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Joan: The Mysterious Life of the Heretic Who Became a Saint – A Biography of the Teenage Warrior Who Changed History
Since her death at the age of nineteen in 1431, Joan of Arc has maintained a remarkable hold on our collective imagination. She was a teenager of astonishing common sense and a national heroine who led men in to battle as a courageous warrior. Yet she was also abandoned by the king whose coronation she secured, betrayed by her countrymen, and sold to the enemy. In this meticulously researched landmark biography, Donald Spoto captures her astonishing life and the times in which she lived. Neither wife nor nun, queen nor noblewoman, philosopher nor stateswoman, Joan of Arc demonstrates that everyone who follows their heart has the power to change history.
222 pages, Paperback
First published February 20, 2007
234 people are currently reading
894 people want to read
About the author
Donald Spoto
63 books169 followersA prolific and respected biographer and theologian, Donald Spoto is the author of twenty published books, among them bestselling biographies of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Alfred Hitchcock, Tennessee Williams, and Ingrid Bergman. His books have been translated into more than twenty languages. Donald Spoto earned his Ph.D. in theology at Fordham University. After years as a theology professor, he turned to fulltime writing. The Hidden Jesus: A New Life, published in 1999, was hailed by the Los Angeles Times as "offering a mature faith fit for the new millennium." His successful biography of Saint Francis was published in 2002.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
December 20, 2017
Having little previous knowledge of French history, I was still nevertheless able to put the Middle Ages time period of Joan of Arc's life into context of the Hundred Years War with England that would lead to that nation's Wars of the Roses (of which I've read quite a bit). Having now read Donald Spoto's biography on Joan of Arc, I know now that, without Joan, France would likely not have unified to become one nation. Because of her integrity and courage, France would see itself finally expel the English forces that came within a hairsbreadth away from ruling France. Joan of Arc's story is just as timely today as it was when she first stood against the nefarious political and religious factions that stood to deny Joan from fulfilling her destiny. What that destiny was was for the French king, Charles VII, to be anointed over the English King, Henry VI, who many felt had a more rightful claim to the French throne. To Joan, she saw England as an invader, and only wished for her country to be ruled by its own countrymen. Joan, more than any other military or political leader of her day, would ensure that that would indeed happen.
With everything that has been written and portrayed about Joan of Arc through the nearly 600 years since she was unjustly burned at the stake, it would be easy to confuse the real historical figure with the fictitious one that has been warped and molded to fit warring factions' desires to depict her as they deemed fit. In truth, Donald Spoto had ample historical documentation to demonstrate the true character and worth of the teenage girl who would save her nation.
The most compelling aspects of Spoto's biography come from the actual transcripts from Joan's trial for heresy. Given up to her enemies and abandoned by the King for whom she was so instrumental in seating, Joan of Arc's voice lends itself to one who had more natural wit, intelligence, and sangfroid than perhaps any other historical figure of whom I've read. Illiterate, she would go on to prove that despite her lack of formal education, her common sense and intellect would serve her and her country well in one of the most tumultuous times in France's history. Guided by voices and visions of a spiritual nature, she would go on to earn the trust and companionship of men who would not only revere and follow her into battle, but who would remain steadfastly loyal to her memory after she was cruelly and unjustly killed at the hands of the hypocritical Catholic Church and the villainous English aristocracy who blamed her for their loss of control over so much of the French kingdom.
In a modern time where heroes are so often hard to come by and where so many in the modern political and religious spheres are too often guided by their own hypocritical, self-serving natures, it is perhaps even more important to remind ourselves of the virtue and integrity of one Joan of Arc. While her story is ultimately a tragic one, the importance of what one person can achieve when guided by truth and integrity is worth noting. Joan of Arc is a heroine for the ages and one worth our time to get to know. Her life was one guided by a fierce sense of purpose while her undaunting courage and sacrifice continues to call to us, demanding our commitment to know and never forget what she achieved and why her sacrifice still matters.
With everything that has been written and portrayed about Joan of Arc through the nearly 600 years since she was unjustly burned at the stake, it would be easy to confuse the real historical figure with the fictitious one that has been warped and molded to fit warring factions' desires to depict her as they deemed fit. In truth, Donald Spoto had ample historical documentation to demonstrate the true character and worth of the teenage girl who would save her nation.
The most compelling aspects of Spoto's biography come from the actual transcripts from Joan's trial for heresy. Given up to her enemies and abandoned by the King for whom she was so instrumental in seating, Joan of Arc's voice lends itself to one who had more natural wit, intelligence, and sangfroid than perhaps any other historical figure of whom I've read. Illiterate, she would go on to prove that despite her lack of formal education, her common sense and intellect would serve her and her country well in one of the most tumultuous times in France's history. Guided by voices and visions of a spiritual nature, she would go on to earn the trust and companionship of men who would not only revere and follow her into battle, but who would remain steadfastly loyal to her memory after she was cruelly and unjustly killed at the hands of the hypocritical Catholic Church and the villainous English aristocracy who blamed her for their loss of control over so much of the French kingdom.
In a modern time where heroes are so often hard to come by and where so many in the modern political and religious spheres are too often guided by their own hypocritical, self-serving natures, it is perhaps even more important to remind ourselves of the virtue and integrity of one Joan of Arc. While her story is ultimately a tragic one, the importance of what one person can achieve when guided by truth and integrity is worth noting. Joan of Arc is a heroine for the ages and one worth our time to get to know. Her life was one guided by a fierce sense of purpose while her undaunting courage and sacrifice continues to call to us, demanding our commitment to know and never forget what she achieved and why her sacrifice still matters.
April 16, 2019
Despite the obvious religious bias of this book, it was well written and well researched. I think the most interesting part of this though, is the detail in which her very obviously unfair and biased trial and illegal execution unfolded. Also, she was thrown under the bus by the very people she helped save and not much seemed to be done to get her from the Burgundian French (the enemy) at the time. Interesting and worth reading if you are interested in Joan of Arc and also how the kangaroo court that was the inquisition seemed to operate, then this might be interest to you, but be aware this does have a very religious bias and does not really go into very much detail until the author gets to the trial where I think there was probably the most historical record.
June 11, 2019
“The cruelty of men is as wondrous as Peru.” So sayeth Sweeney Todd, and he should know.
Why, you might ask, did I begin my review of a biography of a woman who just might be the greatest saint of her age with a quote penned by arguably one of the greatest lyricists of ours?
Because it’s true.
The story of Joan of Arc is a hard one. It begins in glory, ends in betrayal, and in one of the most painful and tragic deaths imaginable.
An illiterate peasant girl inspires her country, crowns her king, and is betrayed by those she sought free from the tyranny of a foreign oppressor. Joan was burned at the stake as a heretic because she wore men’s clothes to avoid being assaulted by both her countrymen and the men who later imprisoned her. Seriously.
Okay, you’re probably wondering how men’s clothes could protect a woman from constant assaults. I know I did. Turns out men used to tie their hosen to their jackets with twenty cords. Tight. Top it off with hip-high cavalry boots and you’ve got yourself a pretty effective chastity belt. Tough to get past. Sadly, many men still tried.
So the official charge was the heresy of wearing men’s clothing, but in actuality Joan was murdered because she was a bit too effective at inspiring her fellow countryman to drive the English invaders from French soil. The nerve of some women.
In more modern times, Joan was victimized again by people too blinded by their own reality to accept hers. That there were beings, ‘voices’, that guided and consoled her; voices she spoke about only under duress because she was too practical and too humble to believe that she would be believed. There are those who have speculated that she suffered from epilepsy, migraines, bovine tuberculosis or any one of a number of ‘real’ reasons to explain an experience that is unimaginable and indescribable.
In “Joan: The Mysterious Life of the Heretic Who Became a Saint", Donald Spoto argues that the indescribable experiences of the spirit are best described through poetry and metaphor. And I would argue not well at that. How do we speak of that which the human brain can barely comprehend?
There are a few routes. The most predicable is the pious avenue, one which skirts the potholes of human nature and the speed bumps of reality.
Boring.
Even Joan would have thought so. When pressed by the faithful to touch objects to bless them, she replied, “You touch them. Your touch will do them as much good as mine.”
Another is the aforementioned skeptical approach that discounts not only Joan’s spiritual experiences, but the reality of the hard physical tasks she accomplished. Riding for days in full armor, leading multiple charges, encouraging and inspiring the French troops, her pennant always in hand because she refused to take a human life. Does this sound like a woman with bovine tuberculosis?
Not to me.
Finally, there is the middle path. One where the reality of Joan’s temper, her piety, her fear, and her love are treated with a biographer’s honesty, and her spiritual experiences are viewed with belief and an attempt at understanding. To say this biography resonated with me is an understatement. There was more than one moment when I stopped to reflect not only on the strength of will and the deep faith necessary for Joan to live, and more importantly die, believing always that God was with her. That she had no need to fear because God would always be with her. And I was able, for the briefest of moments, to understand how superficial and petty our daily concerns are when contrasted with the soaring majesty and eternal love of the divine.
The beauty of a soul is as wondrous as the universe.
Five stars. Highly recommended.
Why, you might ask, did I begin my review of a biography of a woman who just might be the greatest saint of her age with a quote penned by arguably one of the greatest lyricists of ours?
Because it’s true.
The story of Joan of Arc is a hard one. It begins in glory, ends in betrayal, and in one of the most painful and tragic deaths imaginable.
An illiterate peasant girl inspires her country, crowns her king, and is betrayed by those she sought free from the tyranny of a foreign oppressor. Joan was burned at the stake as a heretic because she wore men’s clothes to avoid being assaulted by both her countrymen and the men who later imprisoned her. Seriously.
Okay, you’re probably wondering how men’s clothes could protect a woman from constant assaults. I know I did. Turns out men used to tie their hosen to their jackets with twenty cords. Tight. Top it off with hip-high cavalry boots and you’ve got yourself a pretty effective chastity belt. Tough to get past. Sadly, many men still tried.
So the official charge was the heresy of wearing men’s clothing, but in actuality Joan was murdered because she was a bit too effective at inspiring her fellow countryman to drive the English invaders from French soil. The nerve of some women.
In more modern times, Joan was victimized again by people too blinded by their own reality to accept hers. That there were beings, ‘voices’, that guided and consoled her; voices she spoke about only under duress because she was too practical and too humble to believe that she would be believed. There are those who have speculated that she suffered from epilepsy, migraines, bovine tuberculosis or any one of a number of ‘real’ reasons to explain an experience that is unimaginable and indescribable.
In “Joan: The Mysterious Life of the Heretic Who Became a Saint", Donald Spoto argues that the indescribable experiences of the spirit are best described through poetry and metaphor. And I would argue not well at that. How do we speak of that which the human brain can barely comprehend?
There are a few routes. The most predicable is the pious avenue, one which skirts the potholes of human nature and the speed bumps of reality.
Boring.
Even Joan would have thought so. When pressed by the faithful to touch objects to bless them, she replied, “You touch them. Your touch will do them as much good as mine.”
Another is the aforementioned skeptical approach that discounts not only Joan’s spiritual experiences, but the reality of the hard physical tasks she accomplished. Riding for days in full armor, leading multiple charges, encouraging and inspiring the French troops, her pennant always in hand because she refused to take a human life. Does this sound like a woman with bovine tuberculosis?
Not to me.
Finally, there is the middle path. One where the reality of Joan’s temper, her piety, her fear, and her love are treated with a biographer’s honesty, and her spiritual experiences are viewed with belief and an attempt at understanding. To say this biography resonated with me is an understatement. There was more than one moment when I stopped to reflect not only on the strength of will and the deep faith necessary for Joan to live, and more importantly die, believing always that God was with her. That she had no need to fear because God would always be with her. And I was able, for the briefest of moments, to understand how superficial and petty our daily concerns are when contrasted with the soaring majesty and eternal love of the divine.
The beauty of a soul is as wondrous as the universe.
Five stars. Highly recommended.
November 27, 2009
This biography of Joan of Arc was written by a man with a Ph.D. in theology. He also has a more than fair understanding of church history and canonical law. This added an interesting depth to many parts of the book while making it more accessible rather than less.
I was surprised that he depicted Joan's voices without advancing any passionate argument towards their nature or authenticity. He does discredit most of the arguments that her voices were not real, but that is pretty much where he stops.
It is during her trial that he clearly takes sides. He points out numerous parts of the proceedings that were not in keeping with Canon law of the time. Where the book is lacking is that there is virtually no coverage of her canonization which didn't take place until the early 20th Century -- and the role that politics may have played in that act as well as her trial and death.
Of course, the real strength of this book is its subject, her life, her faith and her God.
I was surprised that he depicted Joan's voices without advancing any passionate argument towards their nature or authenticity. He does discredit most of the arguments that her voices were not real, but that is pretty much where he stops.
It is during her trial that he clearly takes sides. He points out numerous parts of the proceedings that were not in keeping with Canon law of the time. Where the book is lacking is that there is virtually no coverage of her canonization which didn't take place until the early 20th Century -- and the role that politics may have played in that act as well as her trial and death.
Of course, the real strength of this book is its subject, her life, her faith and her God.
June 4, 2010
Pretty comprehensive overview of Joan's life. It's the first indepth book I've read on her and the author seems rather to be making a point of telling his readers that he has something new to say about her. I guess I would have had to have read other stuff on her to be able to tell if there is anything exceptionally new here but it was okay. Sort of dragged in spots and rather funny in others.
March 21, 2017
3.5 stars.
A very fascinating biography of Joan of Arc. While I knew the 'basics' about her, I haven't read many specific biographies. I did appreciate that he stated his biases and interests at the beginning- he seats her very firmly in the Christian mystical perspective. It probably helps if you believe that Paul, Elijah, and Jesus were historical people who behaved exactly how they are portrayed in the Bible- while I'm on the fence about their historicity, I'm not sure that you can prove that Joan's visions were 'real' or not by comparing them to other experiences in religious tradition.
Despite that,he does make a compelling case to show that whether or not her experiences were 'real', they were real to her, and her contemporaries. She was such a remarkable individual, and while there are still a lot of unanswered questions, this should be on anyone's 'must read' list if you're at all interested in Joan.
A very fascinating biography of Joan of Arc. While I knew the 'basics' about her, I haven't read many specific biographies. I did appreciate that he stated his biases and interests at the beginning- he seats her very firmly in the Christian mystical perspective. It probably helps if you believe that Paul, Elijah, and Jesus were historical people who behaved exactly how they are portrayed in the Bible- while I'm on the fence about their historicity, I'm not sure that you can prove that Joan's visions were 'real' or not by comparing them to other experiences in religious tradition.
Despite that,he does make a compelling case to show that whether or not her experiences were 'real', they were real to her, and her contemporaries. She was such a remarkable individual, and while there are still a lot of unanswered questions, this should be on anyone's 'must read' list if you're at all interested in Joan.
June 21, 2025
4.5
Excellent read. Gave so much information in a few pages. Covered everything with good detail and support. I could not put it down. My only problem was with the extended rationalizing about her visions. They don't really need explained in our terms. She believed she had them. It was accepted at that time. That's that, in my opinion.
Excellent read. Gave so much information in a few pages. Covered everything with good detail and support. I could not put it down. My only problem was with the extended rationalizing about her visions. They don't really need explained in our terms. She believed she had them. It was accepted at that time. That's that, in my opinion.
April 18, 2017
I enjoy biography generally and was especially please to see a book on a Catholic Saint. It didn't really occur to me until I was already listening that an author could negatively treat the Church or a Saint, that is mock them or dismiss their religious experience through the lens of secularism, however that was not this case in this book. Mr. Spoto treats Joan and her claims with respect. As for Joan I was shocked at just how short her meteoric rise lasted. More incredibly was that this peasant changed the course of a nation and history based solely on her faith in God. Truly incredible. Also incredible was her being forsaken by her local Church and King, only to be rediscovered and honored by the universal Church and France after her sham trial and execution.
November 1, 2021
This was such an informative and well-researched book. I knew nothing of Joan of Arc and now I am absolutely amazed by her.
April 19, 2025
Inspiring narrative of an inspirational life
Donald Soto masterfully tells the tale of Joan the Maid or the Maid of Orléans or, better, Saint Joan of Arc. His historical accuracy is rigorous, and he courageously does something many academic historians fail to do: take her spiritual experience as genuine instead of explaining it away based on anti-religious prejudice. In fact, he deftly undermines the rationalistic critiques of Joan’s mystical experience. That said, what most touched me about this rendering of her tale was Joan’s guileless prosecution of her mission, her down-to-earth realism, and the tremendous injustice she suffered. Has anyone in history besides Our Lord himself been so unjustly maligned, tortured, and murdered as she?
Donald Soto masterfully tells the tale of Joan the Maid or the Maid of Orléans or, better, Saint Joan of Arc. His historical accuracy is rigorous, and he courageously does something many academic historians fail to do: take her spiritual experience as genuine instead of explaining it away based on anti-religious prejudice. In fact, he deftly undermines the rationalistic critiques of Joan’s mystical experience. That said, what most touched me about this rendering of her tale was Joan’s guileless prosecution of her mission, her down-to-earth realism, and the tremendous injustice she suffered. Has anyone in history besides Our Lord himself been so unjustly maligned, tortured, and murdered as she?
December 3, 2020
Eu tô ligado que o Spoto faz biografia em ritmo de linha de montagem, mas nunca vou esquecer como me senti lendo esse livro. A partir do capítulo da captura até à morte na fogueira, eu só não conseguia parar de chorar. Joana D'Arc é mal interpretada por seus críticos e até por alguns de seus defensores. Ela não é um símbolo feminista (yes queen slay them) ou uma representante da resignação à fé católica. Joana representa o nacionalismo em sua forma mais distante de vícios: a noção de que estamos inexoravelmente ligados ao solo em que nascemos, independente das críticas àqueles que o comandam. Belo livro que marcou o meu 2016.
January 21, 2025
there is an itch in my head that only a 9 caliber bullet can scratch. HOW COULD THEY DO THAT TO HER RAGHHHH like i knew how it ends but it still shot me in the heart with the descriptions of her youth and the silence after her burning.
this book had me at the edge of my seat wtf i expected it to be sort of slow paced but man i freaked over every chapter. 10/10 ate that shit up
this book had me at the edge of my seat wtf i expected it to be sort of slow paced but man i freaked over every chapter. 10/10 ate that shit up
February 11, 2018
Short, accessible account of Joan of Arc’s life and times.
February 13, 2020
ENJOYED ALL THE HISTORY AND THE INSIGHT TO DOCUMENTS OF THE LIFE OF JOAN OF ARC.
July 17, 2025
Very good book. I didn’t know much about Joan of Arc. We all should be sold out to Jesus as Joan was!
April 13, 2020
This was an excellent biography. It contained several counter arguments and the author defends his arguments well that Joan's character was pristine, devoted to her faith and not delusional, that she had a pivotal role in the Hundreds Year War, and unified France toward nationhood. The book contains many direct quotes from her trail. The research is thorough. The vocabulary was quite challenging for me and was glad to read it in my Kindle. Joan of Arc, the Maid is a fascinating figure of history- one that has been maligned and mischaracterized for centuries. This book does an excellent job defending her true character and role in history. I would have liked some text features like maps, glossary and timeline of events.
November 6, 2014
I wanted to enjoy this book, as Joan of Arc is a fascinating historical figure, whether you believed her visions truly came from God or not - but I felt as though this book never quite got going. Whether that is because of its relatively short length, the lack of any real academic weight or the quite obvious religious feeling of the author, but I felt as though I were reading the author's personal polemic on the life of Joan of Arc, rather than the historical biography I had been hoping for.
The author states that he drew on recently discovered documents pertaining to Joan's life and trial, but none of the references are footnoted or clearly explained, and many of the supposed quotes from the trial are quite clearly not only translated from French into England, but from the medieval parlance into more 'modern' language. Spoto draws a very engaging and poignant portrait of this remarkable nineteen-year-old, but it never feels authentic. It reads and feels very much like a fictional biography.
On the whole, I was disappointed. I was looking for a historical biography of an intriguing medieval figure, and I got an almost literal hagiography.
The author states that he drew on recently discovered documents pertaining to Joan's life and trial, but none of the references are footnoted or clearly explained, and many of the supposed quotes from the trial are quite clearly not only translated from French into England, but from the medieval parlance into more 'modern' language. Spoto draws a very engaging and poignant portrait of this remarkable nineteen-year-old, but it never feels authentic. It reads and feels very much like a fictional biography.
On the whole, I was disappointed. I was looking for a historical biography of an intriguing medieval figure, and I got an almost literal hagiography.
July 11, 2016
Not at all what I wanted.
I want the story in chronological order of the things that happened in Joan of Arc's life. I wanted to read an actual story, even if it had imagined conversations. I wanted to at least read a biography that reads like a story book.
INSTEAD, Spoto tells the story as if it's a story that the reader already knows about and he's just giving a bit of deeper information. He writes as a critic. This is like some essay about her. Not fun to read. Informative. But, I guess a little repetitive? I don't know what anybody would say.
But it's filled with his opinion and his critique and thoughts and stuff more than it just tells us about Joan.
I simply think I didn't need to read beyond chapter two. I knew how this book was going to flow and I just wasn't into it. The back cover of the book tells you enough about what it contains. No point to really read this book.
I want the story in chronological order of the things that happened in Joan of Arc's life. I wanted to read an actual story, even if it had imagined conversations. I wanted to at least read a biography that reads like a story book.
INSTEAD, Spoto tells the story as if it's a story that the reader already knows about and he's just giving a bit of deeper information. He writes as a critic. This is like some essay about her. Not fun to read. Informative. But, I guess a little repetitive? I don't know what anybody would say.
But it's filled with his opinion and his critique and thoughts and stuff more than it just tells us about Joan.
I simply think I didn't need to read beyond chapter two. I knew how this book was going to flow and I just wasn't into it. The back cover of the book tells you enough about what it contains. No point to really read this book.
March 26, 2021
This author is really bad at communicating his thoughts. It's like he's struggling writing each sentence and seems confused constantly. And instead of citing historian's previous work, he tries to be the most vague and eloquent author possible. Is Joan of Arc crazy because she heard voices and had visions? The author literally just says the definitive answer is that "her visions were valid because it's her truth". What is that even supposed to mean? How in the world is that take anything other than vague, lazy, and non-committal?
January 10, 2011
I never knew that we had so much information on Joan of Arc. I don't think I have ever read a nonfiction work so quickly. thought the story was so interesting, I couldn't put it down. The author isn't my favorite -- a little too much religious point of view for a nonfiction book for my taste. But, the story of Joan is fascinating. I want to read more about her. I believe that she truly was one of God's servants.
January 4, 2011
Brief look at the life of Joan of Arc. Well written, mostly unbiased account. No matter whether you believe she was a nutjob or blessed with heavenly advice, she was a truly remarkable young woman. Even if she was French.
May 14, 2019
I guess it is titled the "mysterious life" - but I wanted a fact based history, cause I know so little about Joan of Arc - and this certainly was not that. It seemed to me to be all speculation, and very (overly) religious. Nope, she wasn't crazy or halucinating, just deep in prayer.
June 29, 2009
Interesting...flowery language....author once taught at Fairfield.
September 25, 2020
Joan: The Mysterious Life of the Heretic Who Became a Saint by Donald Spoto tells the story of Joan of Arc in great details. If you are looking for one book on this subject and have no use for further research, as is the case for many readers, then this book should fit right in. Obviously you wouldn’t know whether you’ll be investing more time on Joan of Arc if you haven’t read anything yet but suffice it to say, this is a great starter book. Picking the right book, especially where Joan of Arc is concerned, is important because a lot of the details surrounding her life are derived from written testimonies from people of her time. You’ll want an author that can weed out the mundane yet include pieces of information that is relevant to the overall story. This is actually my second book on Joan. The first was by Regine Pernoud called Joan of Arc: By Herself and Her Witnesses. I couldn’t get even halfway through that book because it was just too dry a read. Great if you want every single little detail for further studying but not so much as your first book on this historical figure.
“Of course I tried to escape–that is to be expected of any prisoner!” – Joan of Arc
On the story of Joan herself, when someone says be prepared for a roller coaster of emotions, this is exactly what they meant. In no particular order, I’ve been hit with shock, disbelief, disappointment, wonder and awe, sadness, anger and frustration, happiness, determination and mysteriousness. What could possibly make a healthy yet ordinary young girl in the 1400’s give up her comfortable life to actually putting herself in danger towards a grand mission of saving France from the English? In what world would that even make sense? Enter the life of Joan. Here we have a girl whose faith in God is so unwavering that it sometimes makes it hard to continue reading her story only because we know of how tragic an ending was in stored for her at only the age of nineteen. All the more infuriating was how we all can see that she was betrayed by the very king she actually helped put on the throne yet was still steadfast in her protection of him even while being mistreated and tortured as a prisoner. Although more than 600 years have past, humans of the distant past are really no different than humans of today. Cauchon could be cast as a super villain in a movie today and he’ll make others look like amateurs.
It’s not enough to just read through a Joan of Arc story page after page. I believe her story invokes so much feeling and thoughts that one must stop once in a while to really take it all in and ask ourselves what does it all really mean? However, how can one dissect the mind and thoughts of one such as Joan whose faith and her belief in her voices and vision were so real that she literally believed her actions were guided by God himself and that she was an extension of his will? Is there any difference from the faithful followers of Jesus today? Here the author does an amazing job of narrating Joan’s story while offering his own comments from time to time with the idea that he is doing so with a mindset of how things were in the 1400’s and not from a modern viewpoint. However, it’s very obvious of the clear bias he shows in favor of Joan, although I would have to say that doing otherwise can be quite difficult given the evidence presented.
“If I am not in the state of grace, may God put me there–and if I am, may He keep me there.” – Joan of Arc
Although not much of a religious person myself, I find Joan’s story to be just full of wonder. An ordinary and mundane girl who literally saved an entire nation that was on the brink of defeat. More importantly, it is in Joan’s strong belief that no nation or country should be conquered by foreign adversaries and at the expense of the citizens is what makes her so refreshing a topic to study in today’s world. She may have paved the way for generations after her. You could even say she begun a grassroots movement with her ideology and actions. Her way of thinking was unheard of during her time and being a woman at that, life must have been much more difficult than what documents have shown. The courage she has shown throughout her court sessions, knowing that she was utterly alone with no one to guide her but God himself, whether you believe in her story or not, made her that much more impressive. I’ve only started my journey learning about historical figures with the likes of Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and the other Roman emperors but so far, I’d have to say that Joan’s story is the most impactful thus far.
“..an experience of God’s nearness does not mean an avoidance of pain; it does, however, provide a path through which suffering may be endured.” – Donald Spoto
“Of course I tried to escape–that is to be expected of any prisoner!” – Joan of Arc
On the story of Joan herself, when someone says be prepared for a roller coaster of emotions, this is exactly what they meant. In no particular order, I’ve been hit with shock, disbelief, disappointment, wonder and awe, sadness, anger and frustration, happiness, determination and mysteriousness. What could possibly make a healthy yet ordinary young girl in the 1400’s give up her comfortable life to actually putting herself in danger towards a grand mission of saving France from the English? In what world would that even make sense? Enter the life of Joan. Here we have a girl whose faith in God is so unwavering that it sometimes makes it hard to continue reading her story only because we know of how tragic an ending was in stored for her at only the age of nineteen. All the more infuriating was how we all can see that she was betrayed by the very king she actually helped put on the throne yet was still steadfast in her protection of him even while being mistreated and tortured as a prisoner. Although more than 600 years have past, humans of the distant past are really no different than humans of today. Cauchon could be cast as a super villain in a movie today and he’ll make others look like amateurs.
It’s not enough to just read through a Joan of Arc story page after page. I believe her story invokes so much feeling and thoughts that one must stop once in a while to really take it all in and ask ourselves what does it all really mean? However, how can one dissect the mind and thoughts of one such as Joan whose faith and her belief in her voices and vision were so real that she literally believed her actions were guided by God himself and that she was an extension of his will? Is there any difference from the faithful followers of Jesus today? Here the author does an amazing job of narrating Joan’s story while offering his own comments from time to time with the idea that he is doing so with a mindset of how things were in the 1400’s and not from a modern viewpoint. However, it’s very obvious of the clear bias he shows in favor of Joan, although I would have to say that doing otherwise can be quite difficult given the evidence presented.
“If I am not in the state of grace, may God put me there–and if I am, may He keep me there.” – Joan of Arc
Although not much of a religious person myself, I find Joan’s story to be just full of wonder. An ordinary and mundane girl who literally saved an entire nation that was on the brink of defeat. More importantly, it is in Joan’s strong belief that no nation or country should be conquered by foreign adversaries and at the expense of the citizens is what makes her so refreshing a topic to study in today’s world. She may have paved the way for generations after her. You could even say she begun a grassroots movement with her ideology and actions. Her way of thinking was unheard of during her time and being a woman at that, life must have been much more difficult than what documents have shown. The courage she has shown throughout her court sessions, knowing that she was utterly alone with no one to guide her but God himself, whether you believe in her story or not, made her that much more impressive. I’ve only started my journey learning about historical figures with the likes of Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and the other Roman emperors but so far, I’d have to say that Joan’s story is the most impactful thus far.
“..an experience of God’s nearness does not mean an avoidance of pain; it does, however, provide a path through which suffering may be endured.” – Donald Spoto
November 22, 2025
Jeanne d’Arc oli kahtlemata müstiline tegelane, aga müstikat leidub selles raamatus märksa vähem kui nt meil tõlgitud Michel Lamy eluloos. USA teoloog (ühtlasi Elizabeth Taylori, Ingrid Bergmani, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly jt elulugude autor) on vaevaks võtnud kogu see mitmetonnine paberimajandus läbi uurida, mis Orléans’i neitsi kohta tema eluajal kirja pandi. Tulemus on üllatavalt asjalik ja teoloogi kohta eelarvamustevaba.
Päris alguses selgub, et kuigi Jeanne’i lühike karjäär ja järgnenud vangipõlv on peaaegu päev-päevalt jäädvustatud, pole tänini täpselt teada, millal ta õieti sündis või kuidas välja nägi. Riietuse ja relvastuse detaile on omal ajal üpris põhjalikult kirjeldatud, aga see ongi kõik. Kui 2024. a Pariisi olümpia avatseremooniale ilmus Jeanne d’Arc läikivas turvises sportlase kujul, siis see oli juba sajandeid väldanud pika käänulise mainekujundusprotsessi viimane üllitis.
Donald Spoto kui teoloogi jaoks pole keskaegse karjuseplika nägemustes midagi iseäralikku ja selline lähenemine mõjub väga sümpaatselt. See on ka ainuke koht, kus autor endale natuke irooniat lubab. On väidetud, et Jeanne d’Arci nägemused olid tegelikult töötlemata lehmapiimast saadud tõve (ajutuberkuloosi?) sümptomid. Spoto märgib, et kui see tõele vastab, oleks mõistlikum piima pastöriseerimisest päevapealt loobuda.
Üsna põhjalikult lahatakse inglaste rahvuskommet oma vaenlaseid veel pärast nende surma laimata ja maha teha. Otsa tegi lahti ei keegi muu kui Will Shakespeare, kes nädendis „Henry VI“ kujutab Joan La Pucelle’i valeliku deemonina (strumpet on seal üks leebemaid väljendeid). Esimene positiivne teos (luuletus) Jeanne d’Arci kohta inglise autori sulest ilmus kõigest 365 aastat pärast tema hukkamist.
Kas Jeanne d’Arc on 21. sajandil päevakajaline? Või veel, vaadake Youtube’ist Dundee Axe Girli!
Päris alguses selgub, et kuigi Jeanne’i lühike karjäär ja järgnenud vangipõlv on peaaegu päev-päevalt jäädvustatud, pole tänini täpselt teada, millal ta õieti sündis või kuidas välja nägi. Riietuse ja relvastuse detaile on omal ajal üpris põhjalikult kirjeldatud, aga see ongi kõik. Kui 2024. a Pariisi olümpia avatseremooniale ilmus Jeanne d’Arc läikivas turvises sportlase kujul, siis see oli juba sajandeid väldanud pika käänulise mainekujundusprotsessi viimane üllitis.
Donald Spoto kui teoloogi jaoks pole keskaegse karjuseplika nägemustes midagi iseäralikku ja selline lähenemine mõjub väga sümpaatselt. See on ka ainuke koht, kus autor endale natuke irooniat lubab. On väidetud, et Jeanne d’Arci nägemused olid tegelikult töötlemata lehmapiimast saadud tõve (ajutuberkuloosi?) sümptomid. Spoto märgib, et kui see tõele vastab, oleks mõistlikum piima pastöriseerimisest päevapealt loobuda.
Üsna põhjalikult lahatakse inglaste rahvuskommet oma vaenlaseid veel pärast nende surma laimata ja maha teha. Otsa tegi lahti ei keegi muu kui Will Shakespeare, kes nädendis „Henry VI“ kujutab Joan La Pucelle’i valeliku deemonina (strumpet on seal üks leebemaid väljendeid). Esimene positiivne teos (luuletus) Jeanne d’Arci kohta inglise autori sulest ilmus kõigest 365 aastat pärast tema hukkamist.
Kas Jeanne d’Arc on 21. sajandil päevakajaline? Või veel, vaadake Youtube’ist Dundee Axe Girli!
May 16, 2022
A clear and straightforward account of the teenage girl who saved her country from imperial conquest.
In the spring of 1429 the French army was demoralized and disintegrating in the face of English occupation. But with the arrival of Joan, a peasant girl without education or connections, the troops supporting the as-yet-uncrowned heir to the throne of France rallied and won a crucial campaign that turned out to be the turning point in the Hundred Years' War. Joan was seventeen at the time.
How did she do this? Spoto makes the case that it was the remarkable fortitude and character she showed in her public speeches and letters to kings, dukes, and bishops, and the tremendous courage she showed in holding firm on the front lines of every battle, even when seriously wounded. All of this, says Spoto, casts serious doubt on the theory that her alleged visions stemmed from mental or neurological illness. On the contrary, her words and actions at the royal court, on the battlefield, and later on in the courtrooms of the Inquisition, all indicate an unusually clear and balanced mind.
Only twenty-four years after she was captured by her enemies and burned at the stake as a heretic, her case was re-tried, and on the testimony of witnesses who had lived and fought alongside her, Joan of Arc was restored to her rightful place as a person of remarkable integrity, a heroine who had appeared on the stage of history when her people needed her and done the deed at hand to the best of her ability. I only read half of this book, but I was inspired by the picture it painted and the case it made for the power of faith to alter history.
In the spring of 1429 the French army was demoralized and disintegrating in the face of English occupation. But with the arrival of Joan, a peasant girl without education or connections, the troops supporting the as-yet-uncrowned heir to the throne of France rallied and won a crucial campaign that turned out to be the turning point in the Hundred Years' War. Joan was seventeen at the time.
How did she do this? Spoto makes the case that it was the remarkable fortitude and character she showed in her public speeches and letters to kings, dukes, and bishops, and the tremendous courage she showed in holding firm on the front lines of every battle, even when seriously wounded. All of this, says Spoto, casts serious doubt on the theory that her alleged visions stemmed from mental or neurological illness. On the contrary, her words and actions at the royal court, on the battlefield, and later on in the courtrooms of the Inquisition, all indicate an unusually clear and balanced mind.
Only twenty-four years after she was captured by her enemies and burned at the stake as a heretic, her case was re-tried, and on the testimony of witnesses who had lived and fought alongside her, Joan of Arc was restored to her rightful place as a person of remarkable integrity, a heroine who had appeared on the stage of history when her people needed her and done the deed at hand to the best of her ability. I only read half of this book, but I was inspired by the picture it painted and the case it made for the power of faith to alter history.
June 25, 2017
Joan of Arc has always kind of been there through my Catholic upbringing, love of history, & a couple of miscast films, but I never really knew many of the details of her fascinating & puzzling story. Unbelievably, this teenage girl was the nexus of war, politics, faith, nationalism, religion, injustice, sanity, & madness. She is the only person the Catholic church condemned as a heretic & later canonized as a saint. Who the heck was she? There’s an amazing amount of trial transcripts, letters, & recollections that Spoto gathers mightily together into a portrait that may raise more mysteries than it answered. Generations have projected what they wanted on The Maid. People of profound faith, Leftists, Conservatives, feminists, etc have embraced her as one of their own. That Catholic upbringing of mine couldn’t help but see parallels to the Passion of Christ. From a small village a humble peasant girl who proclaims her connection to God rises with great numbers of followers. Joan is ultimately abandoned & betrayed to a religious kangaroo court who condemn her, handing her over to secular authorities for a horrid execution. Spoto, a theologian, walks a thin line at times poo pooing some of her contemporaries reactions to her holiness yet respecting her visions & the purity of her faith. I may not have left with all my questions answered, but I did leave with enormous respect for The Maid. She lived only to age 19, but she changed the history of Europe & forced the Church to revaluate & change their opinion of her in the most profound way.
June 26, 2024
This book represents 100% of what I know about Joan of Arc. It was a fascinating biography, beginning from a demand that the reader set aside any skepticism about her religious visions. Spoto makes a solid argument that the Godly voices that transformed a rural farm girl into a warrior for a unified France (and a king who did nothing to deserve her loyalty) were as real to Joan as my own heartbeat is to me.
If Spoto comes back to remind us of a little bit too often, it's a minor frustration with the book. Once spiritual skepticism is suspended, he does an excellent job showing how Joan fostered loyalty and belief in those who came to know her - and how she was ultimately done in by the corruption and indifference within the Catholic Church.
Spoto acknowledges the complexity of her character, and makes clear - not necessarily on purpose - that there are many ways to understand "the heretic who became a saint." If I was inclined to do a deep dive, I'd pick up some books that explore other ways to understand her, because Spoto's approach is narrow and feels a little bit overly confident throughout.
But his research is thorough, and he delivers a compelling and satisfying narrative that offers excellent context for understanding this iconic figure in history of whom I actually knew very little.
If Spoto comes back to remind us of a little bit too often, it's a minor frustration with the book. Once spiritual skepticism is suspended, he does an excellent job showing how Joan fostered loyalty and belief in those who came to know her - and how she was ultimately done in by the corruption and indifference within the Catholic Church.
Spoto acknowledges the complexity of her character, and makes clear - not necessarily on purpose - that there are many ways to understand "the heretic who became a saint." If I was inclined to do a deep dive, I'd pick up some books that explore other ways to understand her, because Spoto's approach is narrow and feels a little bit overly confident throughout.
But his research is thorough, and he delivers a compelling and satisfying narrative that offers excellent context for understanding this iconic figure in history of whom I actually knew very little.
September 11, 2021
3.5/5
It was obvious that the author did a lot of research before writing this book. That said, I feel like the pacing was a little bit off. Some parts covered huge stretches of time, with very little detail. Other times, there was an almost agonizing amount of detail and the story seemed to drag on a bit. Overall, I felt that it was well written.
My biggest problem with this book was the author's obvious skepticism about all things religious. At different times in the book, he stated that Joan could have had schizophrenia, a brain tumor, or any one of several other mental disorders. He even went so far as to say that angels "...are not much different from friendly aliens, but they dress better." He completely discounted the possibility that she could have been exactly what she professed to be. That was a weird stance to take.
It was obvious that the author did a lot of research before writing this book. That said, I feel like the pacing was a little bit off. Some parts covered huge stretches of time, with very little detail. Other times, there was an almost agonizing amount of detail and the story seemed to drag on a bit. Overall, I felt that it was well written.
My biggest problem with this book was the author's obvious skepticism about all things religious. At different times in the book, he stated that Joan could have had schizophrenia, a brain tumor, or any one of several other mental disorders. He even went so far as to say that angels "...are not much different from friendly aliens, but they dress better." He completely discounted the possibility that she could have been exactly what she professed to be. That was a weird stance to take.
November 21, 2018
I found this a really worthwhile read. I'd known the outlines of the story, but had no idea about the extent of calumny and malfeasance especially demonstrated by Bishop Pierre Cauchon, who stopped at nothing to get her burned. Evil. Spoto summarizes, "Joan of Arc is certainly an example of the victimized political prisoner, of the hostage unjustly taken, betrayed by those to whom she was devoted, oppressed by those who place power before people. Lonely in her suffering, terrified in the face of a dreadful death, she was at last a sacrifice to a suffocating kind of fanaticism." Spoto, Donald. Joan: The Mysterious Life of the Heretic Who Became a Saint (p. 206). HarperOne. Kindle Edition.
It seems to me that we need to be careful of similar mistakes in our own time.
It seems to me that we need to be careful of similar mistakes in our own time.
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