The Life & Times Of Joan Of Arc (Biography from Ancient Civilizations)

Jim Whiting has been a journalist, writer, editor, and photographer for more than 20 years. In addition to a lengthy stint as publisher of Northwest Runner magazine, Mr. Whiting has contributed articles to the Seattle Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Newsday, and Saturday Evening Post. He has edited more than 100 Mitchell Lane titles in the Classic StoryTeller series, Biography from Ancient Civilization series, and Unlocking the Secrets of Science. A great lover of classical music, he has written many books for young adults, including The Life and Times of Irving Berlin and The Life and Times of Frédéric Chopin (Mitchell Lane). He lives in Washington state with his wife and two teenage sons.

Grade 5-8–This biography of the saint places her in historical as well as contemporary context. The book starts with an overview of the political situation in France centuries earlier. Later chapters detail Joan's call to military action on behalf of Charles, the dauphin; her quest to help him become crowned king; her arrest by the English; her execution; and her eventual canonization in the Catholic Church. Joan of Arc is sometimes a controversial figure because of her declarations that she heard the voices of angels telling her what to do. The author confronts this issue early on, stating, In our era, some people believe that claims of hearing 'voices' show that the person is mentally unbalanced. Others have suggested that what Joan was hearing was actually her conscience. But Joan was acting in accord with common beliefs at the time. FYI For Your Info sidebars add related facts, such as a description of Becoming a Saint and background about The Saints Who Spoke to Joan. The format and graphics appear to be series-dictated and have little to do with Joan. The design is busy with overlapping computer-generated elements that add color but not much information. The book is competently written and provides plenty of information for reports. The serviceable approach is unlikely to draw in other readers.–Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA
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