Product Description

The king was going mad . . . So begins Polly Schoyer Brooks's account of one of history's most compelling stories and one of the world's most popular heroines-Joan of Arc. Brooks tells us of a fifteenth-century France ravaged by war, plague, and religious conflict; of a king who suffered fits of madness and his weak son who made a disappointing successor; and of a peasant girl from the countryside who accomplished what appeared to be miracles by rallying the dispirited French nation with her desire to see the rightful king rule. Little more than a year after her astounding triumphs-uniting the nation and securing the throne for Charles VII with her victory over the English at Orlean-nineteen-year-old Joan was imprisoned on charges of witchcraft and sorcery, tried for heresy, and burned at the stake. Polly Schoyer Brooks's detailed narrative unveils the spirited young woman who became a patron saint and continues to inspire courage and faith.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #353847 in Books
• Published on: 1999-09-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

From School Library Journal
A scholarly, well-written biography of France's great heroine, Beyond the Myth is thorough, interesting, and full of detail about this remarkable woman and the time in which she lived. In addition to an historical introduction, Brooks also discusses various interpretations of Joan's visions, and then makes her own thoughtful analysis. The book also contains a comprehensive, annotated bibliography. The black-and-white illustrations have been carefully selected and are aptly placed within the text; there are also two excellent maps. Brooks' book is a good complement to Williams' classic Joan of Arc (American Heritage, 1963; o.p.) which, while more condensed in its text, effectively relates Joan's story and has superb full-color illustrations. A more recent study, Banfield's Joan of Arc (Chelsea, 1985; o.p.), is skimpy in detail and contains many factual errors; its numerous illustrations are, for the most part, poorly selected and explained. Goodwin's Where the Towers Pierce the Sky (Four Winds, 1989), a recent time-travel fantasy, treats Joan in the simplistic manner typical of popular fiction. In contrast, Brooks writes for serious readers, and her book, although challenging, is richly rewarding. It will certainly become the definitive Joan of Arc biography for young adults. --Ann W. Moore, formerly at Lane Road Library, Columbus, OH
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
Joan is pictured as pious, strong-willed, and heroic. Brooks's carefully rendered and moving history focuses on the single year in which Joan led the army of Prince Charles to victory and then fell prey to the jealousy, court intrigue, and superstition that brought about her death. Bibliography, index. -- 1990 (Horn Book )

About the Author
Polly Schoyer Brooks lives in New Canaan, Connecticut, where she enjoys her four children, ten grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

Customer Reviews

I'm young again !

Ms. Brooks concise biography of Joan, marketed toward "young adults," makes me feel sure that I must be young again! It exactly suits me.

The Joan that emerges from these pages is an entirely believable, if extraordinary, human being. It is written at a perfectly intelligent level, is measured in its judgments, provides historical and social context, and is never dogmatic. It seems careful throughout and provides a bibliography. And it is ~very~ engaging. What's not to like?

I proudly place this work for "young adults" on my shelves and will, in the future, look more deliberately for work in this category.

I have an interest in French history but a regular life as well, not endless expanses of time for huge historical tomes. I was extremely pleased with the return this book gave me for a modest investment of time. And nobody has accused me lately of not being a full-fledged adult ;-)

Detailed biographical study garnered from intense research.
Like many females, I enjoy learning about female historical figures. I want to know as much truth as I can find. The author does exactly that for the reader. This book is a detailed account of the events that triggered Joan d'Arc's dedication to her country and its rightful king. The author traces the history based on documents and other works that have been carefully researched. She provides the reader with the personality traits and beliefs of the time which drove the events that led to Joan's trial and death. Accusations of witchcraft and sorcery were used by church and secular leaders to destroy the young life of a heroic woman because of jealousy, superstition, and shady business surrounding the church and state. In addition, health and medical issues of the times are revealed that are shocking and entertaining. Read this book to learn about Joan, but also about the way people lived. Just learning about the reasons for the need for all those castles made the read worth the time.

Informative non-fiction--and actually interesting, too
I don't generally read non-fiction (I have the non-fictionattention span of a gnat). I'm glad I got my hands on this book. Itwas very well written, and so interesting that I ended up retelling it to several friends. Joan had a fascinating life and the author recaptures it very well.