Helen Castor wanted to present Joan's story in context with an extended history of France for years before and after her appearance on the world stage. The general idea behind Joan of Arc is sound.
Unfortunately, that mega-effort did not lend itself to a readable or enjoyable book. On the contrary, I found this to be an extraordinarily well researched and cited biography. The two star rating that I'm giving Joan of Arc: A History has nothing to do with the historical accuracy of the book. In Joan of Arc: A History, Helen Castor tells this gripping story afresh: forwards, not backwards, setting this extraordinary girl within her extraordinary world where no one - not Joan herself, nor the people around her, princes, bishops, soldiers or peasants - knew what would happen next. What could be more revealing? But all is not as simple as it seems, because this is a life told backwards, in hindsight - a story already shaped by the knowledge of what Joan would become. In the transcripts, we hear first-hand testimony from Joan, her family and her friends: a rare survival from the medieval world. One trial, in 1431, condemned her the other, twenty-five years after her death, cleared her name. Burned at the stake as a heretic at the age of just nineteen. The Maid of Orleans, and the saviour of France.
A warrior leading an army to victory, in an age that believes women cannot fight. A peasant girl who hears voices from God. Visit the Conversations website for more of Richard Fidler's interviews.We all know the story of Joan of Arc. To subscribe to the Conversations podcast, paste into your podcasting application or visit our podcasting page. You can either listen to each Conversations interview by clicking on the audio or you can download each interview as an mp3 by right-clicking on the blue heading under the audio. Joan of Arc: A History is published by Allen & Unwin 25 years later she was exonerated, and now she is 'Saint Joan', a French national icon and globally recognised heroine.
In 15th century France, she was at first believed, and then, burned as a heretic.
Joan claimed to be guided by the voice of God. Now she's told the story of Joan of Arc, the French maid who led an army into battle, thereby defeating the English and making a man king. Helen's study of powerful historical women, She-Devils was adapted for TV by the BBC.
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