The Life of Joan of Arc, Vol. 1 and 2

Anatole France approaches Joan of Arc through the records left by her judges, witnesses and chroniclers. This two-volume biography follows her childhood and reported voices, her arrival at the French court, and the campaigns around Orléans. The contents also trace the growth of her legend and the later proceedings that reconsidered her case. Winifred Stephens provides the English translation.

The introduction explains how France weighs trial testimony, letters and accounts written in the service of powerful patrons. He questions inconsistencies, uncertain memories and claims shaped by devotion or political loyalty. In the middle excerpt, detailed notes compare conflicting reports of a military encounter rather than accepting a single account. Readers interested in medieval France will find both a life narrative and an example of historical source criticism, with the author openly defending a human explanation of events often treated as supernatural.