this tumultuous period, creating a series of repeating characters who anchor Joan's story from the time of childhood until her death. One of these characters is Sieur Louis de Conte, a childhood friend, supporter during battle, and mourner at her execution, who narrates Joan's story many years later. Rare comic scenes provide occasional changes of mood, and the last section of the novel--Joan's trial and execution--is dramatic and moving. With the focus on Joan and the arguments she promotes to advance her cause and facilitate her actions, Twain explores the phenomenon of religious passion and the lengths to which a "chosen" person will go to fulfill divine will.

As interesting as this book is, historically and thematically, it lacks the unity of some of Twain's other novels. Joan of Arc is so heroic in stature that one feels little emotional connection to her, and Twain's dialogue is so wooden that the other characters fail to come alive, except as mouthpieces for background or philosophy. On several occasions, Twain explains the historical background (how the war began, and later the Five Great Deeds of Joan of Arc) though these delay the action. A serious attempt by Twain to depict a character with whom he was obviously fascinated, this novel is full of biographical and historical detail, but Joan remains an enigma. n Mary Whipple

An Outstanding Fictional Presentation Makes This a Great Introduction to The Life of Joan.......2006-06-10

Mark Twain wasn't the only pseudonym used my Samuel Clemens. When this book was first serialized in Harper's Magazine in 1895, it was presented as "Freely Translated out of the Ancient French into Modern English from the Original Unpublished Manuscript in the National Archives of France" - a found manuscript with no connection to the famous author. The book presents itself as a memoir by a fictional companion of Joan's written for his family in the final years of life. The narrator claims to be a childhood friend of hers who, being one of the few people of her village that can write, accompanies her and becomes her secretary during her military career. After her capture and imprisonment, he sneaks into Rouen, where she is to be tried, and becomes an assistant to the official recorder of the the events. Thus, the author has established a single voice that can tell the complete history of the brief, miraculous life of the Maid of Orleans.

The events of the book have been simply summed up in a paragraph in WIKIPEDIA's entry on the Hundred Years War as follows:

By 1428, the English were ready to pursue the war again, laying siege to OrleansTheir
force was insufficient to fully invest the city, but larger French forces remained passive.
In 1429, Joan of Arc convinced the Dauphin to send her to the siege, saying she had received
visions from God telling her to drive out the English. She raised the morale of the local
troops and they attacked the English redoubts, forcing the English to lift the siege.
Inspired by Joan the French took several English strongpoints on the Loire. Shortly
afterwards a French army some 8000 strong broke through English archers at Patay with heavy
cavalry, defeating a 3000 strong army commanded by Falstaff and John Talbot, 1st Earl of
Shrewsbury. The first major French land victory of the wars, this opened the way for the
Dauphin to march to Reims for his coronation as Charles VII. After Joan was captured by the
Burgundians in 1430 and later sold to the English and executed, the French advance stalled
in negotiations.

Clemens presents, through this memoir form, a story of a small group of Joan's friends from her village of Domremy who are caught up in her vision and quest and follow her into battle. They see how this poor, unschooled girl has the wisdom to convince the learned men of the Catholic Church and the French government of her mission, how she was able to raise an army and bring it success in battle despite the reservations of her generals, and how she was able to inspire the people of France to believe in their collective selves, the country of France, in spite of their foreign occupation and poor leadership. Through this approach, we the readers get a wonderful insight into the miraculous influence that Joan had on France at the time.

One might expect the irreverent Mark Twain, who wrote many scandalous pieces to be somewhat satirical in presenting this biography, but that is not the case. While his writing in this book is critical of church and state, his approach to the personal character of Joan puts her above reproach. He could find nothing in her life that was suspect, and he studied the records for 12 years. While he seems unsure about the nature of her voices, he shows Joan as firmly believing that they were real and of divine origin.

This is a mature Clemens who is married with a daughter Joan's age, and he seems happy to have found a human hero who didn't have ulterior motives when closely examined. He liked this best of all his work, yet the critics didn't share his feelings. The original Harper edition ran to almost 600 pages and was issued in two volumes. The story moves slowly with lots of asides about the infighting and rivalries of those around Joan. This may bother some readers since these are obviously fictional characters and not part of the historic record. Also, Clemens was not a scholar of the 15th century and his characters sometimes act more like 19th century Americans than French peasants. Yet these are minor flaws in a story that is an incredible introduction to the life and accomplishments of a truly remarkable person. I, personally, was disappointed that he didn't get closer to his subject Joan of Arc. He gives us the viewpoint of someone who was there and saw everything, but he never gets you inside the mind of Joan. Maybe that is the best we can hope for when reading about such an extraordinary person.

Is that you, Mark Twain?.......2006-05-08

I came upon this book by accident. I had heard of "Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Pierre DeConte." I looked it up in Amazon Com and found to my surprise that it was written by Mark Twain! Now, I've talked to a lot of folks, and this book is not altogether unknown, but most folks have never heard of it, let alone read it. This is way different from Tom and Huck, and the multitude of clever quips we've all heard from Mark Twain. Evidently he considered it his best work, a work of love, even though he knew that it would never hit it big time on the market.

I found the book fascinating, moving, and best of all, true. I not only enjoyed it immensely, but I read it over the period of several readings to a bunch of 5-7 graders, who also really enjoyed it (these are kids who are usually "too big" for being read to).

It is plain that Twain took great pains to make sure that the book was as historically accurate as possible, accepting the fact that he wrote it in first person through the person of Sire Louis DeConte. The only question I would like cleared up for me is how much license he took with that one character, and what is actually known about him from history.

I don't recommend many books, but I would highly recommend this one. Following my tendency I bought the budget edition, but if I had spent a bit more, I could have a book that I could lend out to friends more. I have lent this one to various teen-agers, but it is showing the wear and tear.

Average customer rating:

An Astounding Story
Mark Twain brings Saint Joan to life!
Beautiful and haunting
unexpected pleasure
What do you believe?

Joan of Arc: Personal Recollections
Mark Twain
Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0517147777
Release Date: 1995-09-20

Book Description

Very few people know that Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) wrote a major work on Joan of Arc. Still fewer know that he considered it not only his most important but also his best work. He spent twelve years in research and many months in France doing archival work and then made several attempts until he felt he finally had the story he wanted to tell. He reached his conclusion about Joan's unique place in history only after studying in detail accounts written by both sides, the French and the English. Because of Mark Twain's antipathy to institutional religion, one might expect an anti-Catholic bias toward Joan or at least toward the bishops and theologians who condemned her. Instead one finds a remarkably accurate biography of the life and mission of Joan of Arc told by one of this country's greatest storytellers. The very fact that Mark Twain wrote this book and wrote it the way he did is a powerful testimony to the attractive power of the Catholic Church's saints. This is a book that really will inform and inspire.

Customer Reviews:

An Astounding Story.......2007-08-10

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.

Mark Twain brings Saint Joan to life!.......2007-07-17

Beautiful and haunting.......2007-04-27

How amazing it is to find the usually sardonic, faithless Twain so moved to write a work as glorifying, uplifting and devoted as this novel! In fact, I read this book just to find out what Twain's angle might be. There is no angle, no slant to the story.

It is told in beautiful and moving prose, with Twain using his skills to their utmost, proving by eyewitness the sanctity and goodness of a peasant girl raised to the level of a saint by the blessing of God. Twain, inspired, is quite unmatched in his use of imagery and emotional appeal. The novel is quite stunning in places.

On a historical note, though the words Joan speaks and the events are true, Twain takes liberty with minor characters and their lives in order to follow Joan more closely and give some much-needed comic relief.

Also, on the flip side of the story of the beautifully pure maiden turned warrior, is an indictment against the church who allowed an archbishop to carry out an evil scheme in order to further his own career, and against the King of France who failed to save the girl who saved him.

I will never forget this story, or the faith and courage of Joan of Arc that shone so brightly against the corruption and sin of the church in that age. I am so glad I read this novel.

unexpected pleasure.......2007-02-21

Obviously the public didn't approve of this when it was released as it went against the grain of Twain's previous works. If you are a history maniac as I am, you will appreciate the effort Twain has taken to combine a novel with historical facts. The fact that this book is the first to use the actual transcript of the trial of Joan is a feat in and unto itself. Sit back and enjoy Twain's effort and learn about a fascinating personal history...

What do you believe?.......2007-01-13

Reviews of this work seem to split. Some call it a quite boring book, expecting perhaps something more akin to Twain's more famous writing. Others consider it excellent storytelling and a tribute to the famous saint and symbol. The 800 pound gorilla on the couch that no one seems to mention, however, is the religious nature of the narrative. Do you or do you not accept that Joan was visited and guided by angels? If you do, then the story holds together wonderfully as a tribute to the purity of spirit of Joan. If you don't accept the angelic visions and visitations, the story comes off as an unbelievable fawning over the young woman. In other words, what you make of the book may largely depend on what you bring to it. Twain's characteristic humor and irony come through in a few careful places, showing the unmistakeable skill and intelligence of the author. While wonderfully writtena and excellent storytelling, this is a very different read than most of Twain's other work.

Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc (Complete)

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Mark Twain brings Saint Joan to life!

Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc (Complete)
Mark Twain
Manufacturer: Echo Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1406812994

Book Description

The mature Twain writing something of personal interest in a serious vein

Customer Reviews:

Mark Twain brings Saint Joan to life!.......2007-07-17

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Personal Recollections Of Joan Of Arc
Mark Twain
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Personal Recollections Of Joan Of Arc

ASIN: 1419141015

Book Description

How did she know it? It was simple: she was a peasant. That tells the whole story. She was of the people and knew the people; those others moved in a loftier sphere and knew nothing much about them. We make little account of that vague, formless, inert mass, that mighty underlying force which we call "the people"--an epithet which carries contempt with it. It is a strange attitude;

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Mark Twain brings Saint Joan to life!

Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc
Mark Twain , and Samuel Clemens
Manufacturer: Aegypan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1598184687

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"I like Joan of Arc best of all my books; and it is the best; I know it perfectly well. And besides, it furnished me seven times the pleasure afforded me by any of the others; twelve years of preparation, and two years of writing. The others need no preparation and got none."
-- Mark Twain

Twain considered this book -- his last finished novel -- to be his most significant. Perhaps it is; certainly it's delightful -- but then, in retrospect, everything Twain did is good cause for delight.

Customer Reviews:

Mark Twain brings Saint Joan to life!.......2007-07-17

Personal recollections of Joan of Arc, by the Sieur Louis de Conte [pseud.] (her page and secretary): Freely translated out of the ancient French into ... in the national archives of France,

Average customer rating:

Mark Twain brings Saint Joan to life!
An Outstanding Fictional Presentation Makes This a Great Introduction to The Life of Joan

Personal recollections of Joan of Arc, by the Sieur Louis de Conte [pseud.] (her page and secretary): Freely translated out of the ancient French into ... in the national archives of France,
Mark Twain
Manufacturer: Harper & Brothers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Customer Reviews:

Mark Twain brings Saint Joan to life!.......2007-07-17

An Outstanding Fictional Presentation Makes This a Great Introduction to The Life of Joan.......2006-06-10

Average customer rating:

An Outstanding Fictional Presentation Makes This a Great Introduction to The Life of Joan

Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc

Manufacturer: Harper and Bros.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000EVGPTK

Customer Reviews:

An Outstanding Fictional Presentation Makes This a Great Introduction to The Life of Joan.......2006-06-10

Historical romances : The prince and the pauper, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's court, Personal recollections of Joan of Arc

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Historical romances : The prince and the pauper, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's court, Personal recollections of Joan of Arc
Mark Twain
Manufacturer: LIBRARY OF AMERICA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UDUPIE

Mark Twain and William James: Crafting a Free Self

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Provides a fresh estimate of Twain as thinker and writer.

Mark Twain and William James: Crafting a Free Self
Jason Gary Horn
Manufacturer: University of Missouri Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0826210724

Customer Reviews:

Provides a fresh estimate of Twain as thinker and writer........1999-06-18

Jason Horn offers the first thorough investigation of the relationship between Mark Twain and William James, emphasizing Twain's friendship with James beyond their shared intellectual interests. He uses James to understand Twain as thinker and to illuminate Twain's often vaguely defined religious and philosophical observations. The book provides a fresh estimate of Mark Twain's later years and challenges readers to discover a new way of seeing one of America's important and endearing writers.

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